In the realm of PPC management, good organizational skills are a key concern. It’s an issue on every level, from planning, hiring, client/boss management, and maintaining records to keywords, reporting, campaigns, channel management, and agency management.
The fundamentals of PPC management
Consider each task that goes into a PPC agenda, such as keyword research, optimization, campaign building, data tracking, and reporting. Each one varies by channel with the details in the settings.
Keyword research can be monotonous and requires many steps, from the original ideas to informational data, using keyword tools, and ultimately planning and sorting for ad group/campaign structure. Campaign structure alone is the foundation on which powerful PPC campaigns thrive.
Campaign structure includes Quality Score: your ability to report swiftly on high-level informational points and even delve into trouble areas. Any account manager will find a disorganized PPC account very difficult to deal with.
Each of these processes and tasks require an enormous amount of focus on detail as well as organizational skills. Every PPC manager knows that spreadsheets are his or her best friend and safety net. An Excel spreadsheet is the primary tool of any PPC manager since it keeps every detail organized and at one’s fingertips.
Other elements of PPC management
Beyond Bing Ads and Google AdWords there’s a relentless flood of data overload to handle. Those primary organization skills factor right into project management and workflow.
One practice the successful PPC manager should have is to take notes on performance trends and campaign alterations, not to mention managing relative representatives, client-based channels, and account log-ins. Additional tasks may include tracking boss/client action items and meeting notes, creating to-do lists, and maintaining campaign schedules.
In other words, organization is everything. That’s the name of the game.
Tools are the future
In this day and age, there’s absolutely no excuse for anyone who’s not organized. If you can’t sort out all the details efficiently, you seriously need to step up your game.
On the other hand, no one’s perfect and everyone slips up on occasion; but in the world of PPC management it’s essential to stay on track. Period.
Think about how much technology is at your disposal in order to keep track of every little detail:
– OneNote, Evernote, and Basecamp: Use these for sharing notes across many devices and general record keeping.
– AdWords labels, email labels, and folders: used for basic organization
– Basic pen and paper: Great for making to-do lists and taking notes. Also, try using the app CamScanner on your smartphone to take pics of handwritten notes and then send them to the cloud.
– Marketo, Infusionsoft, and SalesForce: big organizational tools
– Google Apps
– Call Tracking, Google Analytics, Conversion Tracking: tools used for tracking data
– Microsoft Excel. Automated software used for PPC management includes Kenshoo, Marin, Acquisio.
When it’s all said and done, a PPC manager’s level of quality will be based on how well the campaign actually performs — and rightly so. However, it’s the process itself along with good organizational skills that really counts and ultimately leads to success.
