Google PPC Rule Changes

[Aaron Froggatt]

Has any else had issues with Google PPC since they implemented new advertising policies regarding ads targeting housing earlier this year? 

One of the major reasons we initially chose to advertise with Google is its near search monopoly (Google #1, Youtube #2) and it's platform's ability to focus advertising dollars on common seller demographics in specific areas.

As of October 2020, we are now told we can no longer target our customer bases by zip code, age, and other demographics because of a politically motivated policy meant to combat social injustice. We invested in Google's platform for our business interests and we're not interested in being steered by Google and Big Tech's political motives. 

Has anyone found a workaround for Google's bullying and overreach; or maybe better alternatives for driving website traffic? Is Facebook the way to go? I heard from a Google rep that radius targeting can less effectively replace specifying zip codes, but what else can be done to keep the ad audience pinpointed? Thank you and apologies for my free-market-interventionism frustrations.

AF

[Josh McRay]

Hey @Aaron Froggatt!

So far I haven't found a workaround, but radius targeting has worked just fine for investors that I work with directly. Losing out on zip code targeting definitely sucks, but I just went through and plopped radii in the places where those zip codes were. I saw an initial drop in traffic, but recovered most of it within a week. The demographic info I'm less worried about. I primarily run ads on the Search Network because thats where all the motivation is. 

A few other things that Google Ads changed were the ability to see 66% of the search terms that people use to find your ads (super useful for me), and the ability to exclude areas. 

My recommendation would be focusing on running ads on the search network, and doing a cost-benefits analysis on the display network (your image based ands and YouTube ads) and seeing what the performance change has been like all time, and since October. It might end up being more beneficial to cut those out.

It's also worth it to make sure that you're spending some time on SEO. If you can get a #1 ranking and continue to run ads at the top of the page you'll have 2 different ways to continue to generate leads online when bigger algorithm changes effect organic and paid results. Hope this helps!