Successful search engine marketing (SEM) requires an understanding of what potential customers are trying to achieve. PPC adverts that are relevant to their queries will drive higher click-through rates (CTRs), better quality scores on Google, lower costs per click (CPC) and ultimately more sales.
To be successful in your SEM approach you must understand where prospects are in the buying process.Generic searches signal ‘research phase’ and an opportunity to promote specific products. Detailed searches indicate a ‘buying mode’ where customers will respond to highly relevant ads. Here’s how to create copy that will pull them in.
- Create clear, compelling messages to drive up your clickthrough rates (CTR). Poor CTRs will establish a low quality score and increase click prices.
- Find the traffic by initially using a few broad keywords, then use “search query reports” to add more relevant keywords to the mix.
- Add non-related negative keywords to avoid unwanted traffic.
- Once you have traffic streams, break out your keywords into separate ad groups with super-relevant ad copy that relates to your customers’ queries.
- If you have the budget, use tracking technology to understand your traffic and which keywords and ads are converting to sales -alternatively you can use Google Analytics for this analysis.
- Always run at least three ad copy variations to see which messages work best, then delete the two low performers and make two new variations of the best one.
- For keywords that do not convert, do some analysis to learn whether there is a mismatch between your ad copy and the offering or if you’re simply not competitive.
