When you think about it, drift net fishing and Adwords campaigns are both designed to put food on the table.

But other than that, surely they have nothing in common?! What kind of mad analogy is this? Well, just stay with me!

Drift net fishing

Drift net fishing involves large nets, with a combination of floats and weights to keep the net hanging vertical in the water. It's popular because it's cost effective for fishing companies, and brings in large amounts of fish in one catch. But they are also often referred to as 'walls of death' because anything that comes in contact with the nets are likely to perish.

The big concern with this type of fishing is that 'unintended' targets are also caught in the net. Not just small fish and species not intended for sale, but dolphins, turtles, sharks, seals and sea birds. Which is bad from both sustainability and animal welfare perspectives.

So how can an innocent Adwords campaign be compared to something so controversial and devastating for it's victims?

Well, drift nets are set (usually by low powered vessels) and left to 'see what gets caught'. Sometimes they come adrift and are lost to cause havoc around the oceans (called Ghost nets).

And they're like Adwords campaigns because...

This is much like many Adwords campaigns that take a 'one size grabs all' approach.

These would be campaigns set-up with:

• broad match generic keywords only loosely related to the business
• non specific ad text
• website home pages as the destination for all – i.e. no offer specific landing pages

Adwords campaigns are sometimes left alone or even forgotten about - till the bill comes in!

Who are they hurting?

Who is the victim in this scenario? Not people who click on the ads only to find a poor match to their need – although this can be annoying.

It's the business. They end up paying for ad clicks that don't lead to sales. Or they lead to sales with low profit margins. A poor user experience can mean the brand's reputation may also take a hit.

It's understandable that many businesses are wooed by the potential size of the catch – in the form of search volumes. Offers of easy set up and low maintenance are persuasive.
But many are left wondering why the campaign doesn't actually put food on the table.

The fishermen know

Ask any fisherman. The old fashioned way with a line and reel means equipment, bait, time and even method can be carefully chosen with a specific fish in mind. Like using Sardines to catch Snapper or Squid to catch Hapuka. And if the fish aren't biting – well, just move to another spot, try another hook or use different bait.

And as for the wildlife caught by mistake? Anything that is too small or not the right species can be released to live another day. Yay.

Patience and persistence catches the fish

Adwords campaigns need care and attention.

Not just obsessing over bids but thinking about what bait to use, where the best spot is and what kind of 'fish' you want to catch.

Like fishing it takes patience and practice. And it doesn't hurt to have a crusty old fisherman (or person) to help you with it.