Keep Optimising

Ger Hayden is the Chief Digital Officer at Core Optimisation and has been deep in Performance marketing for over a decade, and somehow also finds time to be a Digital Marketing Lecturer. Ger’s worked across various sectors and for many clients winning awards and frequently driving triple digital year on year growth.In this episode, Ger and Chloe take a big-picture look at Google Ads and why now is the time to fully review your strategy. They explore how changes in the platform, customer search behaviour, data, creativity and AI should shape the way you approach Google Ads today.Dive in:[03:40] Copywriting in big corporations[06:36] Google Ads and Analytics Changes[12:51] Optimizing Google Ads with Data[14:50] Optimizing PMax for Better Placements[20:39] Attracting new eCommerce customers[22:16] Evolving Strategies for Google Ads[23:36] Insider Tips from Ger!Start Your Google Ads Strategy with Your Customer, Not the PlatformGoogle Ads is still about reaching real people with real needs. Before changing campaigns, bidding or targeting, step back and look at how your customers search and buy. Search is becoming more conversational, with longer and more specific queries driven by tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini. This means your website, content and ads all need to answer customer questions at different stages of the journey. Use tools like Keyword Planner to understand what your customers are really looking for, rather than focusing only on clicks and CPCs.Make Your Data Work for Your BusinessGood Google Ads performance starts with good data. Your first-party customer data should be connected to Google Ads so the platform can optimise towards the customers and sales that matter most. Make sure your tracking, CRM data and commercial numbers are reliable before you start making strategic decisions. Ger also warns that a strong ROAS does not always mean your business is growing, as Google may be taking credit for sales that would have happened anyway. Look at Google Ads alongside your total revenue, new customer numbers, repeat purchases and other channels to understand the real impact.Treat Google Ads as a Bigger Growth ChannelGoogle Ads is no longer just about keywords, bids and bottom-of-funnel sales. Performance Max can reach customers across Search, YouTube, Display, Discover and Google Maps, so eCommerce teams need to understand where their budget is going. Creative is also becoming more important as Google Ads moves closer to the way social and other media channels work. Keep reviewing your campaigns, creative, placements and goals instead of treating automated campaigns as a black box. As AI takes over more of the day-to-day optimisation, your biggest job will be setting the right strategy, data and business goals for it to work towards.Takeaways:Success in Google Ads isn’t just about data – it’s about people. Real ads connect with real needs. Insights start with understanding your audience, not just chasing numbers.Your Google Ads strategy should evolve with your customers and technology. Always review your goals, data, and creative to stay ahead of the curve.Don’t let automation make you forget creativity. As AI transforms Google Ads, creativity and compelling copy are now the real differentiators in performance marketing.Attribution isn’t perfect – for true growth, track the full impact of your marketing. Focus on real commercial outcomes, not just channel metrics.Small brands can be more agile in adopting new Google Ads strategies. Using great data and creative quickly is a unique competitive edge – don’t wait to innovate!Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/321Support our Sponsors >> Get your free Audit from Stellar Search >> https://keepopt.com/stellar**** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hannah Zora Strong has spent the last 14 years managing and auditing 100s of Google Ads accounts, and regularly shares her expertise at many Google Ads conferences. She’s worked for some of the biggest agencies in the UK, and for the last 4 years has been running her own called Zora Marketing.In this episode, Hannah takes us through how to use Google Ads for local advertising, from setting up your Google Business Profile and tracking store visits to using Performance Max and local inventory ads to drive more customers to your stores.Dive in:[05:39] Linking Google Business Profile and Ads[07:41] GA4 and Business Profile merge[12:07] Setting up local Google Ads[13:39] Using Performance Max for ads[17:50] Setting campaign goals and optimization[21:27] Setting up local inventory ads[24:28] Insider Tips from Hannah!Connect Your Google Business Profile to Google AdsIf you have physical stores, your Google Business Profile is the starting point for local Google Ads. Make sure each location is owned, accurate, and linked to your Google Ads account. This lets you connect ad activity with actions such as store visits, calls, website clicks, and directions. It also gives you a stronger foundation for local SEO and reporting.Use Performance Max and Local Inventory to Reach Nearby ShoppersPerformance Max can help retailers put their products and physical stores in front of local shoppers across Google, including Google Maps. Local inventory ads take this further by showing shoppers which products are available at a nearby store. Together, these tools can connect online product searches with store visits and click-and-collect sales. The key is to make sure your product, location, and stock data are accurate so Google has the right information to show shoppers.Give Google the Right Data to Optimise Your Local CampaignsGood local advertising depends on good conversion data. If you want Google to optimise for store visits as well as eCommerce sales, give those visits a realistic value based on your average order value and in-store conversion rate. Then keep reviewing performance by location and exclude areas that waste spend. Hannah's wider advice is to get conversion tracking right from day one, so Google's automated bidding has useful data to work with.Takeaways:Local stores can drive real-life footfall with Google Ads. Don’t overlook the power of linking your Google Business Profile for maximum impact and measurability. Your digital ads can truly bring customers to your door.Conversion tracking is the backbone of effective Google Ads. Nail your set-up from day one, and watch as smart bidding optimizes for what really matters: actual results, not just clicks.Performance Max campaigns are your secret weapon for local advertising. Appear on Maps, target people nearby, and drive in-store traffic with tailored offers and relevant ad copy.Assigning value to store visits is crucial. Calculate your in-store conversion rate and average purchase, and Google Ads can optimize not just for clicks, but for walk-ins that truly matter.Keep a close eye on your location and product data: exclude what isn’t working, double down where it is. Local marketing success is built on these continuous, intentional tweaks.Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/320Support our Sponsors >> Get your free Audit from Stellar Search >> https://keepopt.com/stellar**** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jyll Saskin Gales spent 6 years at Google helping their largest advertisers to grow internationally. Now she’s all about helping all of us to improve our Google Ads results via her coaching and courses, the “Inside Google Ads” Podcast AND her bestselling, book “Inside Google Ads: Everything you need to know about Audience Targeting”.In this episode, Jyll cuts through the latest Google Ads updates, explaining which new features are worth using and which you can safely ignore. She also shares what advertisers should be doing now to prepare their campaigns for the holiday season.Dive in:[04:58] Explaining Google Shopping campaigns[09:12] Explaining Smart Bidding Exploration[11:17] Explaining Customer Lifecycle Goals[13:17] Common Google Ads mistakes[19:33] Google Merchant Center AI features[23:11] Using AI for product photos[25:49] Using YouTube for holiday campaigns[29:52] Insider Tips from Jyll!Focus on the Google Ads features that can improve holiday performanceGoogle is adding more bidding, targeting and automation features, but that does not mean every eCommerce business needs to use them. Jyll recommends starting with the features that solve a clear problem in the account. For example, Maximize Conversion Value can help Shopping campaigns focus on revenue rather than clicks, while Promotion Mode is designed to help campaigns respond to a sales period. The key is to choose features that match the business goal and the campaign stage. Don’t switch on new features simply because they are new.Get your customer data and product feed right before relying on AIGoogle’s newer features depend more than ever on good data. Customer Lifecycle Goals can help advertisers target new, existing and high-value customers, but only when the customer lists are set up correctly. Jyll also highlights the growing importance of the Merchant Center feed, with new product attributes helping Google understand and present products in more ways. This means eCommerce brands should review their customer lists and product data before the holiday rush. Better inputs give Google’s automation and AI a stronger foundation to work from.Don’t chase every new AI featureAI Max for Shopping, AI creative tools and new automated campaign features can open up new opportunities. But Jyll’s advice is not to adopt every feature just because it is available. AI Max for Shopping, for example, offers a middle ground between Standard Shopping and Performance Max for advertisers who want more automation. Google’s AI tools can also help smaller teams create backgrounds, scenes and video assets without relying on a large creative team. The best approach is to test the features that solve a real need, while keeping strong campaign structure, tracking and creative fundamentals in place.Prepare for the holidays early and resist the urge to over-optimiseHoliday Google Ads success starts well before Black Friday. Jyll recommends having the holiday strategy locked by September and campaigns ready by October at the latest. eCommerce brands should plan beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday, including December, post-Christmas and potentially January. She also warns against making constant changes in the name of optimisation, as too much testing can hurt performance. Plan early, give campaigns time to work and focus your changes on the things that can make a real difference.Takeaways:Ads don’t fix a bad offer – they amplify it. Before pouring budget into Google Ads, ensure your product has genuine demand and your website converts. Otherwise, it’s just burning money on more of the same.AI is transforming Google Ads, but the basics still win. Solid campaign structure, tight conversion tracking, and a well-managed Merchant Center feed prepare you for every new algorithm or shiny update.Creative in eCommerce isn’t just pretty images. Google now values videos, lifestyle shots, and even product Q&As. Feed your Merchant Center rich, diverse content to stand out in the age of AI shopping.Build demand before you capture it. Don’t wait for Black Friday to launch ads; start video and demand gen campaigns months ahead. Warm audiences convert better and help sustain sales beyond peak season.Resist the urge to optimize everything daily. Zoom out, do less, and focus on big strategic changes. Sometimes, the real magic comes from stepping back and letting strong fundamentals do their work.Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/319Support our Sponsors >> Get your free Audit from Stellar Search >> https://keepopt.com/stellar**** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Elena Kostova is head of marketing at Uxify, an AI-native digital experience platform that helps websites achieve flawless user experience and double engagement.In this episode, Chloe and Elena explore where AI can genuinely improve eCommerce conversion rates, where human judgment still matters, and how brands can start using AI for CRO without risking their website or their brand.Dive in:[06:23] Balancing AI and human roles[09:24] AI automation in eCommerce[11:21] Analyzing user behavior data[14:02] AI agents in CRO for small brands[18:22] Changing AI and data trends[22:36] Insider Tips from Elena!Start with low-risk AI wins before automating everythingElena’s biggest message was simple: start small. Measure a real problem before you use AI to fix it. Begin with tasks such as image optimization, site speed, or friction removal. These changes are low risk and easy to monitor. Once you see results, you can expand AI into more advanced CRO work.Keep humans in control of branding and copyAI is useful for optimization, but it should not define your brand. Elena warned that shoppers can often spot AI-generated copy and imagery. Generic content makes stores look similar and reduces differentiation. Your product story, tone of voice, and visual identity still need a human owner. Use AI as an assistant, not as the final decision-maker for brand experience.AI changes CRO from periodic testing to continuous optimizationTraditional CRO often relies on planned A/B tests that run for weeks. Elena explained that AI agents can optimize parts of the customer journey in real time. They learn from browsing behavior and keep improving as more data arrives. This is especially valuable for smaller Shopify stores that do not have enough traffic for constant formal testing. eCommerce teams can spend less time on routine optimization and more time on strategic growth work.Takeaways:AI is everywhere, but real brand magic comes from genuine experiences and human stories. People can spot AI-made content a mile away. Authenticity is what wins hearts in the long run.Letting AI handle routine tasks on your website unlocks time for your team to focus on creativity and brand building. Tech is powerful, but human touch defines the culture behind a business.The future blends AI-driven personalisation with conversion optimisation. But when it comes to your story, keep a human in the driver’s seat. Your brand’s unique voice matters more than ever.Optimising your user experience? Start small, measure everything, and use AI where it makes sense. Culture of experimentation leads to innovation, even with the help of advanced tech.As digital spaces evolve, the most successful brands will be those who merge AI efficiency with soul. Tech is the engine; culture and story are the fuel. Never lose sight of what makes you distinct.Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/318**** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jordy Scholing is co-owner of RUMVision, where he and the team are obsessed with eCommerce site speed, especially all things Core Web Vitals. Trusted by over 750 companies including Loop Earplugs and Suzuki.In this episode, Chloe and Jordy unpack how site speed affects bounce rates, SEO, and conversion rates – and why Core Web Vitals should be monitored continuously, not checked once and forgotten. They also share practical ways to turn performance data into actions that improve the customer experience and drive more sales.Dive in:[04:56] Improving website loading speed[09:54] Web performance monitoring tools[13:08] Audience differences in web traffic[16:30] Importance of Core Web Vitals[18:33] Optimizing website speed for users[21:43] AI's impact on web layout shifts[23:37] Insider Tips from Jordy!Site speed is a conversion problem, not just a technical problemJordy explained that shoppers can leave a site in seconds if it feels slow. On mobile, it only takes one swipe to return to Google and choose a competitor. That means every extra second can hurt revenue. Fast landing pages are important, but the rest of the journey matters too. Product pages, carts, and checkout pages must all feel quick and responsive if you want to reduce bounce rates and increase sales.Core Web Vitals should be monitored continuouslyOne of the biggest lessons in the episode was that Core Web Vitals are not fixed numbers. Performance changes based on the visitor’s device, internet connection, location, and browsing conditions. A campaign that attracts more users on cheaper smartphones can make your performance scores worse overnight. That is why Jordy recommends monitoring real user data regularly, not checking a score once a year. eCommerce teams should treat site speed like a live business metric and keep it on their dashboards.Passing Core Web Vitals is only the starting pointJordy made a useful distinction between SEO and CRO. For SEO, the goal is to pass Google’s Core Web Vitals thresholds. For CRO, the goal is to make the experience fast for as many customers as possible, including slower users. He suggested focusing on the slowest segment of visitors, because that is often where the biggest conversion gains are hidden. Small improvements add up, so teams should prioritize practical fixes, measure the impact, and keep optimizing over time.Takeaways:Did you know if your website takes over 3 seconds to load, half your visitors might leave? In our fast-paced digital world, user patience is lower than ever. Speed isn’t just tech – it’s part of your brand experience.Core Web Vitals aren’t just numbers. They change depending on who visits your site, on what device, and from where. True digital culture means continuous improvement, not a one-time fix.Focusing on the slowest 25% of your website users can yield bigger conversion gains than just optimizing for the majority. Serving everyone well is a mark of inclusive digital culture.Speed and sustainability go hand-in-hand. Lighter websites use less energy and are more accessible to all users. Making your site faster isn’t just good business. It’s the responsible thing to do.Web performance affects not only user experiences but also AI interactions. Building a better, faster site today means you’re ready for the next wave of digital culture: AI-powered browsing!Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/317 **** Get all the links and resources we mention & join our email list at https://keepopt.com Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://keepopt.com/review or reply to the episode Q&A on Spotify. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://keepopt.com/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy