Ian Lopuch
In the world of PPC, sometimes we feel like we’ve hit a wall. We’ve done everything we can. Our campaigns are fully optimized. We’ve all been in this situation, it’s only natural after we’ve been working on an account for a long period of time. The great part of pay per click: This situation is never true; there’s always more we can do to improve and optimize our paid search programs. Today, I’m thrilled to share five ideas that are sure to recharge and spark creativity in the world of PPC.
Idea 1: Hire An Agency Or External Consultant
If you manage your PPC program internally, consider hiring an agency or external consultant. I’m not talking about transitioning your campaigns permanently, but rather getting a fresh pair of eyes. A fresh perspective is always sure to drive innovation. Make sure to be honest with your agency/consultant. Let them know that it’s a shorter-term project. Once the agency brainstorms new ideas, add the best ideas to your internal team’s marketing plan.
Idea 2: Rotate Campaign Managers
Does your internal paid search team consist of multiple managers on different accounts, search engines, or lines of business? If yes, I recommend creating a rotational program. This idea very much ties into the first one. It’s all about getting a fresh pair of eyes one each campaign. By keeping things fresh, you are sure to push the limits of paid search optimization, sparking new innovations.
Idea 3: Stay Closely Involved In Beta Programs
These days, Google AdWords and Microsoft adCenter are testing more innovations than ever before. If you’re a large advertiser, AdWords and adCenter should definitely have some beta opportunities for you. Make sure to offer your assistance. On your calls with your reps, let them know you are quite interested in betas. One recent example: Google Sitelinks. Just a matter of months ago, sitelinks were a beta test. Now, they are a staple of any well-optimized Google AdWords campaign. Not all beta tests work out, but many do. Your close involvement in beta testing is sure to recharge any PPC program.
Idea 4: Take A Critical Look At Your Landing Pages
Historically, paid search has been all about campaign optimization. I’m talking about keyword selection (both positive and negative), match types, account structure, ad copy, bids, traffic sources, and more. However, a paid search campaign is only as strong as your site’s conversion rate. Increase your conversion rate just a little bit and you open a whole new world of opportunities to bid up and buy keywords that used to be unprofitable. Perhaps the quickest way to improve conversion rate is close focus on testing new landing pages. Closely evaluate your paid search landing pages. Understand if you are segmenting traffic correctly. Devise a series of tests. Then, it’s all about executing the tests. If your internal team is too busy to build new landing pages, you may wish to consider a landing page testing platform. Find a new winner and you will supercharge your paid search program.
Idea 5: Make Full Use Of Your Performance Marketing Platform
Do you leverage a performance-marketing platform such as Acquisio? If not, a whole new world of opportunities lies ahead. Make sure to evaluate the leading platforms and pick the right one for you. If you already leverage a platform, when’s the last time you have evaluated the system? Paid search platforms such as Acquisio are adding new features at lightning speed. I’m always amazed to find new features that I did not know about. Take a close look at your platform and see which opportunities you may be missing.
Thanks for reading, and I hope these tips help spark some new ideas. Paid search is all about innovation and optimization. Always push your program forward and you will never be disappointed.
Pam Neely
