Monthly Archives: May 2023

We all face disruptions to our peace of mind — work stressors, parenting pressures, and even smaller hurdles like running out of shampoo. Stress management apps can help ease anxieties that could otherwise pile up and make life feel out of control.

Monitoring and managing your emotional health is a wise choice for both today and down the road. Experts at the Mayo Clinic say that unmanaged stress can affect your body, thoughts, feelings, and behavior. This can lead to serious physical repercussions.

Luckily there are lots of great stress management apps out there that can help — and here are some of our favorites.

Table of Contents

What are stress management apps?
11 Stress Management Apps You Need to Try

Note: These apps are not intended to be substitutes for medical advice. Think of them as educational, intended to help you explore your situation and identify possible solutions.

Be sure to consult your healthcare professional before making any health, medical, or other decisions based on data within these apps.

11 Stress Management Apps You Need to Try

1. Headspace

Price: Start with a 7-day free trial, then pay $12.99 a month. You can also start with a 14-day free trial and then $69.99 a year.
Available for: iOS | Android
Price: It’s free to download limited content. In-app purchases range from $0.99 to $399.99 per item.
Available for: iOS | Android

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Meditation is a great stress relief technique, and Headspace is one of the best apps out there for guided meditation sessions, especially if you’re a beginner. These guided sessions will teach you how to turn off the brain chatter and meditate more effectively.

Headspace has been on the scene and growing for years. The company has also acquired and incorporated Shine, an app created by women of color that addresses the mental and emotional health issues that are specific to their communities.

Pro tip: Many discounts and plans are available to audiences known to benefit most from emotional tools, such as overworked teachers, stressed-out students, and anxious teens. Be sure to check to see if you get a deal.

What We Love

It’s age-inclusive; this app offers tools for toddlers up to elders.
Meditations vary from 10 minutes to 60 minutes, supporting a deepening practice over time.

Limitations

Headspace only offers free content during trial periods.

2. Calm

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Calm is an extremely popular and well-marketed meditation, sleep, and relaxation app. It’s well-known for soothing soundscapes and gentle aesthetics.

The app guides users in self-chosen daily meditations, adds new music every week, and encourages them to return to their important self-care work each day. It also features mental health trackers and breathing exercises to help you find, claim, and calm your center.

Pro tip: Calm offers both 7- and 21-day mindfulness programs that can help you dig deeper and achieve your goals.

What We Love

Calm is geared toward adults, yet great content is available for kids and teens.
The interface looks and feels soothing.

Limitations

Calm is free to download, but there’s not much content available until subscribing.
Payment info is collected upfront.
Users have reported slow response from customer service.

3. Sanvello

Price: You can download Sanvello for free. In-app purchases range from $0.99 to $199.99. You can also buy a premium version that has unlimited access to features.
Available for: iOS | Android

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Previously branded as Pacifica, Sanvello has expanded its mental health mission. The app is based on cognitive behavioral therapy combined with relaxation and wellness techniques.

This daily tool helps address stress and anxiety at a gradual pace. Over time, the app becomes customized to your specific needs.

Track your daily activities and emotional states to help the app determine what activities might cause different moods and emotions — especially stress, anxiety, and depression. The goal is to help you recognize triggers so that you can break the cycle.

Sanvello gives you goals to set and straightforward emotional homework. Plus, it has a refreshingly non-fluffy aesthetic. You won’t have to pretend you’re feeling sunny when you’re not.

Best for: People who like a darker, more straightforward UX.

What We Love

Many insurance plans cover the cost of this app, so be sure to check your benefits.
The interface won’t gobsmack you with bright colors.
There are several price options to fit a variety of budgets.

Limitations

Some users report that coaches can be impersonal.
Therapy options may not be available in every state.

4. Daylio Journal

Price: You can download the app for free. In-app purchases are available.
Available for: iOS | Android

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Here’s a tried and true tracking app that lets you track your emotions, activities, medications, and more throughout the day. With regular use, you can figure out what’s driving your emotions.

Monitoring your mood in an app can help you find some useful correlations. For example, some folks find their mood changes depending on whether or not they worked out that day.

You can put in your sleeping times and sleep quality, amount of exercise performed, stress levels, menstrual cycles, and more.

Best for: Those who already love to journal.

What We Love

Classic and highly functional.
Tracks tons of details for discovering patterns.

Limitations

If you don’t have time to write, this may not be the app for you.
Regular usage is the key to success; be ready to invest time before seeing results.

5. SAM: Self-Help App for the Mind

Price: Free
Available for: iOS | Android

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Created with psychological principles, supported by research, and recommended by practitioners, Self-Help App for the Mind (nicknamed SAM) helps you figure out what’s making you anxious or stressed while also suggesting ways to combat it.

It’s a great resource for external information, covering everything from information about anxiety to physical and mental relaxation techniques.

