Over the years of running more paid search campaigns that I can honestly remember, every now and then I’ll fall into an obvious trap that I should have avoided. With so many tasks taking up each day, forgetting to apply a certain strategy or sticking to best practices when launching campaigns can happen to anyone, me included.
Errors are bound to happen once in awhile and in today’s article, I’ll discuss the most common traps I’ve fell into in the past and how you can avoid them.
Don’t forget to monitor your accounts
Business meetings, emails, a desk full of paperwork and phone calls are a big part of my weekly routine. Before I’ve even finished my morning coffee I’ve read half a dozen emails. With so much stuff to take care of, in the past I’ve forgotten about PPC campaigns which were left to run wild for weeks!
Needless to say the results weren’t so fantastic.
Solution: Spend a few minutes each morning checking the progress of your campaigns, keep an eye out for the total amount of clicks and daily budget to make sure things are on track.
If you’ve changed something the day before, it’s imperative that you check it the next morning to see if it’s having any type of negative impact. Place a sticky note on your computer or set a daily alarm set on your mobile to remind you to always monitor current campaigns.
Don’t forget to keep a close eye on your budget
If your monthly budget is $1,000 (approx $33 per day) it’s a wiser strategy to spread that amount over the whole month then spending it as quick as possible. Your customers get paid at different times of the month and finishing your budget in the first 7 days guarantees you isolate a huge part of your audience.
The obvious solution would be to set your daily budget to $33 per day, but keep in mind that maximum daily budgets can vary by as much as 20% on some platforms. Perhaps your budget barely hits $15 per day leaving a huge surplus at the end of the month.
Solution: Create a spreadsheet and plot your weekly budget spend to see if you’re over or under budget. Think about running more campaigns or use other mediums to advertise if there’s a surplus, or consider removing keywords or slowing down campaigns if your budget is diminishing too quickly.
It’s not uncommon for businesses to see their monthly budget devoured in 7 days, especially if they don’t monitor their accounts on a regular basis.
Don’t be #1 for generic keywords
Ranking #1 for generic keyword will bring you more clicks and traffic, but you’ll usually pay more and in 2015, ranking #1 isn’t what it used to be. 89% of consumers use search engines to research purchasing decisions and usually visit 3 or more websites before making up their mind.
Generic keywords are way too board and are typically used as a starting point in researching a product. While you’ll receive more clicks and traffic, you’ll be the first of several websites they visit in their research, and last on their mind when making a decision.
Solution: Fighting for the top spot for long-tail keywords is typically a better strategy and a much smarter way to increase conversions than overpaying for generic keywords.
Source: Traffic Masters
Don’t forget to refresh campaigns for seasonal holidays
A huge copywriting tip I learned years ago was to make my ad copies more seasonal. If Christmas or Thanksgiving is around the corner, make a reference to the holiday in your copy (holiday special, Easter Sale, Christmas clearance). Not only will this increase click-throughs (trust me it will) but your ads will stand out from everyone else.
Make your ads as relevant to seasonal holiday or events (like the Super Bowl) as you can.
Solution: Visit Time and Date to find the most relevant holiday periods for your business.
Don’t mislead prospects with your ads
Sometimes we get so focused on getting the most amount of clicks and impressions that we unknowingly use click-bait ad copies to drive traffic. I’ve seen ads in the past that mention ‘90% discount’ or a ‘free download’ only to find no discount or free download when I’m redirected to their landing page.
This is a huge mistake and a total waste of money. Prospects will instantly lose trust in your business and will leave immediately. Your ad copy must be completely relevant to your landing page.
Solution: Double check your ad copies to ensure they match up with your landing page. It’s wise to get the same person to write both your ad copy and landing page.
Summary
There are so many levers to pull up and down with paid search that it’s totally common to pull the wrong lever or forget about another. I’m sure I could have written another 50 don’ts on this topic but I don’t want you to think I’m an amateur.
What are your biggest don’ts for PPC?
Nick Bridges
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