Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a widely available marketing campaign strategy. Businesses of all sizes and a variety of budgets can tap into the world of PPC.
Whether you’re looking to generate leads, increase brand visibility, or drive conversions, a well-executed PPC campaign can deliver exceptional results with minimal investment. Google estimates that businesses make an average of two dollars for every dollar spent on PPC ads on their platform. If you are successful, this doubles your money.
However, following PPC best practices can help achieve maximum success and improve return on investment (ROI) from your efforts.
Determine your budget
The amount you spend on PPC ads will be unique to your business. It will depend on your current financial situation and marketing campaign goals. Determining your PPC budget includes assessing:
- Financial constraints
- Current conversion rates
- Click-through goals
- Value of your leads
Determining the value of a solid lead seems arbitrary, but it’s important to get at least an idea of how much a quality lead means to your business. You can determine the value of your leads based on many different factors, including how much you typically make off of a lead conversion.
For instance, if your current conversion rate is 15% and you have a goal of 250 leads per month, then your PPC lead goal should be around 1,665. If you decide that the value of each lead is $1, you will need $1,665 per month for your PPC campaigns. Again, this is all adjustable, but it gives you a solid foundation to work off of.
Pick a platform
Your budget will also depend on how much your platform of choice charges per click. There are many different PPC platforms to choose from, but some of the most common include:
- Google Ads
- Bing Ads
- Facebook and Instagram Ads
When choosing an ad platform, take into consideration:
- Where the ads will be placed
- What format the ads can be created in (video, carousel, etc.)
- What devices and platforms your target audience already uses
- Price per click
- Performance of similar ads on the platform
If you are a fashion brand that sees most of its sales from mobile shopping, for instance, it makes sense to promote your brand on Instagram and Pinterest. Even if you start with one or two platforms, you can monitor your performance and compare it to other platforms’ potential.
Use high-quality assets
When crafting your PPC ad, you want to make sure you are using the highest quality images and other media that you can. High-quality assets lead to conversions, so do your best to see what competitors are doing and emulate or exceed these standards. This also plays into the platform that you choose, because some platforms allow you to use different types of media. In general, high-quality PPC assets mean:
- High-resolution images, avoiding stock photos when possible
- Easy-to-read, descriptive text
- Alternate and detailed views
- Alt text for images
- Increased attention on products
- Ability to shop through the ad
Shopping ads are a feature available on many PPC ad platforms. With Google Shopping Ads, for instance, your PPC campaign is directly targeted to retail consumers. It shows up in the Shopping tab of Google and offers more product-centric information to viewers of the ad. When they click through, they are more likely to be ready to purchase.
Conduct thorough keyword research
One of the foundational pillars of a successful PPC campaign is conducting thorough keyword research. Keywords are the building blocks that connect your ads with potential customers. By identifying the right keywords, you can target your audience more effectively and improve the overall performance of your campaign. Here are some strategies to enhance your keyword research for PPC ads.
Leverage keyword research tools
Different keyword research tools, such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Moz Keyword Explorer, can help identify relevant keywords with high search volumes and low competition. These tools provide valuable insights into search trends, keyword variations, and potential opportunities.
Use a single-keyword ad group (SKAG)
Google recommends using between 15 and 20 keywords per ad. However, choosing that many keywords that aren’t related to each other can result in mismatched ads that don’t get seen very often by your target audience. Instead, use a single-keyword ad group (SKAG). Google will take the one keyword that you have identified for your ad and show it to users searching for all similar and related terms. This way, you have your hand in 15 to 20 keywords without having to search for them all yourself and possibly end up convoluting your ad campaigns.
Focus on long-tail and bottom-of-the-funnel keywords
It’s also crucial to refine your keywords by search intent. While generic keywords may attract a larger audience, they often come with high competition and lower conversion rates. On the other hand, long-tail keywords are more specific and targeted, allowing you to reach potential customers who are further along in the buying process. For example, “running shoes” has high competition; “custom painted tennis shoes for men” would be much less likely to be competitive. Incorporate longer keywords that ask questions or add detail into your campaign to improve relevancy and increase the chances of conversion.
These keywords may have less traffic and may even be considered bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU). However, this means that the people searching for these terms are closer to making a purchase decision. BOFU keywords are narrower, meaning that searchers are looking for a specific product or service to solve a pain point. Your ad can then show up right in the nick of time for those consumers.
Consider negative keywords
Once you’ve decided on what SKAG to target, you should also think about what keywords you don’t want to be affiliated with your ad. Negative keywords are terms or phrases that you want to exclude from triggering your ads. By adding negative keywords, you can prevent your ads from appearing in irrelevant searches, thereby reducing wasted ad spend and improving campaign efficiency. For example, you might be running a PPC ad for fishing gear. You may want to add negative keywords like “car gears” or “fish restaurants” to avoid popping up near irrelevant searches.
Write compelling ad copy
Once you’ve decided on your keywords, you must use them in solid ad copy that captures the attention of your target audience. Well-crafted ads can significantly impact click-through rates (CTRs) and ultimately drive conversions. Here are some best practices for creating effective PPC ad copy.