Along with these resources comes guidance for putting these techniques into practice, including breathing and muscle relaxation exercises. Over time, you’ll track your feelings and triggers to see a graph of your anxiety so you can self-monitor.

Pros

Has a community forum called the Social Cloud to interact with.
Helps you track your triggers as well as your feelings to help you manage them.

Cons

Heavily text-based and not very interactive.
User experience is disjointed and could benefit from more streamlining.

6. Breathe2Relax

Price: Breathe2Relax is free.
Available for: iOS | Android

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Has anyone ever told you to close your eyes and breathe? That’s because focusing on and controlling your breathing can really help calm a person down.

In fact, diaphragmatic breathing (breathing from your stomach) has actually been proven to decrease stress.

The Department of Defense’s Center for Telehealth and Technology created this app to help soldiers and their families learn stress-relieving breathing techniques — but, of course, it works for everyone.

It also offers information and resources on depression, anxiety, stress, and more. The next time you’re feeling super stressed, try letting this app guide you into some mindful breathing exercises.

Note: This is the only app on our list that is laser-focused on using your breath to help your body ramp down.

What We Love

Breathing exercises can help decrease the body’s fight-or-flight response.
Breathing sessions are highly customizable to best fit your needs.

Limitations

The interface looks outdated.
Users report that the security login is unnecessary and hinders the user during sudden panic attacks.

7. Happify

Price: You can download the app for free. In-app purchases are available.
Available for: iOS | Android

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This app helps you improve your mood using positive-thinking activities.

With research embedded in its philosophy, Happify believes that each person has a genetic set point for happiness — and the ability to offset it. In other words, we have more control over our happiness than we might realize.

By practicing certain exercises and interventions that promote positive emotional qualities (like kindness and mindfulness), we can choose our thoughts, behaviors, and actions.

Over time, these choices become habitual and gradually increase our resilience to make us happier.

That’s exactly what the Happify app aims to do. The app helps you set specific goals and offers tips for achieving those goals. The positive-thinking activities include games, gratitude exercises, or imagining what a situation would be like in someone else’s shoes.

CNN named this app among the top apps to train your brain and better cope with stress.

Best for: People looking to make a lasting change to their behavior and have fun doing it.

What We Love

Happify is incredibly easy-to-use.
Science backs up the activities.

Limitations

The premium version of the app does not come with a free trial.
User reports say that some games can get cluttered and confusing.

8. BetterSleep

Price: BetterSleep is free to download. Subscriptions cost $9.99 monthly or $59.99 per year.
Available for: iOS | Android

Previously named Relax Melodies, this app is a good choice if stress or anxiety hampers your ability to fall or stay asleep.

The app lets you choose from relaxing ambient and natural sounds, as well as calming music and guided meditation sessions.

You can customize these sounds into a mix, or choose just one. You can set a timer for the music to stop playing after a certain amount of time, or set a time during the night or morning for them to wake you up.

Best for: Sleepy people who would like to drift off to sounds or stories with beautiful images fresh in mind from the app.

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What We Love

There’s a huge catalog of stories and sounds to choose from.
The app has deeply saturated colors and beautiful artwork.

Limitations

The app is pricey at $59.99 per year to unlock everything.
Many sounds that used to be accessible for free have since been locked.

9. Worry Watch

Price: BetterSleep is free to download. Subscriptions are available to unlock premium features
Available for: iOS

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Worry Watch earned a perfect 5-star rating in 2021, and is a great app to try out if you are into journaling. It guides you through recording and reflecting on your writing step-by-step, letting you think it through.

If the worry is controllable, it’ll help you list out some steps for managing it. If the worry is not controllable, you can select from a list of coping statements to help you approach it from a different angle.

Worry Watch is based entirely on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques that are proven to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression.

Best for: People who spend time worrying and find relief in writing.

What We Love

Worry Watch has a clean and refreshing interface, available in 16 languages.
This is an excellent app to help you to turn emotional overwhelm into logical steps for feeling better.

Limitations

This app is not available for Android.
You can’t view patterns or trends without the premium version.

10. Acupressure: Heal Yourself

Price: $1.99
Available for: iOS | Android

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Here’s an app that’ll help you garner some physical release from your everyday stresses. Acupressure is an ancient healing art where you use your fingers to press on “pressure points” on the surface of your skin to stimulate the body’s natural calming abilities.

Acupressure is safe to do. Further, pressing on these pressure points has both physical and emotional benefits. You can release nerve endings, ease tension in your body, and increase blood flow.

The app itself helps you locate the pressure points that’ll help alleviate specific symptoms, and then teaches you how to actually alleviate that pressure.

Why we like this app: Acupressure literally helps you take your well-being into your own hands.

What We Love

You’ll get actionable instructions on how to engage pressure points for self-healing — in 8 languages.
Tell the app what is ailing you, and it will tell you where and how to add helpful pressure.

Limitations

Some users feel the same few pressure points are recommended to address many maladies.

