Getting More Out of PPC Through 4 Key Steps

If you’re looking to get more out of an existing PPC campaign or a new one, there are four key steps that you want to take, that a digital marketing agency can help you with. Let’s take a look at each.

The right keywords
The starting point to achieve success in PPC is to select the right keywords. There are three variables you want to consider when selecting keywords. The first is relevance. You want to select keywords that have a high probability of converting. The second area that you want to consider is search volume. You want to ensure that there is enough traffic for the keyword to drive Website visitors. Please keep in mind that a high volume of long tail keywords (keywords with three or more words) can accumulatively drive a lot of traffic as well. The third area that you want to look at is the cost per click (CPC). Generally speaking, if the CPC is low, the keyword may not be a high converting keyword. If the CPC is high it usually means that it’s a competitive keyword that converts well to sale and may be worth bidding on.

The right set up of your ad groups
Once you have a strong understanding of the keywords that you want to go after, you then want to structure your ad groups. We typically recommend using one keyword per ad group to maximize the click through rate on your ads. For example, if your keyword is “SEO Company” and the heading on your ad reads “Top SEO Company”, chances are high that you will get a high click through rate. This is what happens when you have a single ad group for each keyword. It only allows Google to serve a very specific ad. And Google likes this because you are providing a good experience for users.

The right ad structure
In terms of your ads, not only do you want to ensure that you have a relevant headline, but you also want to include a strong benefit in the top description line and a compelling call to action in the second description line. For example, the benefit statement in the first description line could be “Rank Higher Starting Now” and the call to action could be “Download Free SEO eBook.”

Webpage or squeeze page development
Once you have your keywords selected, your ad groups set up with a single keyword per ad group, and the right ad structure, you want to develop a relevant landing page that will maximize the conversion of clicks into leads. To get the highest possible conversion on a landing page, you want it to be as simple as possible. However, Google has specific guidelines that need to be met, so it’s a bit of a balancing act. First, they expect you to provide contact details as well as your privacy policy. Second, they want you to provide a decent experience for prospects once they hit your landing page. They monitor this by the average time spent on your landing page. If it is high, they are happy. If it is low, they are not.

The way to increase your average time spent on page is by providing valuable content right up front in the form of content or a video. The key is to ensure that the offer you are making relates to the video and builds on the value that you have already given them. A great example is to put together a sequence of three videos. Each video builds on the next with valuable content that appeals to their desires, fears, and frustrations. Video one is presented to them right on your landing page. To view videos two and three, you simply ask them to provide their email address.

By performing these four steps, you are setting yourself up for success on both a cost per click and cost per lead basis. Please let us know if you have any questions by commenting below.