Not that long ago, we extensively discussed five errors in judgment that sabotage pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaigns all too often. Of course, we didn’t want to stop at simply telling up-and-coming online marketers what not to do.
There are seemingly more ways to do anything wrong than there are to execute something correctly. Still, you can execute so many things throughout your campaign in proactive ways that generate leads and conversions that eventually yield increased return on investment (ROI) and more cost-effective cost-per-click rates.
We could talk all day and night about the strategies that we love to implement in pursuit of more rewarding PPC strategies. Let’s start with five very elementary tips, shall we?
Act with intent in mind
Not meaning to speak in riddles, if course, but this isn’t really a “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” pearl of wisdom. We’re just suggesting that you pursue keyword phrases that include verbs summing up your ideal customer’s intent, such as “buy” or “order” along with your general product or service.
In many instances, high-ranking ads for certain keyword phrases with “commercial intent” don’t even necessarily occupy the top couple search rankings. More often, they rank the fifth or lower positions.
Sure, the top rankings garner immediate clicks inherently because they top the search rankings. Shoot for middle-ground positions on high-volume keywords with high commercial intent, and you could see low conversion costs per profit. Still, let the numbers be your guide.
Keep landing pages relevant
More importantly than your making your landing pages visually handsome, they need to be both efficiently navigable and highly relevant. Remember, the quicker your customers can find what they need, the more likely they are to associate your brand with time-saving convenience.
Customers also gravitate toward savings. Where you can, associate words such as “deal” or “savings” or even descriptions of commercial intent such as “buy” or “order” with your product in the headline.
Additionally, if you can somehow index all of your site’s landing pages that are relevant to those keywords onto a single landing page with an obvious call-to-action button on your site, then all the better.
Finally, remember that images increasingly matter in Google-search relevance. Cover every base and include a picture that links up well with your keywords.
Hone your ad groups
Ideal ad groups often only target a few keywords each, at most. Some can generate traffic perfectly effectively with a focus on even a single keyword. The very best of the best-built keyword groups set off constant matching headlines within ad copy with Google Adwords’ Dynamic Keyword Insertion feature.
Whether you utilize the DKI tool or some other method, keep keyword-ad copy combinations consistent. The higher click-through rate that your ads generate will build the Quality Score that you need to receive a lower CPC rate. The same degree of success in generating traffic, leads and sales inherently leads to a better ROI at less cost.
More landing pages for broader relevance
Chances are, you’re creating landing pages based on a template. From that template, it’s a matter of a filling in relevant, organic, SEO-oriented text and images.
If you’ve simplified the process for generating your landing pages as much as possible, then it’s no big step to create a unique landing page that complements each campaign you run in tandem. For each page, develop a few versions – one for each specific keyword phrase in your groups. You’ve just covered several more times ground than before.
When in doubt, follow the conversions
As you optimize your PPC campaigns, monitor analytics and adapt. Everything above should immediately attract curious searchers to your site, where you have the opportunity to earn their loyalty as customers. As they arrive, monitor those conversion rates and what those conversions cost. If you’re either not seeing the conversions you want or they’re simply coming at too high a cost, then take your campaigns back to the drawing board.
Last Updated on March 28, 2022 by Hitesh Lamba
