Optimization tips for your summer campaigns

School's out! The sun is shining and students are taking a break from coursework, while their teachers and professors prepare for the coming semester. AdWords in the Curriculum pupils in Boston and Ann Arbor have also wrapped up for the summer months.

Even during these carefree summer months, Google Grantees that have been part of AdWords in the Curriculum haven't let their campaigns fall by the wayside. Several non-profits have brought in Eastern Michigan University students as summer interns (following their in-class success with AdWords campaigns), and others are using their AdWords accounts to promote summer-specific events, camps, and workshops. That being the case, we thought it would be useful to provide some tips for success with summer campaigns. Our AdWords in the Curriculum teachers and students recommend the following practices as you ramp up your seasonal advertising:

1. Set up a campaign for your summer events.

Tailor these keywords to the event - whether it's summer classes, an annual summer picnic, or a walk to raise funds for a cause. Worried about the ads continuing to run after the event is over? Not a problem - you can set an end date for the campaign so that it automatically ends based on your timeline.

2. Write ad text with a spin on seasonality.

Rather than running your standard ad text, spice it up with a nod toward "Fun in the Sun!" for an outdoor event. To target students, consider phrases like 'Summer Opportunities with Non-profits' which will help you capture the attention of students who are searching on Google for summer volunteering or employment positions to keep busy.

3. Use multiple match types to ensure that seasonal terms are tethered to the rest of the keyword.

For instance, using a phrase match keyword, "summer volunteer opportunities", will help you narrow your audience to the season-specific traffic that you're seeking with your summer campaign. It'll also help you avoid any duplication with other campaigns' keyword lists.

We'll have more gems of advice to share as our next batch of students become the teachers of the ins and outs of AdWords campaigns for Grantees. AdWords in the Curriculum spans graduate, undergraduate, and high school classes, so we'll have another update with tips from the newest round of Google Grant recipients when students return to school in August.

Posted by Anita Varma, Google Ann Arbor AdWords Team