How to Get the Most Out of Your Connect Account

Dec 14, 2023 | Blog, Knowledge Center

How to Get the Most Out of Your Connect Account

Welcome to the third installment of our MatchCraft Connect series! Now that you’re familiar with what a Connect Account is and the benefits it offers over a standard account, it’s time to dive into maximizing your Connect experience. We want to ensure you leverage all the powerful features and functionalities Connect has to offer, so let’s get into how to get the most out of your Connect account.

 

Connect Names and Labels 

In MatchCraft Connect, we’re simplifying the way we talk about your advertising strategy. Here are some changes you will begin seeing on the platform: 

  • MatchCraft “campaigns” will be called “orders” in Connect. 
  • Within MatchCraft segments, “categories” will be called “ad groups.” 
  • Each MatchCraft segment is associated with a single Google Ads campaign. 
  • During beta phases, users should expect to see a mix of references to “Campaigns” and “Orders.” In the future, MatchCraft nomenclature will be updated to use “Order” in places where “Campaign” is used today.

We are committed to keeping things straightforward and clear for your advertising journey. This is not just a change in words for the sake of it; it’s about making your experience with MatchCraft even easier.

 

MatchCraft Account Creation 

When you’re setting up your account, choose the “Connect” option to unleash the power of Google Connect. Once you do that, all the orders you create within this account automatically become “Connect” orders. 

It’s a simple choice that opens the door to a world of enhanced possibilities with Google Connect. So, when you’re starting, remember to go with “Connect” to make the most of your MatchCraft experience.

 

Google Account Conversion 

That’s right, Standard accounts can be converted to Connect accounts! To perform this action, navigate to the account-level view of any Standard account and click the “Convert Account” button to get started. To begin a conversion, the following is required: 

  • The campaign must be in a Standard MatchCraft account 
  • The account must only have campaigns with search, display, or remarketing segments. All non-supported campaign/segment types will need to be deleted. 
  • All campaigns/segments/categories must already be provisioned to Google or will otherwise have to be deleted before conversion 

If the requirements above are not met, don’t fret; the user interface will show a message explaining what needs to be done before the conversion can be completed.

 

Google Account-Level Extensions 

Google Connect brings an array of powerful extensions to elevate your ads. Here’s the lineup:

  • Call Extensions
  • Sitelinks
  • Callouts
  • Structured Snippets
  • Negative Keyphrases

These extensions will be used for all orders and segments in the account. However, it is important to note that if a different set of extensions is specified within a Google Search segment, the segment extensions will override the account-level extensions. This overriding behavior is defined by Google Ads, not MatchCraft.

 

Google Account Conversion Actions 

When it comes to Google Connect, keeping tabs on your success is a breeze. All the account conversion actions present in your account are neatly reported under Channel Account Settings > Google. 

In this section, you’ll find a treasure trove of insights into how your ads are making an impact. Stay informed, stay successful, and let Google Connect’s reporting be your guide!

 

Creating an Order 

Click “Create Order” to initiate the order creation process. Have questions along the way? Select the “Use Guided Setup” checkbox for a step-by-step walkthrough of order entry.

 

Call Extensions and Location Extensions 

With MatchCraft Connect, giving your ads the edge they need just got easier. Here’s the lowdown on Call and Location Extensions:

 

Call Extensions

Now, these can be set at the account level or within specific Google Search segments, enabling you to have a direct line to your audience right where it matters.

 

Location Extensions

While they might not pop up in the MatchCraft user interface just yet, don’t worry—you can still specify them. Link your Google Ads account to the Advertiser’s GBP account via Google Ads, and voila! 

 

Budgets and Bidding 

In addition to MatchCraft’s traditional budget and bid management features, Google Connect allows budgets and bid strategies to be managed within Google. 

When budgets are managed within Google, a ”retail adjustment” can be specified with MatchCraft to convert your media spend to a retail equivalent. One key thing to point out is that orders with Google Search segments must manage budget and bid strategies directly in the MatchCraft platform for it to work correctly.

 

Bid Cap

With Google Connect, MatchCraft keeps things organized by associating a bid cap with each order. Think of it like a protective guardrail—it sets a limit on bids when MatchCraft is taking the helm.

