Scaling a Google Ads account isn’t as simple as increasing budgets and hoping for the best. Google’s systems are sensitive to changes, and budgets, along with other elements like targeting, bid strategies and assets, can have different affects when adjusted. All these factors must be considered when scaling, with decisions being made for short, mid and long-term gains. Google Ads agencies must also contemplate external factors in their decision making – and know when to scale up and down to maintain and improve results.
Digital marketing operates in clear, predictable cycles. Much like how the seasons affect agriculture, Google Ads has periods ripe for harvesting results and quieter phases ideal for planting seeds for future growth. Brands and agencies need to recognise these patterns and incorporate them into their strategies.
Quite simply, your approach must reflect the season you’re in, not the one you wish it to be.
Feast and Famine
Last November, one of our clients experienced their most profitable Black Friday campaign ever. They’re a retailer and Black Friday is a key date in their calendar. Black Friday is no longer a single day or even a weekend event – it has grown to span almost an entire month of extended sales and shopping. During this period, conversion rates naturally soared, ROAS hit new highs alongside huge revenue figures, and we celebrated the shared success.
Cut to February and the familiar post-peak slump. Market demand contracted dramatically, and continuing with the same aggressive strategy would have been disastrous for profitability. In these situations, we have two choices – either fight against the natural market cycle or work with it. We chose the latter.
Smart Tactics for Low-Demand Seasons
The quiet periods in your annual marketing calendar present perfect opportunities to prepare for the next peak. These moments of reduced pressure allow for strategic expansion and refinement that become nearly impossible during high-volume periods.
Over the subsequent two months, we’ve implemented several strategic initiatives:
- Launched new Performance Max campaigns
- Extended existing campaign structures
- Restructured parts of the account architecture for more efficient management
- Conducted systematic optimisations of bidding strategies, refined our keywords, and ad messaging
We know we can’t hit the same levels all year round – especially when trying to balance ROAS vs revenue. Typically, in off-season, you either have to accept a lower metric in one or the other. Our client in this scenario wishes to maintain an exceptionally high ROAS and so we must scale back our spend (and therefore revenue) to hit that goal. However, during this period of change, we also introduce new and improved account elements and refinements which would be impossible to deliver during high-season.
Long-Term Growth
Many marketers become fixated on short-term performance fluctuations. They panic when metrics dip and celebrate wildly when they rise. Being reactive in this sense overlooks a fundamental principle of growth – looking at results over a wider context while considering short, mid and long term strategic decisions.
When market demand increases naturally, lean into this momentum. Increase budgets, expand keyword coverage, and capitalise on the heightened conversion potential. During these periods, it’s time to invest in stratagies that gain market share over optimisation.
On the flip side, when demand naturally contracts, your approach must become tighter and leaner. Focus on profitability and being more efficient with your spending. Accept there are factors outside the account that you can’t control but must adapt to. Use this as an opportunity to prepare for the next high-season. Test new approaches, refine your targeting, and identify where the new opportunities are.
Understanding the Market
It’s very rare that you can sustain constant upward pressure. The most successful Google Ads strategies acknowledge that sustainable growth happens through a series of ups and downs, but consider the wider positive trend. By understanding and adapting to market conditions rather than fighting against them, you create a more resilient approach that delivers more predictable long-term results.
Tracking the overall trajectory is more important than any individual, isolated monthly report. If your metrics are trending upwards over time, then seasonal variations become part and parcel in your reporting and future strategies rather than causes for concern.
Mindset Shift
If you’re caught in a reactive mindset then you need to adjust both your expectations and your planning:
- Develop seasonal forecasts based on historical performance
- Create strategies that incorporate high-demand and low-demand periods
- Use KPI that are flexible for each season rather than applying a single goal all year round
- Adapt your planned activities based on seasonal fluctuations
- Put time into understanding and predicting seasonal shifts and user behaviour patterns
This flexible approach to scaling with Google Ads transforms apparent short-term setbacks into natural parts of a comprehensive strategy. The businesses that outperform their competitors consistently aren’t those who avoid the seasonal patterns – they’re the ones who use them strategically.
The Final Word
There’s a clear message here, listen to what the data is telling you – take time to understand the market and adapt to it. Embrace seasonality rather than fighting against the current. If you can learn when to push for expansion and when to pull back for optimisation, you will create a rhythm that maximises results while maintaining profitability.
If you’d like to learn more about our approach to Google Ads management, or are interested in any of our other marketing services, please contact us.