Understanding the Seasonality Feature in Google Ads: A Guide to Google Shopping Ads and Pay Per Click Marketing

 In the dynamic landscape of digital advertising, being able to adapt to fluctuations in consumer behavior is crucial. One of the most effective tools that Google Ads offers for this is the seasonality feature. This feature is especially useful for Google Shopping Ads and Pay Per Click (PPC) marketing, where timing and relevance are key factors for campaign success. In this blog, we’ll explore the seasonality feature in detail and provide step-by-step instructions on how to implement it, using an example to illustrate its potential.

What is the Seasonality Feature in Google Ads?

The seasonality feature in Google Ads allows advertisers to manually adjust their bidding strategies for specific timeframes, such as holiday seasons, sales, or product launches. By predicting changes in conversion rates based on previous data, advertisers can optimize their campaigns to ensure higher performance during these peak periods.

For instance, if you run a clothing store and know that you see a significant increase in sales during Black Friday or a summer sale, the seasonality feature can help you adjust your bids to capture more traffic during those high-demand times. This can lead to better visibility for your ads, improved click-through rates, and higher conversion rates.

How Does the Seasonality Feature Work?

When setting up a seasonality adjustment, advertisers input details like the start and end dates of an event (e.g., a sale), as well as an expected percentage change in conversion rate. Google Ads then uses this information to adjust bids during that period, ensuring your ads are optimized for the increase or decrease in conversions.

For Google Shopping Ads, where competition is fierce during peak shopping seasons, the seasonality feature ensures that your products are visible to more potential buyers. In Pay Per Click (PPC) marketing, adjusting bids for seasonality allows you to control your ad spend more effectively during key periods, improving the return on investment (ROI) for your campaigns.

Steps to Create a Seasonality Adjustment in Google Ads

Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up the seasonality feature in Google Ads:

1. Sign in to Google Ads
   Log in to your Google Ads account and navigate to the "Tools & Settings" tab located in the top menu.

2. Navigate to Bid Strategies
   Under the "Shared Library" section, click on "Bid Strategies". From here, you’ll be able to see and manage all your bidding strategies.

3. Create a New Seasonality Adjustment
   Select the "Advanced Controls" option and click on "Seasonality Adjustments". Then, click the plus (+) button to create a new seasonality adjustment.

4. Input the Details
   You’ll be asked to fill in details for the adjustment. Here’s what you’ll need:

   • Name: Give your seasonality adjustment a clear name, like "Black Friday 2024."
   • Scope: Choose whether you want the adjustment to apply to all campaigns, specific campaigns, or only to campaigns in particular devices (e.g., mobile, desktop).
   • Start and End Dates: Input the start and end dates of the period where you expect changes in conversion rate.
   • Conversion Rate Change: Estimate how much you expect the conversion rate to change during this period. For example, if you expect conversions to increase by 20%, input "+20%."

5. Save the Adjustment
   Once you’ve filled in the details, click "Save" to apply the seasonality adjustment. Google Ads will then automatically adjust your bids during the specified period.

Example: Using Seasonality for a Holiday Sale

Let’s imagine you run an online electronics store and you're preparing for a major holiday sale in December. Historically, you know that your conversions increase by 30% during the first two weeks of December due to holiday shopping.

Here’s how you would set up the seasonality adjustment for this event:

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Go to Tools & Settings, and under Bid Strategies, select Seasonality Adjustments.
3. Create a new seasonality adjustment, naming it "Holiday Sale 2024."
4. Set the start date as December 1 and the end date as December 15.
5. In the conversion rate change field, input +30% to account for the expected increase in sales during this period.
6. Save the adjustment.

With this adjustment, Google Ads will automatically increase your bids during the first two weeks of December, ensuring that your products are more visible to potential buyers when they're most likely to make a purchase.

Best Practices for Using the Seasonality Feature

• Use It for Short-Term Events: The seasonality feature is designed for short periods of increased or decreased activity, such as Black Friday, summer sales, or holiday periods. It’s not intended for long-term shifts in conversion rates.

• Plan Ahead: It’s crucial to know when your sales or peak periods will occur. Review past performance data and plan your seasonality adjustments well in advance to take full advantage of potential conversion spikes.

• Test and Refine: After setting up a seasonality adjustment, monitor the performance of your campaigns closely. If the expected conversion rate change does not match reality, make adjustments for future campaigns.

Why the Seasonality Feature Matters for Google Shopping Ads

In Google Shopping Ads, competition intensifies during peak shopping periods, and failing to adjust your bids can mean missed opportunities. By using the seasonality feature, you can increase your bids during times of high demand, ensuring your products remain visible and competitive. For example, an e-commerce store selling toys during the holiday season can use the seasonality feature to boost bids, capturing more traffic and sales during this critical period.

Conclusion

The seasonality feature in Google Ads is an essential tool for businesses that want to capitalize on specific timeframes where conversion rates are expected to shift. Whether you’re running Google Shopping Ads or broader Pay Per Click marketing campaigns, adjusting for seasonality helps ensure that your ads are both competitive and cost-effective during peak times. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily implement this feature and maximize your advertising performance during key periods of demand