Online advertising is becoming an indispensable lever for companies wishing to increase their visibility and sales. Google Ads is one of the most powerful advertising platforms, but its potential cannot be fully exploited without in-depth data analysis.
Many advertisers focus on the current performance of their campaigns without taking the time to analyze previous periods. However, a period comparison in Google Ads allows you to identify trends, evaluate the impact of adjustments made and optimize advertising investments.
In this article, we'll look at how to effectively use the period comparison feature in Google Ads to improve decision-making and maximize ROI.
1. What is period comparison in Google Ads?
Access functionality
Google Ads allows you to analyze advertising data over specific time periods. To activate period comparison, simply :
- Go to the Google Ads interface.
- Click on the date at the top right of the screen.
- Activate the "Compare" option and select the reference period.
- Validate to display data for both periods.
The types of comparison available
- Previous period (example: previous week vs. current week).
- Same period, previous year (example: January 2024 vs. January 2023).
- Customized comparison (example: campaign before and after a strategic change).
2. Why compare performance over different periods?
Identify trends and seasonal variations
Some industries experience significant seasonal variations. For example, e-tailers often see a rise in conversions during the Black Friday or the Christmas period. By comparing performance from one period to the next, it's possible to adjust budgets and anticipate trends.
Measuring the impact of changes
When changes are made to a campaign (addition of new keywords, modification of the bidding strategiesIn order to achieve this, it is essential to measure their effect on performance. Comparing before and after results helps to determine whether these modifications have been beneficial.
Optimize budget allocation
Analysis of past performance helps to understand which campaigns are the most profitable over the long term. By detecting fluctuations in cost per acquisition (CPA) or return on advertising investment (ROAS), it's possible to reallocate budget to the best-performing campaigns.
3. Methodology for effective analysis
Choosing the right comparison period
Comparing similar periods is crucial to avoid analysis bias. Indeed, external factors such as seasonality, public holidays or special events can influence results. For a relevant analysis :
- Compare one week of sales with another week of sales to avoid fluctuations due to seasonality.
- Compare an advertising campaign before and after a bid change to assess its real impact on CTR and conversion rate.
- Avoid comparing periods with non-comparable days (e.g. a full month with a partial month).
Data segmentation
One of the keys to effective analysis is to segment data correctly. By analyzing all performance data indiscriminately, you can miss out on valuable insights. Here are some important segments to consider:
- Device type Performance can vary significantly between mobile and desktop, so it's a good idea to compare trends and adjust bids accordingly.
- Source of traffic : Comparing performance between Google search and the display network allows you to better allocate your advertising budget.
- Targeted audience Differentiating between new and repeat visitors enables us to adapt our marketing strategies and advertising messages.
Interpreting KPIs
When analyzing performance, it is essential to focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) and to understand their evolution:
- Click-through rate (CTR) A declining CTR could indicate a need to renew ads or optimize titles and descriptions.
- Cost-per-click (CPC) An increase in CPC may be linked to an increase in keyword competition, requiring an adjustment to the bidding strategy.
- Conversion rates : Une baisse du taux de conversion peut être due à une audience moins qualifiée ou à une page de destination inefficace.
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) : Cet indicateur permet d’évaluer la rentabilité des campagnes et d’identifier les opportunités d’optimisation.
Analyser ces KPI en tenant compte de la segmentation et des périodes comparées permet d’obtenir une vision plus claire des performances et d’ajuster les campagnes en conséquence.
4. Outils complémentaires pour enrichir l’analyse
Expériences Google Ads
Google Ads permet d’effectuer des tests A/B en créant des expériences parallèles pour mesurer l’impact des changements apportés aux campagnes. Pour mettre en place une expérience :
- Accédez à l’onglet « Brouillons et Expériences » dans Google Ads.
- Créez un brouillon de votre campagne existante et apportez les modifications souhaitées (enchères, ciblage, annonces, etc.).
- Activez l’expérience et définissez un pourcentage d’audience qui verra la version test.
- Surveillez les performances et comparez-les avec celles de la campagne d’origine.
L’intérêt des expériences est d’optimiser continuellement les campagnes en testant des améliorations avant de les appliquer définitivement.
Rapports sur les termes de recherche
Analyser les requêtes qui génèrent des clics permet d’affiner la stratégie de mots-clés et d’exclure ceux qui ne sont pas pertinents. Pour exploiter ces données :
- Accédez à l’onglet « Mots-clés » dans Google Ads.
- Sélectionnez « Termes de recherche » pour voir les requêtes qui ont activé vos annonces.
- Ajoutez les mots-clés performants à vos campagnes et excluez ceux qui ne correspondent pas à votre objectif.
L’analyse des termes de recherche aide à mieux cibler l’audience et à améliorer la pertinence des annonces, réduisant ainsi le coût par clic et augmentant le taux de conversion.
Conclusion
L’utilisation de la comparaison de périodes dans Google Ads est une stratégie essentielle pour comprendre l’évolution des performances publicitaires. Elle permet d’identifier les tendances, d’évaluer les actions passées et d’optimiser les investissements.
En appliquant ces bonnes pratiques et en combinant la segmentation des données, l’analyse des KPI et l’utilisation des outils de test, les annonceurs pourront maximiser leur retour sur investissement et améliorer en continu leurs stratégies publicitaires.
If you'd like to go further in optimizing your SEA campaigns, our team at Daware.io is available to support you. Contact us here to discuss your requirements. Don't hesitate to contact us for an analysis of your campaigns and tailor-made recommendations!
