Pay per click (PPC) marketing can be very effective when it is implemented and maintained correctly. A poor understanding of the technique or an overly ambitious campaign can actually result in an incredibly low return on investment. There are a few key mistakes that need to be avoided in order to have success with this marketing technique.
Use Specific Keywords
Some marketers attempt to reach the largest number of users by including incredibly broad or even generic keywords. There is definitely a place for broad keywords but they should be segmented and used under tight budget controls. The best results are gained by using keywords that are more specific to the business. This will help to increase conversion rates and streamline future campaigns as metrics are gathered. Digital Restaurant website has used both specific keywords and long tail keywords to drive traffic to its website via its adwords campaign and so far it is a success
Exclude Low Yield Websites
There are a number of websites that Pay per click advertising will appear on that do not have much value. These are sites that have a large number of users that will probably generate a large number of clicks. The conversion rates, however, are normally low. This is a waste of resources. Large websites that have a low conversion rate and a high number of clicks consistently should be excluded so that money is not wasted.
Monitor Metrics
It is important to monitor metrics outside of the simple statistics that are given through the advertising dashboard. The most important one is the conversion rate for various types of ads and keywords. A business that does not actively track metrics will have no concept about what is working and what is not working. Additionally, keeping records and statistics will provide a factual base that can be used to create future campaigns.
Use Geography When Necessary
Any business that is advertising services or products that are only available in a certain area should employ geography-based exclusion. It can be tempting to advertise to everyone in the hope that new customers will come from another area to buy something but this is rarely the case. Without taking geography into account the actual conversion rate from ads will be very low. This is because many people will simply click the ad and then lose interest once they realize that the business is in another area and is inaccessible.
Use Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are just as important as choosing the correct specific keywords. Negative keywords will help to filter out users who are definitely not looking for the type of product, service or business that is being advertised. Ignoring negative keywords means that customers who are not genuinely looking to purchase a product will click on the advertisement out of curiosity. This will cost money. It is best to create a set of negative keywords that will prevent an advertisement from being shown to clearly uninterested users in the first place.
Remove Ineffective Keywords
Part of running a successful PPC campaign is constantly refining the details. An important area to look at is what keywords are actually performing and what keywords are not. A keyword is considered to be effective if it is driving relevant traffic with a reasonable conversion rate. Keywords that are generating clicks without low to nonexistent conversion rates should be removed.