11. Presently: A Gratitude Journal

Price: Presently is available for free.
Available for: Android

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Sometimes, all it takes to alleviate some of that building stress is to reflect on what we’re grateful for. After all, there are many studies out there proving that keeping a gratitude journal can result in higher alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness, and energy.

Presently is a much-talked-about and highly-rated gratitude journaling app. It enables you to hop in and make notes, then hop right back out to live in your conscious moments of gratitude.

Let’s be real: With 4.9 out of 5 stars, why not try this one?

What We Love

Presently lets you record your moment of gratitude, then go enjoy it without getting distracted by your phone or the app itself.
Presently has a neutral aesthetic that doesn’t pry your eyes with garish color.

Limitations

Not available on iOS.

Content offers, like ebooks, can convert your existing traffic and even attract new traffic. However, if your ebook isn’t getting too many downloads or leads, your marketing might be the problem.

In order to be successful, your offer must be compelling enough that it practically begs users to opt-in. Read on to discover the best techniques for marketing your ebook, whitepaper, guide, or other lead-generating resource.

1. Consider a co-marketing campaign.

Before you create your helpful content offer, consider if there’s any partnerships that you can leverage. Co-marketing provides an opportunity for cross-collaboration on content so that two parties “own” that content and benefit from it.

Here are some reasons why co-marketing is a good idea:

Sharing resources for the offer’s creation doubles the value of the content and diminishes the cost/effort of its production
Promoting to two networks increases the reach of the campaign exponentially
Both partners have vested interest in the results of the promotion because both reap the benefits (the leads generated from it)

Pro Tip: Look for partners that have similar audiences, values, and goals. If you are not aligned, neither party will receive the expected results of the collaboration.

2. Utilize industry influencers for their thought leadership and reach.

Whether you decide to do co-marketing or not, you can’t deny the power of influencer marketing. Think through your existing partnerships as well as other major players in the industries or social circles you want to reach.

Consider these thought leaders’ goals: finding relevant articles to share with their fan base, increase their reach, and further establish themselves as an authority.

You can appeal to these goals by featuring them in your content offer. For example, ask them for a quote that you can incorporate into your content offer or link to another article they wrote. When you finish the piece, send them a complimentary copy. I’d suggest telling them how much you’ve appreciated their expertise and that you were delighted to include them.

The key to this tactic is to make your personalized outreach unique and worth their while. After all, they likely get bombarded with messages asking them to share content.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to mention that you’ll be promoting the offer to your network. Because they’re featured in the content, this acts as an incentive for them to share your offer to their audience as well.

The key to this tactic is to make your personalized outreach unique and worth their while. After all, they likely get bombarded with messages asking them to share content.

3. Use email marketing to promote the ebook with your existing audience.

Admittedly, outreach is arduous. Don’t forget about the network you already have. Your email subscribers have already expressed interest in similar content offers, and if this new ebook continues to provide value for problems they need help with, this is another opportunity to continue engaging them.

As you continue to provide value, you’re establishing more credibility and authority in their eyes. As you stay top of mind in this way, you’ll be first on their list when they are ready to make a purchasing decision.

To achieve maximum success with this tactic, it helps to have a segmented audience so that you’re always providing relevant, timely, and personalized content.

You don’t want to email a specific ebook to your entire contact database because it probably doesn’t relate to all your contact lists. When you don’t segment emails, your engagement will be lower and your success will be diminished.

Here’s what I mean:

On one of your opt-in forms, you could have visitors identify what they need help with. For an inbound marketing agency, it might say, “What Does Your Business Want to Improve?” with options to select:

Grow our web presence
Rank higher on Google
Generate more leads

That way, if an ebook was created around SEO, it could be sent to all the subscribers who have already shown interest in ranking higher on Google.

Pro Tip: Use HubSpot’s free email marketing tools to create and optimize compelling email campaigns.

4. Create a compelling call-to-action.

Your website visitors will likely find out about your ebook through call-to-actions (CTAs), which is the part of a webpage that encourages users to take action.

In this case, that means clicking on a button, banner, or link that will take them to the landing page where they are able to learn more and download the content.

A poorly designed or placed CTA could be the thing that’s preventing your ebook from generating leads, so it’s important to invest the time in optimizing them.

To create a strong CTA, you’ll want to utilize the following:

Professional, yet bold design that stands out on the page
Active language
Short, yet specific messaging
A/B testing to determine what copy and design best resonates with your audience

Pro Tip: Use HubSpot’s call-to-action tool to create, test, and optimize engaging CTAs for your website.

5. Craft an engaging landing page.

Well designed landing pages are the key to getting conversions.

When users click on CTAs for your ebook, they will be directed to a landing page that will include additional details about the offer. It will also include a form that requires users to insert their contact information in exchange for the ebook.

