Before jumping into a digital marketing campaign, it’s important to understand how the program works and what you can expect in terms of results. Pay per Click (PPC) is an excellent way of gaining new customers to fill your pipeline, but you’ll need to understand the basics in order to achieve the results you’re looking for.
Here are some questions you may want to consider asking yourself or your digital marketing agency to get the best return on your investment from a PPC campaign.
Understanding Google
Google and AdWords are complex. Algorithms change regularly meaning you need to maintain an active interest in how Google is currently determining rankings and the rules around PPC ads. PPC is not a “set it and forget it” type of marketing. You need to stay on top of industry changes.
Here are a few areas you’ll want to make sure you keep an eye on and that your digital marketing agency understands.
- Keyword research. Finding the keywords that will generate the most bang for your buck is an ongoing battle. Google offers a Keyword Planner Tool. There are many other industry tools available.
- Quality Score. Affected by keywords, ad text, and the landing page, the quality score can affect results.
- Google Auction. This is the process of determining which ads are displayed.
- Click Through Rate. The ratio of number of clicks to the number of impressions. Often referred to as CTR.
- Display Network. Google Display Network places your ad on websites as opposed to in the search results. It is different from the Search Network. Separating ad campaigns between the two networks is often advisable.
Understanding Retargeting
Retargeting is the effort put behind showing your ad to those who already visited your website. It’s a valuable way to remind potential customers that your product or service is available. Retargeting is a popular option that opens up another sequence of questions that should be considered. For example, you’ll need to consider if your website is equipped to handle the tracking that retargeting requires.
There are a variety of options in the retargeting universe. You’ll need to consider each type and if it’s beneficial to your brand. These include:
- Search retargeting
- Site retargeting
- Social media retargeting
- Email retargeting
As with any marketing campaign, you’ll want to be sure you are narrowing your efforts to a target audience.
Getting a handle on PPC and Retargeting can be a big job. Google offers lots of online resource for information, but having a qualified and experienced digital marketing team behind you is often best for a successful campaign.
