In today’s digital world, traditional marketing tactics are taking a back seat to internet-based businesses, offering innovative and eye-catching advertising opportunities. Pay Per Click (PPC) ads, like Google AdWords, are one such model. These ads, placed on various platforms, help buy quality visits to your website.
When people think of PPC, they often think of Google AdWords, though there are other options like Bing and Yahoo ads. PPC can also include social media ads from platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. This guide focuses on Google AdWords and how to ensure your ad reaches the right audience. Here are three basic PPC strategies for your AdWords campaigns.
1. Analyze Your Competitor’s Keywords
It’s crucial to choose the right keywords for your PPC ads as they form the bridge between your business and potential customers. Most businesses start with Google’s tools to select keywords, but also consider looking at your competitors’ keyword choices. Conducting a PPC competitor analysis before starting your campaign can provide valuable insights. Investing in paid search engine intelligence software can help you dive deep into your competitors’ strategies, especially in a competitive market.
2. Correct Targeting
Effective targeting ensures that your PPC campaigns reach the right audience. PPC ads work best when they appear to users interested in buying. Choosing the right keywords is vital, but targeting involves more than just that. If your business operates locally, enable geo-targeting to ensure your ads are shown to people in specific locations. Without geo-targeting, Google may show your ad nationwide, leading to unproductive clicks.
For example, if you run a flower delivery service in Lubbock, Texas, target people in Lubbock and use regional keywords like “flowers in Lubbock, Texas.” Additionally, use exact match keywords rather than broad match keywords. Broad match is the default setting, but it often leads to unrelated searches. Exact match keywords ensure your ad appears for more relevant searches, increasing the chances of conversion.
3. Retargeting
Retargeting, or remarketing, involves showing ads to users who have previously interacted with your website. This practice can extend user engagement and provide a second chance at conversion. Implementing onsite retargeting messages can keep users on your landing page longer and offer additional conversion opportunities. This strategy helps increase the time spent on your landing page, reduces bounce rates, and improves your ad’s quality score. A higher quality score can lower your PPC costs over time and improve ad placement.
To maximize the effectiveness of your PPC campaign, conduct quarterly PPC audits to identify what works best for your business. This approach ensures that your campaign captures not just any audience, but the right audience, leading to higher conversions.
Conclusion
By following these PPC strategies, your campaign can attract more relevant users and guide them through the conversion process via your landing page and onsite retargeting. This results in more conversions with just a few adjustments. Always adhere to Google’s PPC guidelines to avoid issues with your AdWords account, as recovering from a suspension can be challenging.
