Get The Most Out Of Your PPC Ads With These Top Tips

Pay-per-click advertisements are a surefire way of getting your website at the top of search engine listings. But each click costs money, so getting relevant traffic is essential. PPC consultants swear by these tips, and they can help you get the most from your ads:

PPC ads are generated when searching for ‘Hiking Boots’ (via Google)

• • Link to the most relevant page
    Many website owners make the mistake of linking all their ads to the homepage, which can confuse or annoy customers. If the ad boasts of a particular deal, link to the deal page, not your homepage. Customers will appreciate it, and fewer will leave without converting.

• • Target the negative keywords
    By searching for negative keywords, you can eliminate irrelevant traffic to your site. Searchers using your specified negative keywords will not trigger an ad leading to your site. That way your ad doesn’t come up in completely unrelated web searches, and you don’t have to pay for clicks from searchers who were never even looking for anything you could offer.

• • Keep talking about your USP
    Just because someone’s clicked on your ad doesn’t mean they’re a guaranteed conversion just yet. Keep reminding them of your unique selling point—your excellent services, deals, and prices on your website. The ad may have directed them to your website, but alone, it is often not enough to secure a conversion.

• • Keep an eye on the competition
    By keeping tabs on what your competitors are doing, you can learn from their mistakes or their successes. Have a constant idea of your position compared to competitors, have a look at the keywords they are using, and how much they are spending on PPC.

• • Think like the customer
    Do your market research, and collect as much information as you can about your customers’ online activities and preferences. There may be a simple reason that your ad’s not working: ask your target audience what appeals to them and what doesn’t. It may be beneficial to survey before buying to ensure your ad appeals to your audience.

• • Hire a copywriter
    This may seem obvious, but a great copy is key. It’s always worth hiring a professional to write your ads. Google AdWords limits ads to 130 characters, distributed between a 25-character headline, 70-character descriptions, and a 35-character display URL. That’s less than the character limit of a tweet, so every word counts.

• • Set a budget
    It’s essential to determine how much you’re willing to spend on an ad or keywords, and whether it will be cost-effective in the long run. If your ROI isn’t great, then what’s the point in wasting money?

• Bid on your brand
  While your brand name might be Number 1 in the organic search terms, it’s not safe. New trademark policies mean that other companies can bid on your brand name, therefore using your brand against you. Stop the damage this can do by bidding on your brand name and making sure your brand’s name is up there too.