Highlight unique selling points
Identify your product or service’s key differentiators and incorporate them into your ad copy. Clearly communicate the value proposition and benefits to the user. Highlighting unique selling points (USPs) can help your ads stand out from the competition and attract more clicks. Your USP should show:
- Benefits of your offering
- Emotion
- Key selling points
- Key differences
- Competitive advantage
However, this is easier said than done – Google ads, for instance, have a 30-character limit for headlines. It can take a lot of practice to know how to do this well.
You only have a split second for your ad to be viewed by potential consumers and get them to click through. Your USP should be highlighted in your imagery or at the beginning of a video to get the most bang for your PPC-ad buck.
Personalize ads
While your PPC ad will likely already be targeted to a specific demographic, you can also personalize the copy used in your ad. Customize ad copy, offers, or promotions based on local events, weather, or regional preferences to improve the relevance and capture the attention of users in specific locations.
Start by dividing your target audience into specific segments based on demographics, interests, behaviors, or any other relevant factors. This segmentation allows you to create customized ad campaigns that resonate with each segment. Then, tailor your ad copy to match the specific needs, interests, or pain points of each audience segment. Use language and messaging that speaks directly to their concerns, desires, or goals. Highlight benefits that are most relevant to each segment to increase the chances of engagement.
It’s also wise to take advantage of ad extensions provided by PPC platforms to add more personalized information and improve the visibility of your ads. Use extensions like site links, callouts, or structured snippets to provide additional details about your products or services that are specific to each audience segment.
You can even implement dynamic remarketing to showcase specific products or services that users have previously shown interest in. By displaying relevant products or recommendations based on their browsing behavior or abandoned shopping carts, you can create highly personalized ads that entice users to return and complete a purchase.
Use strong calls-to-action (CTAs)
A strong and compelling CTA motivates users to take the desired action. If they don’t immediately know what to do when they see your ad, they simply won’t do it. For example, an ad to buy a product should have some copy about a sale going on for that product or how to purchase it. Incorporate action-oriented words such as “buy now,” “sign up,” or “learn more” to encourage users to click on your ad and engage with your offering.
Test multiple variations
Don’t settle for a single version of your ad copy. Create multiple variations with different headlines, descriptions, or CTAs and run A/B tests to determine which ones perform best. You can also do this with the images described in the high-quality assets section of this guide. Continuous testing and refinement can help you optimize your ads and improve their effectiveness over time. You’ll know what causes viewers to click through and how to make the most out of your ad budget in the future.
Employ continuous testing and refinement
PPC campaigns require continuous monitoring, testing, and refinement to achieve maximum performance. Analyzing data, identifying trends, and making data-driven decisions are critical for optimizing your campaigns. Here are some strategies to help you test and refine your PPC campaigns.
Track and analyze key metrics
It’s crucial to implement a robust analytics solution for your PPC ad campaigns. There are typically some integrated into platforms, such as Google Analytics. Track key metrics like click-through rates (CTRs), conversion rates, cost per conversion, and ROI to gain insights into campaign effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
Implement conversion tracking
Set up conversion tracking to measure the specific actions you want users to take, such as completing a purchase, filling out a form, or subscribing to a newsletter. From here, you can keywords, ads, or landing pages that are driving the most attention and allocate your budget accordingly.
A/B test
A/B testing allows you to compare different elements of your PPC campaigns to determine which variations perform better. Test different ad copies, landing page designs, or call-to-action buttons to understand what resonates most with your target audience. Implementing these comparison tests can help you optimize your campaigns and improve overall performance in the future. You can then spend less money on PPC to get more clicks and greater conversions.
Optimize landing pages
Your landing pages play a crucial role in converting visitors into customers. This is where your customers end up after they click on your PPC ad. It can be a product page or a page with more information, depending on the type of ad you are running. In any case, ensure that your landing pages align with your ad messaging, provide a clear and compelling value proposition, and have a strong call-to-action.
Ensure that the landing page experience matches the personalized PPC ad you’re running. Tailor the landing page content, design, and offers to align with the specific messaging and promises made in the ad. Consistency and relevance throughout the user journey enhance the chances of conversion.
You’ll want to monitor the bounce rate and heat map of your website page. Figure out how long users stay on your page and where they spend the most time. You can also place a feedback survey somewhere on your site to let consumers give you insight into how they found your brand or why they chose to investigate your ad further. Continuously optimize your landing pages based on these data-driven insights and user feedback to maximize conversions.
Conclusion
Maximizing the performance of your PPC campaigns requires a strategic approach, thorough research, and continuous testing and refinement. By conducting thorough keyword research, creating compelling ad copy, and implementing data-driven testing strategies, you can enhance the effectiveness of your PPC campaigns and achieve maximum results. Remember to leverage tools like Google Analytics and Lytics to gain valuable insights into campaign performance and make informed decisions. Implement these strategies and best practices to take your PPC campaigns to new heights and drive significant ROI for your business.
