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I’ve worked in digital marketing for over 12 years, managing some of the biggest pay-per-click campaigns in the UK. During my time as the Head of Paid Acquisition at WeBuyAnyCar, Director of Performance Marketing at OnThe Beach, and now running my own specialist PPC agency in Manchester, I’ve picked up some valuable insights into running a successful PPC campaign.
Below I’ll share some of my top insider tips that I guarantee will help you get the most out of your digital ad spend and manage a PPC campaign that consistently delivers results. We all know that the cost of a website is only one part of the puzzle. Getting visitors is the main part. This way of getting clients to your site could accelarate your site quickly and cost effectively, if you follow my guidelines.
Before we delve into some of my top recommendations, I want to quickly address some of the most common PPC mistakes that I see when working with new and experienced clients alike.
Firstly, it is important to remember that Google Display Network (GDN) and Search Partners are two separate entities and should be treated as such. Many businesses mistakenly spend all their budget on one of these networks when a more optimal approach would be to split the marketing budget between the two based on the campaign.
Firstly, don’t overspend on Display Network or Search Partners; these are great tools, but they should only be used in addition to your primary Google Ads campaigns. If you’re working with a limited budget, I’d recommend excluding these from your Pay Per Click campaign altogether.
It’s also important to remember that different digital channels serve different purposes. Whilst it’s tempting to simply measure everything with the same conversion metric, in reality, you’re likely to get better results from focusing on one or two main actions that lead directly to leads or sales.
Finally, be sure to avoid using overly broad keyword targeting. Whilst it might seem like a good idea at first, in practice, this can lead to irrelevant traffic that doesn’t convert and higher CPC costs for the same keywords.
Instead, focus on targeting highly relevant phrases with phrase match or even exact match keywords where appropriate. This will ensure search engine users who find and access your ads are genuinely interested in your product or service. For example if you’re selling an item on e-commerce then make those terms as specific as possible.
Now that we have covered some common mistakes let’s look at some steps you can take to ensure your PPC campaign delivers consistent results.
Your first step should be to create customised landing pages for each Pay Per Click ad group that are designed explicitly with conversions in mind. It’s important to remember that when someone clicks on your ad, they are often further along the purchase journey and looking for something specific.
Creating a landing page that speaks directly to this user and encourages them to take action is essential if you want to increase conversion rates. This can be done through design and copy; for example, by featuring clear call-to-action buttons and writing copy that speaks directly to the user’s needs or objections.
Remember that PPC landing pages can be excluded from indexing by the organic search results using a ‘noindex’ tag, meaning that adding long-form content (as you may consider doing as part of an SEO-focused page) is not a concern. The page itself should instead be focused purely on a solid value proposition, a clear call to action and any necessary trust signals such as testimonials or industry accreditations.
Finally, don’t forget to put in the necessary work; in order to keep your budget on target and ensure you’re getting the best return on investment from your campaigns, it’s essential that they are reviewed and managed daily.
This doesn’t necessarily mean spending hours each day making changes to your account (although depending on how big or complex it is, this might be necessary). Instead, the aim should be to ensure you’re on top of the latest trends and actively managing your campaigns.
Adding negative keywords regularly and making sure you’re up to date with changes to search engine algorithms are just two ways in which you can help manage costs and keep your campaigns running smoothly.
In summary, if you want to succeed with your PPC campaigns, it’s important to remember some of the common mistakes and ensure that you are taking the necessary steps to avoid them. Optimise your campaigns for key conversion actions, create tailored PPC-specific landing pages and actively manage your campaigns with daily reviews – these are all vital elements of a successful PPC campaign. With the right approach, you should see better results and improved ROI in no time.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your campaign is running smoothly and delivering consistent performance without sacrificing quality or wasting budget on irrelevant keywords. With the right approach, you can start to see improved results and better returns on your investment in no time! Good luck!
