Google Ads evolved, The Alpha-Beta Process has to evolve too

Alpha Keyword Strategy

In the updated Alpha-Beta-Gamma-Delta structure, the Alpha campaign is used for keywords/queries with historically strong conversions and performance. Those keywords and queries are placed in single-keyword ad groups, and exact match is used. This allows for extremely targeted ads and bids based on performance goals and is largely unchanged from the original A-B structure.

Beta Keyword Strategy

The updated Beta campaign uses phrase match keywords in discovery ad groups to identify new, high-converting terms. In parallel, we set up a shared negative keyword list with all exact-match keywords in the Alpha campaign to ensure that we continue to funnel the top search terms to Alpha. This enables continuous keyword discovery and account expansion while preserving the targeted approach to our best keywords (this, too, is similar to the original approach, although we used modified broad match instead of the more recent phrase match in 2010). 

Gamma Keyword Strategy

The transition from broad to phrase match keywords in the Beta campaign leaves us an opportunity to test more expansively. To achieve this, we build Gamma campaigns that use true broad match keywords to cast a wider net and help fuel our learnings. Note that we use Gamma campaigns in two scenarios: if Alpha & Beta are hitting goals and performing well or if we’re running into issues scaling.

After our Beta campaigns have had the chance to run for a while, we can identify high-performing terms and dual-purpose the more durable top performers for use in the Gamma campaigns. In parallel, we set up a shared negative keyword list with all Alpha (exact) match keywords in the Alpha campaign, and a shared negative keyword list with the phrase match versions of all of our Beta keywords, and apply each negative list to the Gamma campaign to ensure that we are funneling the top traffic to the top campaigns.

A note on the Gamma campaigns: since we are targeting more broadly, we typically launch them with conversion or revenue-focused bid strategies so that we can leverage Google’s machine learning on which audience is most likely to convert.

Delta Keyword Strategy

Our Delta campaigns, like our Gamma campaigns, combine strategic platform manipulation with the power of Google’s machine learning. We only launch the Delta strategy if the Gamma campaigns are performing well.

For Delta campaigns, we combine Dynamic search ads, which are useful for discovering things we never would have considered, with successful retargeting audiences to specifically pursue users who are very likely to convert. In parallel, we set up a shared negative keyword list with all Alpha (exact) match keywords in the Alpha campaign, and a shared negative keyword list with the phrase match versions of all of our Beta keywords, and apply each negative list to the Gamma campaign to ensure that we are funneling the top traffic up to the top campaigns.

Conclusion

The original goals of the Alpha-Beta strategy — target top-performing terms as granularly as possible and use other campaigns to discover new top performers — hold true in our Alpha-Beta-Gamma-Delta approach. Our updated version allows us to take advantage of Google’s more recent match types and machine learning to put the full power of the platform to work.

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