A few simple fixes could turn a moribund PPC campaign into a shining beast of profitability, one interactive advertising firm contends.
With SMX Advanced 2008 wrapped up, the firm Fuel Interactive contended the event paid more attention to search engine optimization than the pay-per-click SEM model. They provided some suggestions on the PPC side that may be of use to those who have seen the grass grow under their stagnant campaigns.
First, check out conversion tracking for the campaign, and make sure whatever matters as a key performance indicator matches what is being tracked. The indicator can be lead generation or retail sales, depending on the nature of the site.
Fuel Interactive specified a need for organization, as the demands of geotargeting, or keywords separate by their budgets, dictate where and when ads will be displayed. Those ad groups also need to be checked for similarity, to avoid generalized displays that may generate few quality conversions.
In testing, the firm called for two to four ads per ad group, with two being what Fuel Interactive considers the sweet spot.
“Testing ads is the number one way to win at AdWords, second in importance only to using the right metrics. If you think the existing ad is doing well, test a variation of it,” they said.
Ad success in PPC presents an ongoing process to the advertiser. The need for regular testing means one shouldn’t treat a campaign as a fire and forget option, but one where adjusting one’s position and attack over time yields the best results.
