ppc interview questions and answers - Indras Academy (2023)

1. What is Google Ads?

Google Ads is an online advertising platform developed by Google that allows businesses and individuals to create and display ads to reach their target audience on Google’s search engine and other websites that participate in Google’s ad network.

The platform works on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, where advertisers bid on specific keywords relevant to their product or service, and only pay when someone clicks on their ad. Google Ads also offers various ad formats such as text, display, video, and shopping ads, which can be customized to suit different marketing objectives and budgets.

With Google Ads, advertisers can target their ads based on factors such as location, demographics, interests, and search queries, making it a powerful tool for reaching potential customers and driving website traffic, leads, and sales.

2. How do Google Ads work?

Google Ads allows businesses to reach their target audience through a bidding system, where advertisers bid on specific keywords and ad placements. Advertisers pay only when someone clicks on their ad, making it a cost-effective way to reach potential customers and drive website traffic, leads, and sales.

3. What is the actual cost per click?

The actual cost per click (CPC) in Google Ads is the amount an advertiser pays for each click on their ad. The CPC can vary depending on factors such as the competitiveness of the keyword, the quality of the ad and landing page, and the maximum bid amount set by the advertiser.

When an ad is triggered by a search query or other targeting option, an auction takes place to determine which ads will be shown and in what order. The auction takes into account the maximum bid amount and the ad’s Quality Score, which is a measure of the ad’s relevance and performance.

The actual CPC paid by the advertiser is often lower than the maximum bid amount, as they only pay enough to beat the next highest bidder’s Ad Rank, which is calculated by multiplying the maximum bid amount by the ad’s Quality Score. This means that advertisers can improve their ad’s performance and reduce their actual CPC by improving the quality of their ads and landing pages.

4. What is Ad Rank?

Ad Rank is a key factor in determining which ads are shown and in what order on Google’s search engine results page (SERP) and other websites that participate in Google’s ad network. Ad Rank is calculated by taking into account the maximum bid amount, the ad’s Quality Score

Ad Rank = Max CPC Bid x Quality Score

The Max CPC Bid is the maximum amount an advertiser is willing to pay for a click on their ad, while the Quality Score is a measure of the ad’s relevance and performance based on factors such as the ad’s expected click-through rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience.

Ad Rank determines the ad’s position on the SERP and the cost per click (CPC) paid by the advertiser. The ad with the highest Ad Rank will typically appear in the top position, while the ad with the lowest Ad Rank may not appear at all.

5. What is Quality Score?

Quality Score is a metric used by Google Ads to evaluate the relevance and performance of an ad, keyword, and landing page. It’s calculated based on several factors, including the ad’s expected click-through rate (CTR), ad relevance, and landing page experience.

Here’s how each factor is measured:

Expected CTR: This factor measures the likelihood that someone will click on your ad when it appears for a particular search query. It’s based on historical performance data for the keyword and ad combination.

Ad Relevance: This factor measures how closely your ad relates to the search query and how relevant it is to the user’s search intent.

Landing Page Experience: This factor measures the relevance and user experience of the landing page that the ad leads to. It considers factors such as the loading speed, mobile-friendliness, and the content’s relevance to the ad and search query.

Each factor is scored on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest score. The Quality Score is then calculated by taking into account the weight and importance of each factor in relation to the ad’s performance.

A high Quality Score can lead to higher ad rankings, lower cost per click, and more impressions for the advertiser. It can also improve the ad’s performance and user experience, leading to higher click-through rates, conversions, and customer satisfaction.

Therefore, it’s important for advertisers to optimize their Quality Score by creating relevant and compelling ads, using targeted keywords, and optimizing their landing pages for user experience and relevance. This can help them improve their ad’s performance and ROI in the long run.

6. What are the settings that can’t be changed once an Ad in an account is created?

After creating a Google Ads account, the currency and time zone settings cannot be changed. This is an important detail to consider during the account creation process, as it can impact how ad performance data is reported and how payments are processed.

