PPC advertising can be your biggest online marketing headache if you're new to it. It's often difficult to peruse spreadsheets of words, ads, and numbers and remember exactly what you're looking at. That's why it's good to take a step back - and think. Think about exactly what you're doing. The best way to think about PPC is to consider the keyword.
The keyword is the string of characters the search engine user types into the search box. Keywords can be one word like "hotels". Keywords can also be "longtail" multiple word phrases like "keeping austin weird, hotels". Long tail keywords are those three and four keyword phrases which are highly specific to whatever you are selling. These convert the most clicks to customers because they target a consumer who specifically knows what they want and is ready to buy. You gain access to keywords in the search engines by 'bidding' on specific keywords.
Keywords: The Most Important Part of PPC
The keyword is, perhaps, the most important component of your PPC account. It would be foolish then to waste your budget bidding on generic single keyword or double keyword phrases since these do not target the customer who is "late" in the buying cycle.
For example if you are a small hotel in Austin, TX it may not be fruitful to just bid on "hotel" because you are going to be going up against the big travel sites like Orbitz or Hotwire. Instead hone in on a smaller niche like your location and a specific amenity that you bring to the table that people will be searching for like "boutique hotel, Austin, Texas" The competition will be much smaller, targeted and the cost per click a lot less.
Getting Rid of Bad Keywords
This problem of non-relevant keywords is rampant in many PPC accounts. Sometimes it's obvious like the "hotel texas"- sometimes it's not. Here's how it happens and how to fix it:
1) Remove Non-Relevant Keywordsfrom Keyword Tools
Keyword tools like Google AdWords Keyword Tool are great starters for PPC accounts. Like thesauruses, they help you think of words that are related to your products or services - a very useful tool.
However, keyword tools should never be trusted implicitly. Keyword tools use computer-generated lists of words and sometimes they make mistakes. Unthinking PPC advertisers often dump these keywords into their account and deservingly receive non-relevant traffic every day, wasting many dollars in the process. The worst part of the problem is that all of that non-relevant (read: worthless) traffic won't turn into the customers or dollars you need.
The way to fix this issue is to review your keyword list. Lists can get crazy- out- of- control- big quick. Focus on one or two groups at a time and communicate with everyone who is working on the account, adding or pausing keywords. Here's where the thinking comes in: Review your phrases and decide: would someone needing my products or services type these words into a search box?? No? Get rid of them, or pause them in you AdWords Editor. You can always ask someone else who is a fresh set of eyes give you a second opinion later. Your advertising dollars are too precious not to be reviewing those ad groups well.
2) Test Your Keywords
Another, equally important way to sort out keywords in your account is to determine whether they turn into the desired action. Going back to the hotel example, when you bid on "hotel, Austin, TX" does that longtail phrase yield the desired result on your website? Does it turn into online leads or phone calls? Review your web analytics to see which words people are converting on-clicking through to your website on. Though the keyword may seem relevant to you, searchers may disagree.
You can determine the effectiveness of keywords by using good tracking. AdWords Conversion Tracking or call tracking can demonstrate the effectiveness of each keyword in your account.
Proper keyword management is the single most important thing you can do to effectively manage your PPC account. To do it effectively, you need to get educated on proper online tracking, or make sure your PPC manager is doing their job ie TRACKING. Just make sure you are aware of the keywords costing you money and why. Wasting PPC budget is no way to run a PPC account - and pursuing keywords that are bad is the way it goes wrong.
Search Traffic Pro is a professional search marketing company. We promote your company's unique position in the market via PPC, SEO and search marketing strategies. We specialize in two things:
1. Growing Your Website Traffic
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