how to shape up your pay per click keyword strategy in time for summer
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Pay Per Click Keyword StrategySummer is coming.
While you may be wondering how you’re going to fit into those shorts again, it’s also an
excellent time to review your pay per click (PPC) keyword marketing strategy, and start
shedding the extra weight that is only slowing you down and keeping you from maximizing
your advertising ROIs.
Over the past year your PPC account may easily have become bloated; perhaps you’ve been
adding new target keywords without removing others, or you’re not tracking performance
as vigilantly as you could be. Those coveted top three spots on Google’s SERPs typically
account for 41% of that page’s clicks, so rather than letting the trend continue, get your
account into shape now and reap the benefits.
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Get your Pay Per Click Keyword
Strategy in Shape for Summer in 7 Steps
1. Start by making a commitmentPeople don’t lose excess weight just by thinking about it, and the same goes for your PPC
keyword strategy. The onus is on you to commit to a comprehensive audit of your
resources and to see it through to completion.
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2. Then perform an overall surveyHow do you know when you’re overweight? You look in the mirror or your clothes stop
fitting. How do you know if your PPC keyword strategy is overweight? You have to survey
your account’s groups to see which keywords are performing and which aren’t. Ideally, you
should be monitoring performance regularly and already know your top-performers and
the ones that never seemed to take off.
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3. Strengthen your core
If you want to build your body’s muscle mass, you have to start with a strong foundation.
With your PPC keyword strategy, your account’s keyword groups should be organized so
that you are appropriately targeting the right audience with each one.
A good tip is to put your top performers into their own group so that you can tailor your ad
copy for optimum results. You should also focus on grouping your mobile keywords as part
of your foundation. More than half of paid clicks come from users on mobile devices, and
you may find that what worked in the past with desktop searches doesn’t translate to a
successful mobile strategy.
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4. Starting shedding the extra weightBuilding up a strong core foundation in your account will help you navigate your
campaigns more easily, but you’ll also have to eliminate the extra fat.
Here’s the deal with your PPC keyword strategy: it works until it doesn’t. If you take a set-
it-and-forget-it mentality, not only are you risking your budget, you’re also not taking
advantage of opportunities to improve your reach and conversion rate. Get rid of
keywords that don’t perform or are no longer relevant—not only are they taking up space,
they can also reduce your Quality Score for that campaign. Identify the seasonal or topical
keywords you’re targeting that aren’t currently relevant and pause them so you can
resume using them when it is again appropriate.
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5. Find new muscles to buildGetting your PPC campaigns into shape isn’t just about getting rid of excess fat—it’s also
about discovering new opportunities to see results. Research new keywords regularly,
either by surveying your competitors’ activity or with a keyword tool, and then start their
performance off strong by creating new groups. Another area of focus should be looking
for long-tail phrases that apply to your audience’s search activity. About 61% of online
users search for a product as the first stage in their buying process, so targeting those
terms that they tend to use in this research phase will help you rank higher, driving them to
your product.
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6. Don’t get distracted
If you aren’t leveraging the power of negative keywords yet, this is the time to start.
Negative keywords help you ensure that your ads are reaching only the most interested—
and most likely to purchase—potential customers. Adding them to your campaigns ensures
that you don’t pay for the clicks of users searching for products or services your site
doesn’t offer, helping you maximize your ROI. When selecting your negative keywords,
make sure they align with the keywords you’re targeting but obviously indicate the
searcher is looking for something different.
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7. Remember, your work is never doneThe key to long-term keyword strategy success is the same as with your health and fitness:
you have to maintain it. If you review your pay per click strategy once a year, you’ll spend
far more time in one sitting than you would if you spread your account audits throughout
the year. Give your PPC campaigns the greatest opportunity for success by keeping your
keyword strategy in tip-top shape all year long.
When it seems daunting, take a reminder from Jessica Merrill (@blogging4jobs): “Today,
you want to regain the momentum you lost, wind up and take off down the path of
prosperity and growth.” (Source: Kissmetrics).
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