Even if users make it to your landing page, it doesn’t guarantee a conversion. Your landing page must be engaging and communicate your offer’s value or else users will bounce. To avoid this, let’s go over some best practices:

Write a headline that focuses on the benefits of your offer
Include images that illustrate what to expect
Write active and compelling copy
Make the lead form visible and above the fold
Only ask for the information you need, like a name and email

Pro Tip: HubSpot’s free landing page builder has everything you need to quickly create and test a landing page for your ebook.

6. Promote your ebook on your highest trafficked (but still relevant) blog posts.

In addition to your other methods of promotion, you want to make sure that you’re converting organic traffic as well. But here’s the problem: A user can’t convert on a landing page they never land on. They can never be interested in a content offer they don’t know about.

Content offers aren’t an “If you build it, they will come” scenario. Instead, see how you can capitalize on the traffic you’re already getting for its promotion.

By putting the CTA (call to action) on new blog posts, all you’re doing is making a gamble. Mainly because you don’t know if that blog post will ever generate traffic. After all, it’s brand new.

However, you can put a CTA on an existing blog post that has proven success, pushing that ebook to a known source of demand.

Promote your offer on relevant blog posts that already get traffic to put your ebook in front of the audience you have.

Pro Tip: Routinely analyze blog post performance and update content to ensure your most visited posts don’t lose out on traffic.

7. Follow SEO best practices.

In order to increase your chances of organic traffic, all of your web content should be optimized for search engines — including ebooks and their landing pages.

Conduct keyword research with tools like Ahrefs to find the best keywords to include in your ebook’s title, meta-title, meta description, URL, and image alt texts.

Make sure you only use keywords that are relevant to the content of your ebook. Targeting irrelevant keywords may result in a penalty from Google. For example, if I was writing an ebook about “beekeeping for beginners”, I wouldn’t optimize for a keyword like “pollinator garden.” Even though users searching for beekeeping content may be interested in gardening, the two search terms have very different user intents.

Pro Tip: Learn more about SEO through HubSpot’s SEO certification course.

8. Create a PPC campaign to advertise your content offer.

If you know your content offer has a clear path to revenue, organic plays alone are not always the best route for promotion, especially if there is clear demand as people search for resources just like yours.

PPC is a quicker tactic than SEO. Plus, it’s a great way to promote not just your company and its services, but also campaigns and offers you create. A successful PPC campaign boosts visibility and downloads to your offer by driving high-intent users to the landing page.

Pro Tip: A/B test your PPC campaigns to increase CTR and conversions. Just a small adjustment to your ad’s title, description, or target keywords can make a huge impact on your results.

9. Announce your content offer on social media.

Email is a great tactic for promoting to an existing audience, and so is social media. An additional benefit is that social media promotion can reach beyond that existing audience much more easily.

Be sure to post on your social channels once your offer is live, conveying the value it contains for the reader and including an image to attract their attention. Mix these posts in with your other content so that your readers aren’t put off by too much promotional content.

Pro Tip: Use HubSpot’s free social media content calendar template to coordinate your promotional campaigns with ease.

10. Consider putting advertising budget behind it.

On some social channels (I’m looking at you, Facebook), organic reach isn’t what it used to be. Boosting posts helps to increase reach to both your followers and beyond. Alternatively, you can also create an ad that promotes your ebook and do paid promotion to a targeted audience.

Just keep in mind that people don’t browse social media with buying intent, so you’ll have to ensure that the offers you promote and the way you promote them piques interest and conveys value. Otherwise, they’ll just see it as an ad and scroll on past.

Pro Tip: You can manage all your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google ad campaigns in one place by using HubSpot’s ads software.

11. Promote your ebook before launching.

Pre-launch marketing campaigns can help build excitement for your ebook while it is in the final stages of production. Plus, they can give you an idea of how interested your existing audience is in the content.

Here are some ways you can promote your ebook before it launches:

Reveal the cover and title of the ebook
Publish a short snippet to get readers hooked
Write a quick summary of the ebook and what users will gain from it

With each pre-launch campaign, you’ll want to include a link to a landing page that communicates all the details of your ebook and allows users to pre-order it.

Pro Tip: Include a special offer, like a discount code or exclusive content, to users who sign up for your ebook in advance.

12. Repurpose your content into different formats.

The first time they see your post, they may not click and convert right away. Like with anything, it can take multiple “impressions” to attract attention and pique interest. At the same time, if you continue posting the same thing over and over, your content gets stale.

Enter repurposing.

Your ebook can easily be turned into a slideshare, infographic, quiz, or other format. By having multiple “versions” of your content for promotion, your ebook can go farther while getting more eyeballs on it.

Pro Tip: HubSpot Academy repurposing content course is a great resource on how recycling content can benefit your ebook marketing strategy.

13. Create related video content.

In addition to repurposing your ebook into written content, consider creating companion videos as well. Not only do most people prefer watching videos over reading, you may reach new audiences on video apps like TikTok and YouTube that you wouldn’t have otherwise gotten to on other channels.