7. How can conversion rates be improved?

Improving conversion rates in Google Ads involves optimizing various aspects of your campaigns, including ad copy, targeting, bidding, and landing pages. Here are some tips to help improve your conversion rates:

Use targeted keywords: Choose relevant and targeted keywords that align with the user’s search intent and match the content of your ad and landing page. Avoid broad or irrelevant keywords that may attract clicks but not lead to conversions.

Optimize ad copy: Write compelling and relevant ad copy that highlights the unique value proposition of your product or service. Use a clear call-to-action (CTA) that prompts users to take the desired action.

Use ad extensions: Use ad extensions such as call extensions, sitelink extensions, and structured snippets to provide more information and options to users.

Use relevant landing pages: Ensure that the landing pages users are directed to are relevant and optimized for conversions. The landing pages should match the ad copy and keywords and provide a clear and compelling value proposition and call-to-action.

Test and optimize bidding strategies: Test different bidding strategies such as manual bidding, automated bidding, and target CPA bidding to find the most effective bidding approach for your campaign goals.

Monitor and adjust campaign performance: Regularly monitor.

8. What is a Remarketing Audience?

A remarketing audience in Google Ads is a group of users who have previously interacted with your website or app and have been tagged with a cookie or a mobile advertising ID. This tag allows you to show targeted ads to these users as they browse the web, use apps, or search on Google.

Remarketing audiences can be created based on various criteria, such as:

Website visitors: Users who have visited your website or specific pages on your website.

App users: Users who have installed and interacted with your app.

Customer lists: Users who have provided their contact information, such as email addresses, phone numbers, or physical addresses.

YouTube users: Users who have engaged with your YouTube videos or channel.

Custom combinations: Users who meet multiple criteria, such as visiting a specific page on your website and spending a certain amount of time on it.

Once you have created a remarketing audience, you can use it to create targeted ads and bid on relevant keywords. Remarketing ads can be highly effective as they are shown to users who have already shown an interest in your business, increasing the likelihood of conversion. They can also help to increase brand awareness and reinforce your messaging to users who may not have converted during their initial visit to your website or app.

9. What is CTR and how to improve?

CTR stands for Click-Through Rate, which is the percentage of clicks an ad receives out of the total number of impressions (i.e., the number of times the ad was displayed to users). CTR is an important metric in Google Ads as it helps to measure the effectiveness of your ad copy, targeting, and bidding strategy.

Improving your CTR can result in more clicks, higher quality scores, and better ad performance overall. Here are some tips to help improve your CTR:

Use relevant keywords: Choose targeted and relevant keywords that align with the user’s search intent and match the content of your ad and landing page.

Write compelling ad copy: Write ad copy that is compelling, relevant, and highlights the unique value proposition of your product or service. Use a clear call-to-action (CTA) that prompts users to take the desired action.

Use ad extensions: Use ad extensions such as call extensions, sitelink extensions, and structured snippets to provide more information and options to users.

Test different ad formats: Experiment with different ad formats such as text, display, and responsive ads to see which ones perform best for your business.

Optimize landing pages: Ensure that the landing pages users are directed to are relevant and optimized for conversions. The landing pages should match the ad copy and keywords and provide a clear and compelling value proposition and call-to-action.

Monitor and adjust bids: Regularly monitor and adjust your bids to ensure that you are bidding competitively and getting the most out of your budget.

By implementing these tips, you can improve your CTR, which can lead to better ad performance and a higher return on investment (ROI) for your Google Ads campaigns.

10. How does Quality Score affect ad position and CPC?

Quality Score is an important metric in Google Ads that measures the relevance and quality of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. It is calculated based on several factors, including expected click-through rate (CTR), ad relevance, and landing page experience. Quality Score affects ad position and cost-per-click (CPC) in the following ways:

Ad position: Quality Score plays a significant role in determining your ad position on the search results page. Ads with a higher Quality Score are more likely to appear in higher positions on the page than ads with a lower Quality Score.

