We weren’t the first to bring a comparison of SEO vs PPC advertising to the internet. We’ve blogged about it before, and we will again; SEO campaigns and PPC advertising are cornerstones of every successful e-commerce business. Both tactics are especially crucial early on in the life of an online business, to get the word out about a brand and its product or service.Today, we’ll be focusing on the PPC branch of digital marketing strategy, particularly what to do when your AdWords campaign plateaus.First and foremost, know that it will happen. Expect it, and prepare for it. As with everything in life, hoping for the best while preparing for the worst will serve you well. Read on for ranked strategies to jumpstart your AdWords efforts when the analytics show stagnation.
1. Single Keywords
A major key to squeezing out high performance from Google AdWords is making the most of single-keyword ad groups.The typical brand clusters 10 - 20 keywords together in a Google AdWords group. The problem with this conventional wisdom is it makes copywriting very difficult. Odds are not all 10-20 words are totally relatable, so it makes coming up with any number of ads that incorporate every keyword a Herculean task. Instead of one ad group with 10-20 keywords, consider 10-20 ad groups with one keyword each. This will allow for very specific targeting by keyword. Though a smaller number of users will end up searching for such a specific keyword, more of them will “convert”, or buy a product or service thanks to the extra layer of screening.Refresh yourself with AdWords match types, as it is imperative to list each individual keyword in the context of every match type to comprise a full ad group for just one word. As a quick refresher, the 4 match types are:
Broad Match:
As its name suggests, this is the least specific way keywords in ad campaigns can match with queries. Synonyms of keywords will be included.
- Broad match modifier (BMM): this search match type does not include synonyms, but allows the keywords to appear in any combination or order, and is denoted by adding a “+” in front of the keywords.
- Example keyword phrase: +photographers’ +cameras
- Example search ad would appear for: cameras for photographers
Phrase Match:
This type of keyword match is denoted with quotation marks. Ad will still show if words appear before or after the phrase in a search, but not if the phrase is interrupted by any word(s)
- example phrase: “apple picking in Chicago”
- example search that would show ad: autumn apple picking in Chicago
- example search that would not show ad: apple picking during fall Chicago
Exact Match:
Unlike phrase match, exact matches do allow for the breaking up of a keyword phrase, so long as the meaning is not changed. However, no words before or after are permitted.The more specific your match type, the fewer impressions you will get, but the more relevant those few impressions will be.Once you have broken down every ad group (each comprised of one keyword) into examples fitting every match type, you’re ready to come up with advertisements that are a perfect fit for each keyword.
Google AdWords PPC can be viewed as a template made up of 4 sections:
- Headline 1: the keyword (different for each of the 10-20 ad groups)
- Headline 2: point(s) of difference in your product or service; why consumers should buy from your brand instead of a competitor
- Description: additional product/service sales points plus a call to action. Tell users what to do next by encouraging them to “shop now”, “learn more”, etc
- Display link (URL): close the ad with density-rich use of your keyword (again, different for each of the 10-20 ad groups)
2. Cash in on social currency
Social currency (aka “social proof”) isn’t restricted to a homepage. The same tactics can be used on advertisements to showcase a product’s legitimacy through the lens of a third-party (read: impartial) customer. Online shoppers are trending towards trusting third-party reviews over advertisements and even branding. Whereas older generations display a high degree of brand loyalty, young shoppers place a premium on the reviews — rather than brand — of any given product.Seller rating extensions and review extensions both allow for brands to capitalize on schema markup to showcase positive ratings on the search engine results page (SERP), before ever clicking the link to the page. Such third-party ratings and review extensions make for increased conversion rates between 5%-15%.
3. Countdown to exclusive bargains
Every consumer has seen a countdown timer advertising exclusive (time-sensitive) deals; this is your chance to utilize Google AdWords to its full potential and implement one on the PPC ad side. Countdowns convey a sense of urgency with a call to action. The goal is to increase conversion rates by making clear your site's limited-time-only offer…and encouraging customers to take advantage of it. Research shows sales implemented with the countdown feature increase conversion rates by an average of 1.5%.Take the time to put these 3 AdWords best practices into use, and watch your brand overcome stagnant sales and surpass competition. Once you have maximized these tips, get in touch with us to talk about a potential partnership between your brand and KitelyTech...a joining of forces in which we continually improve your brand’s online presence.Contact KitelyTech today to discuss the details of how we can add value to you and your online business.Phone: (800) 274 2908Email: info@kitelytech.com
