Are you facing difficulties in achieving high conversions while dealing with high costs in your PPC (pay-per-click) advertising campaigns? The overwhelming frustration of investing money in ads that fail to provide returns can be quite challenging.
If you find yourself witnessing your budget diminish quickly without observing any substantial enhancements in sales or leads, and while your competitors appear to be flourishing, you may start feeling baffled as to what mistakes you could be making. Consequently, this could result in a decline in your market share and, in the end, pose a risk to the longevity of your business.
PPC Advertising provides small businesses with a focused and cost-efficient approach to reaching potential customers. However, it is essential to conduct research, optimize, and test to ensure success. To assist small business owners in getting started, we have compiled some PPC advertising tips. Whether you currently have ads running or are considering launching a campaign, this article will provide valuable guidance.
This article delves into the concept of PPC advertising, the advantages it brings to small businesses, and provides tips on PPC advertising specifically tailored for small businesses.
What is PPC advertising
PPC advertising is an online advertising model where advertisers are charged for each click on their ad. Instead of acquiring visits naturally, businesses have the option to purchase visits for their websites. PPC is primarily linked with search engine advertising, which displays ads on search engine results pages.
Advertisers participate in an auction to secure a spot in the sponsored links section of a search engine, targeting keywords linked to their business. When a user conducts a search using a keyword that you have bid on, there is a possibility that your advertisement will be displayed. In the event that the user chooses to click on your ad, you will be required to pay a specific fee.
PPC advertising tips for small business
Entering the world of PPC advertising may feel overwhelming, but small businesses can achieve significant benefits by implementing appropriate strategies. In this section, we will present the best tips for PPC advertising tailored to small businesses, along with successful examples. These suggestions aim to improve the efficiency and profitability of your advertising campaigns.
These tips will be essential in your advertising arsenal, whether you are new to the field or aiming to improve your current strategies.
1. Start with a simple campaign
It is recommended to begin your PPC advertising journey by starting with a small-scale approach. It can be overwhelming to launch multiple complex campaigns simultaneously, making it difficult to distinguish between successful and unsuccessful ones. It is better to concentrate on a single campaign initially, preferably on a reputable platform like Google Ads.
As you grow more accustomed to PPC advertising, you can progressively increase your efforts. Initiating with a small scale also enables you to uphold a budget that is easier to manage, especially for small businesses. Furthermore, it is easier to monitor and comprehend your analytics when you are solely focused on a single campaign.
2. Target specific keywords
The proper use of keywords is a fundamental aspect of successful PPC advertising. It is advisable to prioritize specific keywords that your potential customers are more likely to use instead of generic keywords with intense competition. These specific keywords are commonly referred to as ‘long-tail keywords’.
Instead of focusing on the keyword “shoes,” consider targeting “women’s running shoes in LA” during your keyword research. This approach not only decreases competition but also tends to be more cost-effective and can attract a more focused audience who is more likely to make a purchase.
3. Use powerful language
The impact of language in your ad copy on the success of your PPC campaign is considerable. Dare to use powerful action verbs and make your headlines captivating, while guaranteeing that your copy effectively connects with the audience.
By breaking down the text below into easy-to-understand steps, you can rephrase it to maintain its meaning while avoiding jargon or complicated language. This will help you create a powerful message that can persuade users to click on your ad and take the action you want. For instance:
- Instead of “Buy shoes here,” you might use “Unleash Your Style with Our Stunning Footwear!”
- Replace “Sign up for our newsletter” with “Unlock Insider Secrets – Join Our Exclusive Community!”
4. Use local keywords
If your small business caters to a nearby market, it is crucial to incorporate local keywords into your PPC campaigns. This entails utilizing keywords that incorporate local terms, like the name of the city or neighborhood where your business operates. Some illustrations of local keywords are as follows:
- “Italian restaurant in Los Angeles”
- “Plumber near Westlake Village”
- “Best coffee shop in Santa Monica”
To attract local customers who are interested in your products or services, it is important to think step by step and rephrase the following text while maintaining the same meaning: If you have a flower shop in Brooklyn, ensure to include keywords like “Brooklyn flower delivery” or “flower shop in Brooklyn.” This will help in attracting local customers who are likely to have an interest in your products or services.
