Pay Per Click Advertising Tips
Pay per click advertising, also known as PPC, is a form of online advertising where visitors are sent to an advertiser’s website after clicking on an advertisement, and the advertiser pays for each visitor on a per click basis. Each click can be anywhere from ten cents to ten dollars or more in cost, depending on many factors, including the search engine being used to advertise on, and the search phrase that is being targeted. One of the best examples of pay per click advertising is Google’s search engine advertising program called Google AdWords. Here are a few tips for setting up your own Pay Per Click campaign:
Use your keywords in your ads
Searchers will notice your ad first. Google will display the search keywords in bold in your ad if they’re present. This makes your ad stand out from the crowd.
Make small keyword ad groups
Instead of having a single ad group with a large list of keywords, create smaller ad groups, each with a short list of keywords. This will help you achieve tip #1.
Bid higher at first
Google’s system determines placement by both bid and CTR (click through rate). To earn a high CTR, you first need to generate some clicks. Bid high initially so your ad is seen early in the search results. Once you click through rate is high, you can lower your bids.
Set daily budget higher than Google recommends
If you set your daily budget too low, your ad will be displayed intermittently. This is not what you want. You always want your ad to be shown when someone searches for your keywords. Control your ad spend through other means such as employing negative keywords, using exact matches, targeting by region and adjusting keyword bids.
Avoid bidding wars
Don’t waste money getting into bidding wars for a handful of high volume keywords. Instead, expand your keyword list to include more specific keywords that have a lower search volume. Collectively, these keywords will reach the search volume of more expensive keywords. Your average CPC (cost per click) will fall dramatically using this tactic. Use keyword research tools to expand your list of keyword phrases.
Set higher bids for exact matches
Include both broad and exact matches for a keyword phrase. Set the bid higher for the exact match. This allows you to control the position of the ad for the exact search. For example, if your ad group bid is set to 25 cents, you might set a 50 cents bid for the exact match:
[keyword] ** 0.50
Take advantage of negative keywords
Your ad will not be displayed if the search includes a negative keyword. Add more negative keywords at regular intervals. As your negative keyword list grows, your ad group’s click through rates will increase, saving you money and improving your ad’s position. For example, if you sell products or services at a premium, include negative keywords like:
- free
- cheap
- discount
Use a relevant landing page
For most searches, don’t point the ad to your home page. Choose a landing page on your site that includes the keywords from the search. In some cases, it’s worth creating a custom page that’s not in the normal navigation of your site.
Separate search and content campaigns
Many people lose money using AdWords when their site is swamped with hits from content ads. Most people don’t realize that displaying ads on Google’s content network is turned on by default. Either turn off the content network or create separate campaigns for search and content ads.
Split test your ads
Take advantage of Google’s feature allowing multiple ads to be created and rotated within a single ad group. Test different ad text and see which version works best, both from an ROI and CTR perspective. A better ad will lead to a higher CTR and lower bids for the same ad position.
Track your results
Use the “see search term tool” to find out the combinations of words searchers are finding you with. You’ll need this to help build your list of negative keywords for each ad group.
If you don’t feel confident, don’t do it yourself
Pay Per Click advertising may seem like simple idea, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to execute. A successful campaign requires constant keyword management, keyword selection, ad placement and scheduling, bid management, and more. So leave the pay per click management to us. We take the guesswork out of PPC so you can focus on what really matters—running your business. Whether you’re a local retailer or a national advertiser, we will create and implement a successful pay per click campaign for your business. It won’t be long before the customers are knocking at your door.