CPC: Quality Score also affects the cost-per-click (CPC) of your ads. Ads with a higher Quality Score may result in a lower CPC than ads with a lower Quality Score, even if both ads are bidding on the same keywords. This is because Google rewards advertisers who provide a positive user experience by lowering their costs and placing them in higher positions.

Ad rank: Ad Rank is another important factor that determines ad position and CPC. Ad Rank is calculated by multiplying the maximum CPC bid with the Quality Score. Ads with a higher Ad Rank are more likely to appear in higher positions and pay a lower CPC.

In summary, Quality Score plays a crucial role in determining ad position and CPC in Google Ads. By optimizing your ad relevance, expected click-through rate, and landing page experience, you can improve your Quality Score, which can lead to higher ad positions and lower CPCs, resulting in a better return on investment (ROI) for your Google Ads campaigns.

Keyword insertion is a feature in Google Ads that allows you to dynamically insert a user’s search query into your ad text. This feature can help improve the relevance of your ads by tailoring the ad copy to match the user’s search intent.

11. What is keyword insertion?

To use keyword insertion, you would place the code “{Keyword: Default Text}” in your ad headline, description, or display URL. When your ad is triggered by a user’s search query, Google will replace “{Keyword}” with the keyword that triggered the ad, and if the keyword is too long or can’t be used for any other reason, the default text will be used instead.

For example, if you sell running shoes and use the keyword insertion code in your ad headline, your ad may appear as follows:

Headline: Buy {Keyword: Running Shoes} Online

Description: Wide Selection of {Keyword: Running Shoes} for Men and Women. Free Shipping on Orders Over $50.

If a user searches for “best trail running shoes”, the ad may appear as “Buy Trail Running Shoes Online” and “Wide Selection of Trail Running Shoes for Men and Women. Free Shipping on Orders Over $50.” By dynamically inserting the keyword, the ad is more relevant to the user’s search query, which can improve the ad’s click-through rate (CTR) and overall performance.

12. What are Search Terms?

Search terms, in the context of Google Ads, refer to the actual words or phrases that users enter into the Google search bar and trigger your ads to show up. When a user searches for something on Google, their search term is matched against the keywords you have selected in your Google Ads campaigns. If there is a match, your ad may appear in the search results.

Google Ads allows you to view the search terms that triggered your ads by accessing the “Search terms” report. This report shows you the actual search queries that users entered before they clicked on your ads. By reviewing this report, you can see which search terms are generating the most clicks and conversions, and adjust your keyword targeting and ad copy accordingly.

The “Search terms” report can also help you identify negative keywords – search terms that are triggering your ads but are not relevant to your business. By adding negative keywords to your campaigns, you can prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches, which can help improve your campaign’s click-through rate (CTR) and overall performance.

Overall, understanding search terms and using the “Search terms” report effectively is essential to optimizing your Google Ads campaigns and ensuring that your ads are reaching the right audience.

13. What is a Phrase Match?

In Google Ads, a phrase match is a keyword matching option that allows you to show your ad for searches that include the exact phrase you specify, along with additional words before or after the phrase.

When you use phrase match, you enclose your keyword phrase in quotation marks, such as “running shoes for men”. This tells Google Ads to only show your ad for searches that include the exact phrase “running shoes for men”, along with any words before or after it. This means your ad could be triggered by searches like “buy running shoes for men” or “best running shoes for men”, but not by searches for “women’s running shoes” or “running shoes for kids”.

Using phrase match can help you reach a more targeted audience and ensure that your ads are showing for relevant searches. It can also help you avoid irrelevant clicks and improve the click-through rate (CTR) of your ads.

It’s important to note that with phrase match, your ad may still show for close variations of your keyword phrase, such as singular or plural forms, misspellings, or abbreviations. This is designed to capture relevant searches and improve the reach of your ads. If you want more control over which searches trigger your ads, you can use exact match or negative keywords.