Category: Search Network
More Bang for the Buck – Optimize PPC Campaigns
Posted by Kathy Jackson in Affiliate Marketing, Search Network, Tracking Monday, 4 May 2009 00:09 1 Comment
The whole idea of optimization is to make your advertising dollars produce more traffic and more conversions, and thus put more money in your pocket. Google has plenty of money. There’s not much point in giving them any more than you have to.
With just a little patience, dedication, and applying these tips to your PPC advertising campaigns, you really can get more bang for your advertising buck.
Choose Keyword Matches Wisely
Google really loves it when you choose the “Broad Match” option. THEY will make a lot more money. The fact is that choosing the “Broad Match” option means that your ad will be displayed many, many times, and you’ll get many, many clicks for which you will pay Google. But not many of those clicks will convert into sales.
Choosing “Phrase Match” or “Exact Match” will result in fewer impressions and fewer clicks, but the clicks are much more likely to convert to sales. Fewer clicks + more sales = More bang for the buck.
Develop a Meaningful Relationship with Negative Keywords
Adding a long list of negative keywords to your PPC campaign will prevent many clicks that will not result in sales. For example, if you don’t offer “warranties” or if you aren’t giving anything away “free,” those words need to be added to your negative keyword list. If you sell “red widgets,” then “blue widgets,” “green widgets,” “yellow widgets,” and “purple widgets” are all negative keywords.
Reduce the number of clicks on your ads by adding to your negative keyword list. Use negative keywords to get fewer clicks + more sales that will equal more bang for the buck.
Make “Educated” Bids
Your keyword bid will determine your ad’s position. If you bid too low, your ad will be so far down the food chain that you’ll be invisible. On the other hand, if you bid too high, you’ll go broke in an amazingly short period of time.
The only surefire way to get your bid “right” is to test, test, test, and then test some more. We’re back to keywords. Use Google Analytics to find out which keywords are actually producing traffic that converts into sales. Big higher on high-performing keywords and lower (or not at all) on junk keywords.
Use All the Tools You Have
Using Google’s Search Query Reports can give you real insight into what words people are using to search, and if they are relevant, or not, to the content of your site. And Google’s Keyword Conversion Tracker is invaluable.
Learn to use Google Analytics to get more bang for your advertising buck.
Think! Optimize! Remember the formula:
Fewer clicks + more sales = More bang for the buck.
Great News! Google Keyword Results Now Show Search Volume Numbers
Posted by AC Editorial Team in Affiliate Marketing, Keyword Generation, Keyword Research, Search Network Thursday, 10 July 2008 18:50 19 Comments
Google just did affiliate marketers a HUGE favor! It’s one that they once claimed they would never do, but now it’s done.
I found out when I did a keyword search using Google’s External Keyword Tool and noticed that the keyword result was no longer a rating of 1-5. Now it’s returning results that show search numbers!
That’s right, instead of just showing you those “green bars” – which only gave you an idea of relative search volume – you now get to see search numbers based on Google’s database.
Whatever your reason to search keywords – AdWords PPC, SEO, article marketing, blog marketing – getting real Google search counts for those keywords is a very welcome development.
In fact, the only people who probably don’t think this is great news are the people who have developed fee-based keyword search tools. Because now, at long last, we can get up-to-the-minute search volume information from Google itself, and for free.
Most of the comments I’ve seen say “it’s about time!” Many of us often wondered about the purpose of Google’s keyword tool, since it didn’t actually show real numbers. Yes, it was useful for knowing whether a given search term would get a little or a lot of traffic, especially when compared to related search terms.
But now that Google is showing search counts, their Keyword Tool has jumped way ahead of any other free tool – and may even mean you can do without a paid tool, if all you do is very basic keyword research.
And now you don’t have to guess about the amount of Google traffic in a market or niche. You’ll be able to base your marketing decisions on approximate numbers.
According to this Google Blog post, “Now, when you use the Keyword Tool to search for relevant keywords to include in your keyword list, you’ll be able to see the approximate number of search queries matching your keywords that were performed on Google and the search network.”
You can check it out yourself here.
This is great news. Thanks Google – and it’s about time
!
8 Expert PPC Ad Writing Tips
Posted by AC Editorial Team in Affiliate Marketing, Search Network Monday, 23 June 2008 21:11 No Comments
Pay per click ad writing takes ad copy to a whole new level. PPC experts agree that these tips will help you produce ads that produce optimum results.
1 – Set a Goal for Your Ad. Choose a specific goal for the ad campaign. Is there a specific sale, deal, or offer that you can focus on to convert visitors into buyers? Are you collecting leads? Building your subscriber base? Having a goal will help you keep your keyword lists focused and manageable.
2 – Use Keywords that Will Pre-qualify Prospects. A search engine user who searches a broad keyword like “headphones” is most likely researching – not buying. But a searcher who types in a model or brand is looking to make a purchase. Going for specific key phrases like “noise canceling headphones,” combined with brand names or model numbers, will grab the eyeballs of serious shoppers.
3 – Use the SE’s Keyword Tools. Balance broad match and specific keyphrases, as well as all important negative keywords. In the headphone example, you would want to negative match non-shopping related keywords like “manual,” “user guide,” or “repair.”
4 – Choose an Appropriate Style. Some of your competitors will use the same text for all their search ads, with the only differences being the highlighted search phrases in each ad. You can gain instant competitive advantage by writing with a unique style. Match the style and wording of your ads to the audience. For example, if you are looking for bargain hunters, use to-the-point messages and an upbeat tone to grab attention.
5 – Use a To-the-Point Headline. The headline should work the hardest to grab attention, since it’s the most visible part of the ad. But never compromise on targeting and specifics. A headline shouldn’t be counter-intuitive to the searcher, and often funny or puzzling headlines backfire. If possible, include specifics on what you are advertising. Try not to just echo the search terms, but “speak” to the user. And unless you are advertising a very specific offer to a very closely targeted audience, don’t include pricing or coupon codes in the headline.
6 – Add Urgency to the Body. If your headline invites searchers to check out an end-of-season sale, include details like a deadline for a coupon offer or a free shipping deal. If you are targeting a very specific product search and your headline contains the product name, include an irresistible offer in the ad body.
7 – Include the Keyword in the Ad if Possible. Search engines will highlight the search phrase if it is included in your ad copy, further increasing the chance that your ad is seen as relevant to the query. Try not to run the same generic ads, even with dynamic keyword insertion.
8 – Use Descriptive URLs and Test Them. In the URL, use keywords or descriptive phrases that work together with the copy. Keywords will get highlighted just like they do in the ad text. Be sure to test a variety of URLs to see which ones get the best click throughs and, more importantly, the highest conversions. Often searchers will go for a descriptive URL that triggers an emotional response, rather than a keyword-based URL.
Lag Effect: Paid Search Surges Despite Economy, Cost Continues To Fall 