Although video marketing may seem intimidating or time consuming, it’s worth the investment. In fact, 92% of video marketers in 2023 said that video gives them a positive ROI. As video becomes more widespread, it will be essential to include it in your marketing strategy.

Think carefully about how your ebook will translate into video format. Write an outline of the key points from each chapter you want to discuss, then develop your script. Because of the visual component of the video, your script doesn’t need to be too in-depth. Instead, opt for writing a script that is clear, concise, and conversational.

Pro Tip: Short form videos (under three minutes) have higher ROI, lead generation, and engagement compared to long form videos, videographics, webinars, and livestreams. Consider making a multi-part video series, rather than cramming your entire ebook into a single video.

14. Connect with niche readers on social media.

Look on Twitter and LinkedIn for users that have been sharing similar content to what you have created. Just by searching on Twitter for #inboundmarketing, I can see who is sharing inbound marketing blogs, guides, and resources. Plus, I can see who is getting the biggest reach in terms of likes and retweets.

Reach out to these individuals with a simple message that encapsulates “Hey! I saw you shared [this article] and I thought you might like [this related content offer]”. This way you know that the individual is probably interested in what you’re writing because they’ve been interested in similar content before.

This tactic might not work as well as the influencer tactic in tip #3 since you’re not providing mutual value, but many of these individuals spend a lot of time curating content for their audience, and you might just be helping them out.

Pro Tip: When connecting with niche readers, personalize each message so you don’t come across as spammy.

15. Submit to a content community or online group.

Chances are, search engines and their social feeds are not the only places your audience hangs out. If your ebook contains specialized or niche information, you might be able to target these niches through content communities and online groups. For example:

Niche Facebook groups
Niche LinkedIn groups
Reddit
Quora
Slack groups
NextDoor neighborhoods
Industry forums

For example, if you’re a roofer in St. Louis, join your community group on NextDoor.com and offer your content there. When your neighborhood gets hit by a hailstorm, your infographic on “Assessing Storm Damage as a Homeowner” can come in handy to the community’s residents.

Pro Tip: Content communities are also a great resource for getting feedback, starting discussion, and sharing your passion for your services with others.

16. Find other linking opportunities.

Using tools like Ahrefs, you can see other websites who have linked to content like yours. Reach out to them with your content offer link and see if they want to include a link to your resource. I find that this is most helpful when you can find a broken link that your new link can replace. Webmasters generally appreciate when someone lets them know of a problem with their website links, and if you can provide a link to replace the broken one, it might get placed.

Alternatively, use a tool like BuzzSumo or Mention.net to find mentions of your company online. You’ll be able to see who has mentioned you or your content offer and determine whether they have linked back to you or not. If they haven’t included your link, reach out to that website and explain it might provide their readers a better experience if they could find the article that is being mentioned.

Pro Tip: If you’re looking for more backlink opportunities, I highly recommend Backlinko’s resource on backlinks to find other places you could get a link from!

17. Guest blog on popular websites with your ebook as CTA.

You may also have an opportunity to capitalize on a third party website’s organic traffic and promotions through guest blogging. If your buyer persona goes to a popular website that provides solutions to the problems they’re experiencing, your content offer should be there too (as long as it’s similarly relevant and helpful, of course).

Once you nail down which websites your buyer persona is reading to get information, see if these websites offer the opportunity for industry leaders to guest blog. Some websites will require an application or an article proposal, but once you get accepted blogging for one website, it becomes much easier to get accepted on other websites.

At the conclusion of the article, use your ebook as a next step CTA so if a reader finishes the article and wants more information, your content offer is there.

Pro Tip: When you write your articles, keep them educational and don’t self-promote. Remember, you’re trying to help the reader solve a problem with your expertise and industry knowledge.

18. Set up podcast interviews.

Getting interviewed on a popular podcast can be a great way to gain exposure for your ebook. Try reaching out to podcasts with large audiences, and offer to be a guest on their show and talk about your expertise.

Like guest posting, you’ll want to narrow your focus on contacting podcasts that are both relevant to your ebook’s subject matter and buyer persona. For example, a financial advisor who wrote an ebook on how to save for a down payment on a house would want to reach out to a podcast that focuses on financial advice.

When preparing for your interview, take inspiration from the information listed on your landing page to create talking points and focus on the things your buyer persona will benefit from by reading your ebook.

Pro Tip: Make sure you provide the podcast producer with a link to your landing page to put in the show’s description so listeners are able to easily access your ebook.

19. Speak at industry conferences.

Do you attend any annual conferences that are unique to your industry? Consider applying to be a speaker at it.

Think about your knowledge and unique perspectives in your subject area and how sharing your expertise would be valuable to your buyer persona. Then, use those big picture ideas to create a speech to present at the conference.

While your presentation shouldn’t be focused on advertising your ebook, you’ll likely be able to plug it at the end.

