Earlier we posted some asic tips to improve your PPC earnings. Well, now we ot some killer ripz for you..
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is key to most online marketing
campaigns today, and it's often expensive and overwhelming. If the
tedious nature and large time commitment required to run a successful —
or even unsuccessful — PPC campaign has got you down, you are not alone.
However, a good ROI makes it all worth while. Here are 10 tips to help
improve your PPC campaign in hopes of a gaining a greater ROI and making
the whole process more enjoyable and fruitful.
1. Run a Negative Campaign
No, the idea is not to openly bash your competitors through ad copy.
Instead, utilize negative keywords, one of the most underused features
offered for PPC campaigns. Negative keywords allow you to choose words
that
won’t trigger your ad. For example, if you are a new car
salesman, place the word “used” on your negative list to target
customers looking for a new vehicle. When used correctly and updated
often, negative keywords help pare down your clickers to serious buyers
and save your PPC dollars.
2. Location, Location, Location
Why have your ad viewed or, even worse, clicked by someone in Iowa
when you only sell insurance in California? PPC dollars are wasted
because unsophisticated users don’t focus their impressions by location.
Google, Microsoft and Yahoo all offer geo-location features, which
allow users to target their markets based on IP addresses, geo-specific
keywords or both.
3. Make an Offer They Can’t Refuse
With so much competition, you need to differentiate your ad. Are you
running a promotion? Is shipping free? Offer value and then capitalize
on it with a call-to-action. Use terms like “Learn More” and “Free
Download” to draw in customers. Encourage searchers to act and let them
know what to expect on the other side of the click.
4. Be Dynamic
Dynamic keyword insertion allows you to create more relevant ad copy
by placing the exact phrase searched into your ad. When the potential
customer sees the exact term they searched, they are more likely to
click. While dynamic keyword insertion is very useful and can increase
your click through rate tremendously, it is not for the PPC novice. If
poorly executed, dynamic keyword insertion can result in ads that appear
unclear and irrelevant and can drain your budget quickly.
5. Utilize Long Tail Keywords
Long tail keywords are three-to-four-word phrases that are specific
to your product. The reason this works is that visitors using very
specific search phrases are often further along in the purchasing
process and can result in a higher conversion rate. Someone looking for
shoes might search for "boots," and then have it narrowed down to "black
knee-high boots" when she's ready to buy. Another benefit to long tail
keywords is their lack of popularity among PPC novices. With less people
bidding on your keywords, your cost per click decreases. Add high
intent words to your long tail, such as “buy,” “price” or even “where to
buy,” in order to grab those on the verge of a purchase. If you are
stumped and need long tail keyword suggestions, visit Wordstream.
6. This Is a Test
Don’t just set up a PPC campaign and hope for the best — proper
testing and analysis are required. Metrics allow you to better
understand your campaign and results, so set up A/B tests to track what
works. Remember to test multiple ads simultaneously, but only allow for
one variable at a time and run your tests long enough to gather proper
data.
7. Timing Is Everything
In addition to geo-targeting, PPC campaigns allow for time targeting. Analyze your metrics to determine
when
your ads are at their highest conversion rate. If you are receiving
hundreds of clicks at 3 am, but making no sales, restrict ad impressions
during those hours to save your budget.
8. A Homepage Is Not a Landing Page
I repeat ... a homepage is not a landing page. Don’t throw away all
your hard work by sending targeted customers to a non-targeted homepage.
Create a simple landing page that picks up right where your ad left
off. Don’t lose your visitor — and potential sale — by confusing them
with unnecessary content.
9. Get to Know Keyword Generators, but Not Too Well
Keyword generators prove helpful in getting you started when mining keywords. Some great tools are the Google AdWords Keyword Tools, Microsoft Advertising Intelligence and tools by Market Samurai.
However, do not rely heavily on keyword generators — often a human
touch is what you need to target that human searcher. You know how
you typically search, so go with your instinct.
10. Google Quality Score: Recognize
Your Google Quality Score determines the overall ranking of your AdWords
account and helps determine where your ads will place on the search
page. Keep your score high by following the rules set up by Google AdWords
and continuously providing quality advertisements. Stay on top of your
Google Quality Score, as an unexpected drop is a red flag.