It’s a straightforward mechanism to ensure your bids always stay within the boundaries you’ve set.

 

Bid Adjustments 

Bid Adjustments will now support Google’s full bid adjustment range (e.g., -100% to +900% for device bid adjustments). Note that positive bid adjustments (e.g., +300% mobile bid adjustment) can cause bids to exceed the MatchCraft bid cap. 

This is a change from the Standard campaign, where MatchCraft dynamically reduced positive bid adjustments to keep the bid plus all adjustments less than or equal to the bid cap.

 

Call Tracking 

The moment you request a call tracking number, MatchCraft springs into action. It immediately tries to reserve the number you asked for, and you can see it pop up right in your MatchCraft order. Goodbye to the days of waiting!

 

Adding Segments 

The moment you hit create on your Google Search segment, a matching Google Search campaign springs to life in Google Ads. Your segment name in MatchCraft is also mirrored in the Google Ads campaign, too!

 

Link Existing Campaigns

Don’t want to start from scratch? No problem. You can link your MatchCraft Connect account to existing Google Ads campaigns.

 

Paused to Active

Here’s a neat feature—your newly created segments are created in a paused state. To let them start, simply set them to “Active,” and they’re ready to go.

 

Final URL Initial Value for Segments and URL Checker 

A Final URL Initial Value can be specified when adding a new segment. When a new ad is created, this initial value will prepopulate the final URL field of each ad. 

The Final URL Initial Value will also be the URL that is tested by the MatchCraft URL checker. One important note, though, is that other URLs will not be tested by the URL checker. This is different from how the platform works today.

 

Geomodifiers 

Geomodifiers are not supported in Beta 1. Their compatibility with Google Connect is still in the process of being evaluated.

It’s a momentary pause, so stay tuned for updates as we fine-tune the compatibility of geomodifiers in 2024!

 

Audiences and Demographic Targeting 

In MatchCraft Connect, Google Search and Display segments empower you to target, exclude, and tailor ads based on audience demographics. It’s a quick and precise way to connect with your ideal audience.

 

Ad Schedules 

In MatchCraft Connect, ad schedules have been upgraded. Now, you can set schedules in 15-minute increments, aligning seamlessly with Google Ads’ current options. Now, you have precise control over when your ads shine the brightest.

 

Adding Ad Groups 

Ad groups can be created in two ways: 

  • A taxonomy category
  • As an empty ad group 

In both cases, the ad group will immediately be created in Google Ads. When creating an ad group, the user will need to specify whether it should be paused or not. 

 

Making Changes in Google Ads and 3rd-Party Tools 

Google Connect allows editing of almost all settings directly in Google. This includes settings that are editable in MatchCraft as well as those that are not. 

 

The exceptions are budgets, bids, Google campaign status, and Google campaign final URL suffix (if using MatchCraft call tracking and/or Google Analytics). Those settings should not be edited outside of MatchCraft if the platform is in control of budgets and/or bidding. If those settings are edited when MatchCraft is in control, it may overwrite things with the settings it expects.

 

Google Video Support in Beta 1

Linking Google Video campaigns to Google Connect is supported in Beta 1. The Google Ads API does not support the management of Video campaigns, so the campaign will need to be created and managed in Google—this includes budget management. 

Once linked to MatchCraft, however, video-oriented reporting is supported in the MatchCraft Merchant Center and merchant-facing performance emails.

 

Google Performance Max Support in Beta 1

Campaign managers, rejoice! You can create new Google Performance Max segments directly in MatchCraft or seamlessly link existing campaigns. With our Beta 1 release, you have the flexibility to tailor your strategy the way you want.

 

Google Display Support in Beta 1 

That’s right, Google Display is also supported in Beta 1. Campaign managers can create new Google Display segments directly in the platform or link existing campaigns to MatchCraft, just like with Google Performance Max. The Google Display segment type replaces both the Display and Remarketing segment types in Standard accounts.

 

Enhance Your Advertising Strategies with the All New Connect

MatchCraft’s Connect account is not just a tool; it’s a gateway to new possibilities in digital advertising. Embrace the future of ads, leverage the benefits, and propel your campaigns to new heights with MatchCraft Connect. 

Are you ready to make the switch? Contact your client engagement manager to get started.