Pro Tip: Speakers are usually able to attend the rest of the conference for free. Use that access to your advantage and network with others in your industry.

20. Publish a printed version.

Believe it or not, there are still people out there who prefer print media over digital media. So, why not meet them where they are and publish a printed version of your ebook?

A small batch of physical copies is probably all you need, since most people will opt to download the ebook instead. Still, the printed versions are great to have for when you go to networking events and want to build better relationships with other professionals.

Pro Tip: If you extra printed copies of your book, consider doing a giveaway on your social media accounts.

21. Give your ebook away for free.

As we’ve already discussed, ebooks are a fantastic way to generate leads — especially if you offer them for free.

People will need to submit their contact information in order to receive their copy of the ebook, whether or not they have to pay for it. When collecting their information, you can also include a field that allows them to subscribe to your email list.

Then, once you have their details on file, your sales reps can nurture and convert them into paying customers down the road.

Pro Tip: Preview your ebook’s first couple chapters on your landing page in order to entice them to download the whole thing.

Content that just sits on your website can’t properly do its job and bring in leads. But worry not, by using these promotion tips you’ll see a little bit of extra effort can really take a content offer from zero to hero.

If you’re interested in creating attractive ebooks that capture attention and bring more leads to your business, check out the FREE resource below (see what we did there?).

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Did you know there were over 214.7 million digital buyers in the US in 2022? Online shopping has become a mainstream revenue source for businesses. So, with the right Google Shopping campaign structure, your business can soar.

Google Shopping ads are an essential part of any successful digital marketing strategy. They are a great way to drive more sales and increase online visibility. Most businesses today are already investing in Google Shopping ads. If you’re not, it’s time to get started.

Keep reading to learn eight Google Shopping ads strategies that will help you drive more sales and increase your ROI. You’ll also get tips on optimizing your campaigns for maximum effectiveness.

The Benefits of Google Shopping Ads

Google Shopping ads allow you to target specific customers based on their demographics, interests, and other characteristics. It helps ensure that your Google shopping campaign structure targets the right audience.

These ads use visuals to draw customers in and make them more likely to click.

Here are six key benefits you can enjoy with Google Shopping ads:

Your products will have increased visibility.
You have improved brand recognition.
You’ll see an increased click-through rate.
Google Shopping ads can improve your marketing’s return on investment (ROI).
There’s a lower cost per acquisition (CPA).
You’ll have a competitive advantage against other businesses.

Your business can enjoy these benefits if it sets up its campaigns correctly. Although Google Shopping ads can be tricky, with the right strategies in place, you can make sure that your campaigns are effective.

Google Shopping Ads Strategies

Now that you know what Google Shopping ads are, it’s time to learn the strategies that will help you drive more sales and increase your ROI. Here are eight Google Shopping Ads Strategies you should consider.

1. Use automated bidding.

This allows you to set a target cost-per-click (CPC) and have Google adjust your bids to reach that goal. The strategy can help you optimize your campaigns for maximum effectiveness.

You can also set bid limits to ensure you stay within your budget. Automated bidding helps you save time and money while achieving your goals.

You can set an automated bidding strategy on the Google Ads website. You can do this by selecting “Tools” and then selecting “Bidding Strategies.”

Select the type of bidding strategy you want to use, such as “Maximize Clicks,” “Target ROI,” or “Target Cost-per-Conversion.”

2. A/B test your campaigns.

A/B testing is a great way to test different strategies and determine the most effective ones. You can try different ad copy, images, and keywords to see which ones have the best results.

You can also test different bidding strategies and determine which one is most cost-effective and drives the most sales.

A/B testing can help you optimize your campaigns for maximum effectiveness. As your company grows or changes, you should reexamine your campaigns to see if they still need tweaking or if a new strategy would work better.

3. Optimize your product page.

Your product page is one of the most critical aspects of your Google Shopping ads campaigns. It needs to be optimized to be successful.

Ensure your product page contains all the relevant information, including images and product descriptions. You should also include customer reviews to help build trust and encourage people to purchase.

Other effective strategies include using keywords on your product page related to the products you’re selling. It will help Google better understand your products, resulting in more effective ad campaigns.

4. Split your ad groups by product type.

Ad groups are a great way to organize your Google Shopping ads campaigns. You can divide your ad groups by product type or price range, depending on your goals.

By creating specific ad groups, you can target more relevant customers and ensure they see the products most likely to appeal to them.

Plus, depending on their importance, you can set specific bids for each ad group. It can help you optimize your campaigns and ensure they are as cost-effective as possible.

5. Use retargeting methods

Retargeting is a great way to stay top of mind with customers, even after they’ve left your website. It can help keep them engaged and more likely to buy.

You can set up retargeting campaigns that display ads to customers who have already visited your website or interacted with your products.

Platforms like Google Ads allow you to create retargeting campaigns where your ads will show when customers are browsing other websites or using other apps.

