25 Jan 2008
Improve Your Paid Search Results In 2008
Ok, the holiday season has passed. With February quickly approaching, it’s time to reevaluate your PPC marketing campaign. So, stop bidding for top placement, and stop adding every phrase from the Google Keyword tool! It is time to get back to the basics, and build a solid paid search campaign strategy for 2008.
Follow these 5 easy steps in 2008 to better optimize your pay-per-click campaign.
1. Audit your inventory. Before analyzing your paid search account, you need to know which items/services need increased sales or need the most attention. This will help target your keyword list and ad copy, as well as create a stronger bidding strategy.
2. Analyze your 2007 paid search campaigns, paying extra close attention to your cost per acquisition for each item and keyword. Note which products/services have the lowest cost per acquisition, and which ones have the highest. This information will help you determine which landing pages need more optimization, or which keywords need to be cut.
3. Test, Test, and Retest Ad Copy. When was the last time you changed your ad copy? You should make monthly changes to ad copy, highlighting new promotions and testing different calls to action.
4. Optimize your campaign for Quality Score. Make sure your keywords are properly grouped and have correct match types, write strong ad copy, and land users on relevant pages. This will boost click-thru-rate, increase return visitors, and improve quality scores. Hence, you will get better placement on the SERPs at a lower CPC.
5. Reorganize your campaign. Group long-tail, targeted keywords and high-conversion keywords into their own accounts with their own monthly budgets. Make a 2nd account targeting broader keywords, focused on creating buzz and building brand awareness. Typically, these keywords will have a high cost per acquisition, but they are equally important for building brand recognition within your industry.
Also, if your PPC is outsourced to an internet marketing agency, then make it a monthly or semi-monthly habit of speaking with your Paid Search Analyst. Keep them up to date on the latest promotions, offline marketing efforts, and any email marketing campaigns that might be coming in the near future. This communication will help them estimate possible traffic spikes and properly place you within the market.
