Best Tactics for Defeating Adwords Bid Changes - Mobile Devices

I was wondering if anybody in this forum is using PPC like me, and is unhappy over Google's recent changes, removing our ability to specify certain devices, but unlike me so far, has thought of a way around the problem?


From reviewing my Adwords account results, I like to block search clicks from mobile devices. Based on the products that I am marketing, these clicks are invariably useless. I don't like Google's suggestion that by removing my ability to block mobile devices, and bidding lower that is an "improvement/upgrade" to my account.


Enough of the whining. What is the solution to this problem? Does anybody have any good ideas?

One thought I have is to put -100% as the bid modifier. I was wondering this myself but don't have hard evidence if it works just yet. In theory, if you put -100% of your regular CPC, you would effectively be paying 0.00 CPC for mobile devices. That's my theory.

Yes, this is the way to do it.

But Tablets are now part of "desktop". So you can't remove ads for tablets, only for mobile devices.

THe jury seems to be out... there's a decent article on it here though...
searchengineland.com/workarounds-to-make-enhanced-campaigns-more-flexible-151755

Making seperate campaigns for each device, much like with keyword boxing is a safe bet.

IMHO the approach to take really depends on the dynamics of the campaigns.

Always use call extensions on mobile campaigns btw. Call tracking seems off to me, but at the very least your ad is taking up more screen space.

Personally, I put +% multiplier on mobile in a campaign with tab/desk/phone, and it's been working really well. I didn't think it was a good idea, but wanted to see see the new chances in action. It's been working well. THe radius of surfer->Client was about 4k. YMMV, and I wouldn't copy this technique as it was ill-considered at best

Mobile is becoming huge, so it pays to make sure campaigns can function with all types going to a single lp/site in a pinch.

Moving forward, I intend to split campaigns up by device, and batch them out with adwords scripts.

Also consider how someone might use a different device at different stages of the sale process...

kveldulv said:

Making separate campaigns for each device, much like with keyword boxing is a safe bet.

Click to expand...

I've been using this strategy and it's working just fine. The only problem is that most of the campaigns directed at only mobile end categorized as "legacy" and will be turned into the new enhanced campaigns in a few months.

I'd say the best way to go about it is to use this strategy for the time being, but play with the bid adjustment settings like revelation suggested, as that's what you'll have to end up doing anyway. I haven't tried a 100% modifier with any of my campaigns because they are mobile relevant...but they don't convert nearly as much, so I have it set at -85%. It still brings in a few clicks and they're very cheap clicks.

The way a Google rep explained it to me yesterday on the phone, when you make an ad it will only show up on either the desktop/tablet or mobile depending on if you click the "mobile ad" checkbox. So if your campaign only has ads that are not mobile they should not come up on tablets and desktops, I ran about 10 searches of the keywords we always come up with and didn't find the ad from my phone with this theory. YMMV

Just wait till Enhanced campaigns are inforced taking away our right to separate devices.