You can also use retargeting to display ads for products customers viewed but didn’t purchase in the past.

6. Build a similar audience list.

Similar audiences are a great way to reach customers similar to those you have already successfully converted.

You can create a list by taking data from your existing customers and using it to find other potential customers with similar characteristics.

For example, you can create a list of people similar to customers who have purchased from you. Google Ads will then use this list to display your ads to similar audiences.

7. Include a special offer or deal.

You can use special offers or discounts in your Google Shopping ads campaigns to attract more customers.

It’s essential to ensure the offer relates to your product and provides good value to your customers. You can also use special offers or discounts to encourage customers to purchase from you.

You can increase sales and capture more customers by including a special offer or deal in your campaigns.

8. Consider your pricing strategy.

Your pricing strategy is an essential part of your Google Shopping ads campaigns. Ensure that your prices are competitive and that you get the most value.

You can also use dynamic pricing to adjust your prices based on market conditions and customer demand. It can help you stay competitive and ensure your prices are as attractive to customers.

How to Create a Google Shopping Ad Campaign

Creating a Google Shopping ads campaign can be complex and time-consuming. However, with guidance or professional help, you can create a comprehensive Google shopping campaign structure.

1. Select the products you want to advertise.

Before you flesh out your campaign, you’ll need to choose which products to advertise. Consider which products are relevant to the widest audience or which products seem to appeal most to current customers.

Consider factors such as the demand for the product, its profit margin, and its competitiveness in the market.

Pro tip: Make a list of the products you want to include in your ad campaign. This can help you stay on track throughout the campaign process.

2. Create groups based on the products and their characteristics.

Now that you know which products you want to advertise, think about how you can group them together. You can put products of the same type, price range, or brand in the same campaign.

When you divide your products into groups, you can better advertise to your target personas. You can segment your customers to tailor your ad campaigns to their interests and needs.

For example, you could create a product group for high-end handbags and another for budget-friendly bags. Or perhaps all your prom dress options are in one campaign, and bridal dresses are in another.

3. Create an ad and choose a bid strategy.

Now that you know what you want to advertise, it’s time to create the ad itself. Use clear and high-quality product images to attract potential customers. You’ll also want to target the right keywords so you’ll reach the appropriate audience.

Once you have your assets together, decide on a bid strategy based on your business goals and budget.

You can use manual bidding to have more control over your ad spend, or you can use automated systems such as Maximize Clicks or Target CPA to optimize your campaigns.

4. Monitor and adjust your campaigns to improve your performance.

Putting your ad on Google Shopping isn’t the end. You’ll need to regularly review your campaign to see how it performs.

Use the data provided by Google to identify which ads are generating the most clicks and conversions. Adjust your bids, ad copy, and targeting as needed to ensure maximum performance.

You can also use A/B testing to compare the performance of different ad variations and see which ones are most effective.

Google Shopping Ad Campaign Example

Now that you know best practices, let’s see Google Shopping Ads in action. Check out these brands for inspiration.

Lululemon Running Shoes

There are hundreds of sneaker options that customers can choose from. Top brands must break through the noise. That’s especially true in Google Shopping ads.

Lululemon gives themselves a leg up with their masterful use of keywords. While their products don’t appear on the first page for a general search for “shoes,” their sneakers become much more relevant when users search more specific keywords.

Lululemon is among the top Google Shopping ads for running shoes, women’s running shoes, and women’s athletic shoes.

Pro tip: Segment your product into multiple ad groups to create targeted campaigns. You can then show relevant ads to the right audience.

Chewy Cat Trees

Cat trees come in all shapes and sizes. However, for a plant lover, the cactus-shaped cat tree above may have a particular appeal.

Even with such a niche product, there are multiple options to choose from. Chewy helps its cat trees and scratching posts stand out by highlighting a reduced price. The brand also mentions that shipping is free, which will likely push some buyers over the edge.

Pro tip: Discounts and free shipping can help your product stand out.

Cast Iron Skillets

There are dozens of brands that sell cast iron skillets, so how do customers know which one to buy? They take a deep dive into the reviews.

If you search “cast iron skillets” on Google, you’ll see many shopping ads pop up. The searcher is automatically drawn to the bright yellow stars on certain products.

Those who are happy to pay a higher price for a great product will gravitate toward the Smithey skillet. With 483 five-star reviews, a buyer will feel assured that the product will be worth wild.

Someone else may have a smaller budget. They’ll see that the Target skillet has a lower star rating but more than 2,000 reviews. This creates trust in the quality of the product.

Pro tip: Make the most of social proof and add ratings to your Google Shopping ads.

Making the Most of Google Shopping Ads

When researching an upcoming purchase, most people will turn to Google for advice. That’s why it’s essential to craft a Google Shopping strategy so you can reach the right audience.

Start brainstorming which products you’d like to advertise and keywords that your customer persona might search for. Soon you’ll be on your way to increased engagement and revenue.

