Google Ads: how much of success comes down to timing?

At Front Page Advantage, we’re often asked about the importance of timings when it comes to placing Google Ads.

Here, we look at seasonal campaigns and time of day for advertising on the platform. Click here if you first need a reminder on what Google Ads Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising is

Making the most of a seasonal campaign

Competition definitely increases if you’re advertising at a particular time of year, say for Christmas, back to school, Halloween, Black Friday, Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. This means you may have to pay more to get clicks. At the same time, all the metrics can change quite markedly.

But, done properly, with ads which are fresh, relevant and current, there can also be huge opportunities to beat competitors and thrive.

Think hard about why a customer buys something at a particular time of year, and what the purchasing process is like for them.

Be clear, too, on when the ‘season’ starts and ends, and what conversion rates are like at various points in the year.

Equally, bear in mind that keywords can mean different things in different months. ‘Lawn care’ for example, may mean mowing in spring or summer, fertilising or raking leaves in the autumn or winter. Google Trends is a free tool for looking at search term trends.

As ever, it’s all about careful planning. It may be a cliché, but Christmas campaigns for example are being seen on Google earlier and earlier. There’s no harm in starting promptly.

Is any time of day better to advertise than any other?

Scheduling at times of day when your audience is most engaged may sound an obvious thing to do, but it’s often overlooked.

A lot of this depends on your own organisation and whether, say, your visitors are typically more engaged midweek or at the weekend.

Google Analytics has a time of day report to help you assess when traffic volume to your particular site is at its highest – and even when conversions are more likely. You can schedule campaigns accordingly to be sure you’re making the most of your Google Ads budget.

Reporting metrics then give you feedback on ad performance, so you can quickly make best use of the best times. (It may take a bit of experimentation or tweaking.)

At Front Page, we’ll gladly discuss your seasonal campaign or help you find the best time to run your Google Ads. Follow this link if you want to see our PPC packages.