5. Add negative keywords
Negative keywords are words that you want to avoid displaying your ads for. By adding negative keywords, you can ensure that your ads are reaching the most appropriate audience. For instance, if you are selling new cars, you can include “used” as a negative keyword to prevent your ads from appearing for “used cars”. This strategy allows you to avoid paying for clicks that are unlikely to result in conversions.
6. Include clear calls to action
Always make sure to include a clear call to action (CTA) in your advertisements. The purpose of a CTA is to guide the user on the next step you want them to take. Whether you want them to “Buy Now,” “Call Today,” or “Get a Free Quote,” it is important to ensure that your CTA stands out and is persuasive.
To avoid confusion, do not include multiple calls to action in the ad. Focus on one specific action that you want the audience to take. An effective call to action should be clear and straightforward.
- “Buy Now for 30% Off!”
- “Download Your Free E-Book Instantly!”
- “Call Today for a Free Consultation!”
7. Use strong language
We are not referring to profanity or language that is offensive, but rather language that captures people’s attention.
If your headline is not compelling, wishy-washy returns on investment can be expected. On the other hand, strong and dynamic headlines produce strong and dynamic results. To determine if your headline is compelling, seek input from trusted colleagues, friends, family members, or mentors. If you are torn between two headlines, conducting an A/B split test is advisable to determine the better performing option.
8. Monitor your results
Even if you continue to pay for your PPC campaign, it is important to monitor its performance to ensure it is still effective for your small business.
By keeping track of analytics, you can make adjustments and enhancements to your ads. As you consistently make changes, your campaigns will become even more impactful and yield greater outcomes for your business.
9. Consider hiring a professional
If you find managing PPC campaigns challenging, it is important to consider hiring an Internet marketing agency to help you create and manage your paid ads, in case you are unable to allocate enough time for it.
10. Use geographic keywords
To make the most of your small business PPC budget, one effective approach is to target your ads geographically and utilize localized language. Instead of simply referring to your city, it is advisable to specify particular neighborhoods. Although unfamiliar to non-local individuals, ultimately, are they even truly relevant to your target audience?
11. Schedule and pause ads
PPC platforms enable you to determine the timing of your ad campaigns, and you have the flexibility to pause them at any moment. The ability to schedule ads is crucial in reaching potential customers when they are most active on the internet.
If you are a restaurant, you may choose to schedule your ads to appear only during the lunch and dinner hours. Pausing ads can be beneficial in cases of temporary closures or when you wish to temporarily halt the campaign without fully deleting it.
12. Measure results
It is important to track and analyze the outcomes of your PPC campaign. Be sure to monitor metrics such as click-through rate, conversion rate, and return on investment. Having a grasp of these metrics enables you to enhance your campaign and make decisions based on data. Continually evaluate the performance and adapt your strategy as needed.
13. Take advantage of google analytics
Google Analytics is a tool that is extremely valuable for monitoring the effectiveness of your PPC campaigns. This tool enables you to keep track of the way users engage with your website following their interaction with your ads. It provides you with the ability to observe the specific pages they visit, the duration of their stay, and whether they successfully complete the desired actions such as making a purchase or subscribing to a newsletter.
If you integrate your Google Ads account with Google Analytics, you can obtain a comprehensive perspective on the performance of your campaigns and identify areas for enhancement. Furthermore, Google Analytics enables you to establish goals and track conversion rates.
14. Retarget website visitors
Retargeting is the process of displaying advertisements to individuals who have previously visited your website but did not make a purchase or perform the desired action. This technique is highly effective as it focuses on individuals who already have knowledge of your brand or product.
It is possible to create targeted advertisements that specifically appeal to these individuals, by providing them with incentives or reminding them of what they have forsaken.
15. Split testing
One method of testing called split testing, or A/B testing, involves the creation of two ads with slight variations to determine which one performs more effectively. This can include modifying the headline or call to action, among other factors.
- Version A: “Get Access to Exclusive Deals!” with an image of a happy family.
- Version B: “Unlock Your Special Discount Today!” with an image of a person holding shopping bags.
The continuous process of testing and optimization is important in improving the effectiveness of your campaigns because it allows you to gain insights into what resonates more with your audience by comparing the performance of the two ads.