As marketers, we’re always looking for ways to improve our game plan. But with so many tactics and channels available, knowing where to focus our efforts can be challenging.

Ultimately, no marketing strategy is perfect. A marketing audit gives you a holistic view of your marketing efforts, including what’s working, what could be improved, and where new opportunities are present.

Here, we’ll take a closer look at marketing audits, the best time to conduct one, and a few best practices to pull one off.

Table of Contents

What is a marketing audit?

What are the elements of a marketing audit?

Who does a marketing audit?

When should I do a marketing audit?

How to Do a Marketing Audit

A marketing audit identifies the biggest strengths and weaknesses of your current strategy. It highlights what plans, processes, and practices are most effective at meeting goals. Just as importantly, it builds a foundation for future decision-making by identifying opportunities, gaps, and areas for improvement.

To get the best results, your marketing audit should be objective, systematic, and recurring:

Objective to ensure your it’s free of bias
Systematic to ensure your audit is structured, organized, and measurable
Recurring so you can discover and address problems early on

Keep in mind that a marketing audit can encompass your entire operation or a subset of it — such as a specific campaign, process, or focus (e.g., social media marketing).

Elements of a Marketing Audit

A comprehensive marketing audit may include one or more of the following elements:

1. SWOT analysis.

A SWOT analysis outlines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your marketing. Using this framework, you can take inventory of your marketing assets and roadblocks.

2. Competitive analysis.

As the name suggests, a competitive analysis takes stock of the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. It puts a magnifying glass on their products, prices, marketing strategies, campaigns, and target audience.

3. Market research.

Even if you think you know your customers through and through, market research can reveal even deeper insight into their needs, preferences, motivations, and behaviors. On top of that, you can tap into emerging trends and new opportunities in the marketplace, helping you stay ahead of the curve.

Who does a marketing audit?

A third party typically conducts a marketing audit. This is for a few reasons.

First, your audit needs to be as objective as possible. With this in mind, outsourcing to a third party – rather than conducting it internally — is the sounder option.

On top of that, third-party firms have more experience in conducting audits — and that experience really matters. Often, they’re better equipped to identify best practices and opportunities for improvement, and they may have access to specialized tools, technologies, and research capabilities.

When should I do a marketing audit?

A marketing audit should be conducted on a regular basis. After all, the sooner you capitalize on what’s working (and remedy what’s not), the stronger your marketing plan will be.

Of course, the exact frequency depends on your organization’s industry, size, and goals. Generally, it’s good practice to conduct an audit on an annual basis.

Other factors may trigger the need for an audit, including:

Now let’s cover the steps for conducting a marketing audit and a few best practices.

1. Choose what you want to audit.

As already mentioned, your marketing audit can cover your entire operation or target a specific campaign, process, or area, such as social media or content. That said, different components of your marketing are often interrelated, so it can be helpful to analyze “the big picture.”

Ultimately, what you choose to audit is entirely up to you and will depend on your marketing priorities.

2. Identify your goals and objectives.

Want to know which of your social media campaigns are performing well? Or how your content strategy stacks up against your competitors? Or, maybe you want to refresh your branding or customer personas.

Start by picking an objective that will serve as the “North Star” for your audit. Next, break down your object into measurable goals.

For example, suppose your main objective is determining which social media channels provide the best engagement. In that case, your goal might be, “Meet a minimum quota of 200 new followers per month on TikTok.” Then, your marketing audit would put this to the test.

3. Collect the right information.

Now that you have well-defined and measurable goals, the next step is gathering information. This can come from a number of sources — such as campaign metrics, website traffic, social media metrics, and marketing spend.

For instance, if you’re tracking the effectiveness of a specific campaign, HubSpot users can access a wealth of campaign data via the marketing analytics dashboard. From here, they can direct their marketing budget toward their most successful efforts.

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You can also gather data from external sources like market research reports, industry benchmarks, and competitor analysis — but ensure the data is reliable and accurate.

Once you’ve gathered the data, organize it in a way that is easy to analyze and reference later. You may want to create charts and graphs, and consolidate data into a single document.

4. Surface any findings or insights from the data.

How you evaluate your data depends on the goals of the audit. For instance, you might perform a competitive analysis if you’re looking to evaluate your pricing strategy against your competitors. 

Document the results or findings from this step so you can make effective recommendations down the line.

5. Make recommendations (and track them).

Lastly, make recommendations for improving your marketing strategy — such as readjusting your messaging, marketing channels, or spend.

For example, if you discover your Facebook advertising strategy isn’t capturing enough leads, a recommendation might be to redirect that spend to another channel.

After you make these adjustments, monitor the results to determine their effectiveness. This involves tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) and making changes as needed.

Back to You

Again, no marketing plan is perfect. By running a marketing audit, however, you can capitalize on what’s working and resolve what’s not. The result? A more optimized strategy that drives results.

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