PPC (Pay-Per-Click) is a form of advertising online, where you pay a small fee whenever someone clicks on your ads and is directed to your website. You don’t pay anything for impressions, which means that there is no payment required if a person simply views your ad but does not click it. PPC is considered highly cost-effective, as you pay only for the traffic generated by the ads.
The benefit of PPC is in its ability to amplify every penny of an ad budget. Marketers are able to fine-tune the amount spent on each campaign. PPC ads do not depend on algorithm changes and offer multi-layered targeting options. So as many as 82% of small businesses with 50+ employees invest in SEO and 74% of this group invests in PPC advertising. The global pay-per-click software market size was $12.58 billion in 2019 and was predicted to touch $28.62 billion by 2027 growing at a CAGR of 11.2% during the forecast period. You may also enjoy palpable conversion rates and grow your business.
Image Source: https://www.gartner.com/en/digital-markets/insights/measure-ppc-campaign-performance
Yet a few generic mistakes can keep you from unlocking the true PPC potential. A false step can cost you millions and brands may run into trouble due to no knowledge. So, below are the most common reasons why your campaign may not be delivering the desired ROI and quick fixes to bring your service before possible customers.
1. Poor Keyword Research
Search engine advertising via PPC lets advertisers bid for ad placement in the engine’s sponsored links when someone searches on a keyword related to their business. But non-performing keywords eat up 61% of your budget. Try to avoid broad keywords, investing in additional keywords or stuffing them altogether. These are ill practices and might prevent you from reaching the top of listings and obtaining better visibility. Pick long-tail ones that make up 70% of all search traffic. They have 2.5 times better conversions than head keywords.
2. Forgetting On-Site Metrics
An ad-serving software offers metrics like AdWords and DoubleClick. Analyzing these can help understand what to do to get good click-through rates and lower the per-click cost. Else, you will not get a clear picture of how visitors might be interacting with your site. This will further keep you from optimizing the landing page and improve the overall campaign. You should also check the ‘bread and butter’ PPC metrics like impressions, CTR, conversion rate, cost per click and cost per acquisition.
3. No Lead Follow-Up
Receiving the lead is only half the story. Follow up on the leads generated by the PPC campaign which is one of the most critical touch points for your company. Have a robust strategy in place to respond which can prove beneficial for brand sales. Here’s what to do:
- Invest in a good voicemail message system
- Answer the phone during the business hours
- Record the calls and use a CRM or log tool in a spreadsheet.
The primary concern is to get in touch ASAP. The more consistent you are, the better your changes at increasing the revenue and reputation of your brand.
4. Bad Quality Ad Copy
It might not be in sync with the landing page so consumers might feel disconnected. A poorly designed copy can also impair all your PPC efforts. Avoid overpromising and then ending up underdelivering. Brands get only a few seconds to display themselves and persuade to click on the search ad. So, make sure it has clear values with a compelling USP in the headline’s 25 characters. Create more copies and retain the ones that perform better and address the audience’s pain points in a more effective manner.
Image Source: https://www.ppchero.com/write-an-ad-copy-that-converts/
5. Too Low Budget
A campaign is likely to fail if you follow the ‘less money less risk’ strategy. Avoid a tiny budget and start spending more on productive keywords. Studies found that the average small or medium-sized businesses spend anywhere between $9,000 and $10,000. Competitor analysis, research and execution are the top factors that can determine the appropriate PPC budget. You can test, measure, revisit and repeat to hit your revenue goals
Avoiding these mistakes can make your PPC endeavor successful. It is also a good idea to work in close collaboration with a good agency to further navigate the pitfalls.
