During the holiday season, it’s especially important to get the most out of your PPC campaign. Instead of wasting time muddling through complex bid algorithms and intricate metrics to minimize cost and maximize exposure, keep it simple with these three easy-to-apply tricks.
1. Extensions
Ideally, you’re already using a least a one kind of ad extension. But if you aren’t, now’s the time to jump on that bandwagon. Extensions enable search engine users to access your company quickly and in a variety of tailored ways, which makes your site more accessible and user-friendly. They also make your ad bigger, and we all know that in advertising, bigger is better.
Ad extension options include:
— Site links: These help the users navigate directly to the section of your site that’s most useful to them. During the holidays, encourage the right kind of traffic by offering holiday-specific links. It’s also possible now to enable ad group site links, mobile-specific site links, and enhanced site links that can carry a small amount of text.
— Call and location extensions: If you’re using AdWords, you’ve probably already enabled these, but making sure they’re updated and active is extremely useful during the holidays. One broken link can mean a lot of lost revenue.
— Review extensions: New this year, review extensions are perfect for snagging holiday shoppers. This extension enables you to put your company’s best foot forward by displaying a third-party review line within the ad. This is a great work-around for AdWord’s disapproval of hyperbolic self-praise.
2. Product-listing ads
Nothing drives traffic like a product-listing ad, so if you’re selling something this season, it’s time to enable yours. In order to have your items show, you’ll need to create a Google Merchant Center account (if you haven’t already).
From there it’s all downhill. Google selects appropriate products to match queries on its own, which can seem like a benefit or disadvantage depending on whether or not you’re a control freak, but if you’re like most retailers this time of year, you’ll be too busy to let it get you down.
You’ll pay for ads like these on a cost-per-click, conversion-focused basis. So here are some reminders to help to make the most out of each impression.
— Use your own images. If you use stock photography your item won’t stand apart; worse, it might be the same image that turns up on a competitor’s site. This kind of thing is confusing to consumers who are skeptical and probably nervous about online shopping.
— Product-listing ads can now be seen and swiped by smartphone and tablet users. Thanks, Google!
— Creating special promo feeds that are geared toward specific shopping days, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or the shipping deadline, can help you show your customers the products you’re most interested in selling.
3. Dynamic remarketing
Add some dynamic flair to your current remarketing campaign! Google has developed a program that auto-creates custom ads on the fly to target any web users who have visited your site before.
Indispensable if you’re running an e-commerce campaign, these ads can jog a potential customer’s memory, and encourage him or her to revisit your product without having to recall your website. The ads feature products that Google thinks a person might like as well as items they’ve seen before, which really covers the bases.
Dynamic remarketing is one of the most exciting programs AdWords offers, but before you start fantasizing about making a cool mil and selling your company for a long retirement in the Cayman Islands, take a deep breath.
The ad layouts are still rather simplistic, and right now this feature is only being offered to people who have Google Merchant Center accounts. While retirement might still be a few years off, at least these tips may ensure that your holiday sales will soar.
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