Blog

Settings Every B2B Marketer Should Use in Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Meta

08.05.24 // Mike Nierengarten

Google Ads

Blocking video partners in YouTube

Adding  “googleadsense_without_youtube.com” as a negative placement to YouTube campaigns eliminates all video partner placements. And would you look at that, performance is even better than projected, on a weekend at that.

Google Demand Gen

Disable expansion and optimized targeting function.

Search Partners

Exclude Search Partners.

Age Demographics

Exclude 18-24 in most cases

Google Ads Location

Target People in or regularly in your targeted location. Exclude people in or regularly in or who’ve shown interest in your excluded locations.

Portfolio Bid with Max Bid for Automated Bidding

If using automated bidding (big “if” as manual bidding is better for less mature accounts), utilize portfolio bidding with a bid cap. Do not include brand campaigns in portfolio bidding. Create separate bidding rules for brand campaigns.

Set up business name and business logo asset

Having both a business name and business logo “asset” set up became a best practice as soon as it rolled out and should be in place across every account. We should not be relying on Google to do that for us.

Turn off dynamic business names/logos

Google quietly added two new automated ad extensions and the default setting is on. Might want to spot check your accounts and make sure you have this disabled. Ads & Assets dropdown > assets > hit “more” button above the table on the right side  > select “account-level automated assets” > hit “more” button again > select “advanced settings” > then turn off dynamic business names and logos. Hit save.

Optimized targeting (audience expansion) in Google Ads

Turn off expansion and optimized targeting setting.

Pin headlines in Google Ads

Pin ad headlines in Google Ads in order to provide relevant headlines to search results.

Never Use Automated Ad Extensions

Turn off automated ad extensions. Assets > Association > Account level automated assets > Advanced settings > Select Account-level automated assets settings > Select Turn off specific automated assets > Turn off.

Block Mobile Apps

Go to Campaigns > audiences, keywords, and content > content > placement exclusions > enter. Paste this: mobileappcategory::69500 (Can also do this directly in Editor by adding mobile App Categories as  negative)

 

LinkedIn

Audience Network

Exclude LinkedIn Audience Network (LAN). Disable audience expansion

Avoid Auto Bids

Don’t use autobid aka “maximum delivery” instead use Manual CPC or Cost Cap bidding

Work Emails in Lead Gen Forms

Always ask for work email and enable “validate work email” when building Lead Gen Forms

 

Microsoft Ads

Exclusions in Microsoft Advertising Search Campaigns

  • Open your account in MS Ads editor and check your standard search campaigns and make sure the network distribution is set to “Only Bing, AOL, and Yahoo! websites” or “Microsoft sites and select partner traffic”.
  • In addition to updating your network distribution setting, add bing.com, outlook.com, outlook.live.com, play.google.com, microsoftcasualgames.com, and msn.com as campaign-level website exclusions to your search campaigns.

Opt Out of Auto Conversion in Microsoft Advertising

Campaigns > Ads & extensions > Automated Extensions > Manage Automated Extensions > Opt out of specific Automated Extensions

Targeting Duck Duck Go and Adding Exclusions

Start building your exclusion list as it’s highly worth targeting Duck Duck Go. Obility has nearly 9,300 currently in Obility’s exclusion list.

 

Meta

Blocking music over ads

Turn off Advantage+ Creative to avoid Meta picking music over your ads. Also disable optimizations that are automatically turned on such as Image Template or Visual Touch Ups

Remove Lookalikes

Disable “Advantage Lookalike”

Avoid Auto Placements

Disable “Advantage+ Placements” and switch to Manual Placements

Age Demographics

Update age group to 25+ as default starts at 18

About Mike Nierengarten

Mike has been in online marketing since 2004 and started Obility in February of 2011. Mike is a numbers geek who feels more comfortable staring at Excel spreadsheets & Google Ads Editor than sitting in lengthy meetings. Mike saw Obility as an opportunity to rethink SEM management and focus solely on the unique needs of B2B clients. Mike enjoys board sports, exploring restaurants, and lively discussions about the economy. He is also a passionate traveler. His long-term goals focus on spurring economic growth and addressing inequality in the Portland community. View all Mike Nierengarten’s posts >