How to Get the Most Value from Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Improve the Effectiveness and Profitability of Your Pay-Per-Click Campaigns

How do you get the most from your Google AdWords or other pay-per-click campaigns?

#1. No matter what Google says, DON’T TRY TO SET UP YOUR PAY-PER-CLICK ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS YOURSELF.

Google may try to convince you that their system is easy—and anyone can do it. But, I have never seen a Google AdWords campaign set up by a business owner or member of his/her staff that didn’t benefit Google far more than the advertiser.

#2. Pay-per-click advertising works when keywords and geography are well targeted. The keywords that are bid on must be those that would be used by potential customers, and you need to go beyond the defaults in the system to make sure that your ads are not shown for related “broad match” phrases. Make sure you also realistically target your geographic market.

For example, one client builds home and commercial tennis and basketball courts. They don’t want their ads shown to people who are looking for a public place to play. Nor do they want to be shown for searches of “courts of law.”

By narrowing the keyword targets, you can achieve greater click-thru rates, and thereby also enjoy lower ad costs. Google offers those advertisers with high click-thru rates better ad positions at a lower cost than other advertisers.

#3. The text used in your ads also needs to further target your best prospects, so that you do not pay for visits from unqualified searchers. For example, if your product line appeals only to the high-end purchaser, make sure that the terms used in the ad suggest that (ie. “designer,” “exclusive,” “concierge,” etc.) .

#4. Ads should direct visitors to a landing page that reiterates the offer and provides all of the details needed to make a purchasing decision.

Here are some other tips specifically to improve the responsiveness of your landing page:
• Use photos. If you are selling a product, make sure your product is shown. If you sell a service, images on the landing page should reflect friendly attention to detail and customer service.
• Include clear, concise calls to action that correspond to your offer. Don’t say, “Click here.” Say “Get a no-obligation money- saving consultation here.”
• Use a short form with just 4-5 required fields. If it would help you respond to inquiries, request other information via non-required fields or a simple field for comments. The less information you request, the more responses you are likely to receive.
• Include your privacy policy just above the form. It can be as simple as the statement, “We respect the privacy of your email address” with a further link to your complete privacy policy.
• Plan to test several elements to find what works best. Action buttons offer lots of opportunity for tests. You can test different colors and sizes for your Call to Action buttons. Also change the position of the action button to find the most responsive place on the page. Headlines also offer great opportunities for testing.