Google Analytics allows you to spot low-performing placements much faster than Adwords by analysing bounce rates and avg. time on site. Analysing placements based on bounce rates and avg. time on site is a great way to save advertising budget since you don’t have to wait until a placement has generated a conversion.

In order to use this shortcut Google Analytics and Google AdWords need to be linked.

Here’s how to do it:

Google Analytics -> AdWords -> Campaigns

– Above the graph click on “Site Usage”
– Above the table click on “Secondary Dimension” -> Advertising -> Placement URL

In the example above the average session duration is 45 seconds. Based on this number you would set up a filter to find placements that are significantly below this average.

– Click on “advanced” next to the little search box -> Click on the Campaign dropdown -> Site Usage -> Avg. Session Duration
– Change “great than” to “less than”
– Enter the number in second in the box next to “less than” (in this case I have chosen 30 seconds, your number will vary based on your metrics but should be below the average to filter the low performing placements)
– Click “Apply”

Now you have a nice overview of low performing placements. As you can see from the table, some of these had an average session duration of 0 Seconds and a bounce rate of close to 100%. You should add all of the low-performing placements as negative placements on Google Adwords.

Click on “Export” at the top to download the data in a spreadsheet.