the top 10 ppc hacks of all time - larry kim's presentation for state of search 2014 in dallas,...

The Top 10 PPC Marketing Hacks of All Time!

The Top 10 PPC Marketing Hacks of All Time!Larry Kim, Founder/CTO, WordStreamNov. 17, 2014

About Larry (@larrykim)

1. Founder & CTO of WordStream

2. Commander of the Google AdWords Quality Score Rebellion

3. Had First Kid 6 Months Ago (#ppckid)

Larry Kim (@larrykim) #stateofsearch

Agenda: The Top 5 PPC Hacks of All Time!

You are Engaging in PPC Hacks and are a Traitor …


FYI -- Slides Posted Here:

• http://bit.ly/stateofsearch2014Larry Kim (@larrykim) #stateofsearch

#10. HackingQuality Score in AdWords

Understanding the AdWords Auction

How Quality Score Impacts Ad Position

• AdWords is Like Real Estate: It’s all about Location!


Quality Score Impacts Cost Per Click


Quality Score Impacts Impression Share


Impression Share 2x More Competitive on Mobile


Quality Score Impacts Cost Per Conversion


So.. Get a High Quality Score!

Duh, Awesome!


How is Quality Score

Calculated?!

This is The Expected Click Through Rate Curve…


Just Beat Account Avg. Expected Click Through Rate!!


Quick Recap So Far …

• Below Avg. CTR = Low QS• Low QS means…

– Less prominent ad positions

– Very low impression share– Huge CPC penalties

(+400% Tax)– High Cost Per Conversion

(+64%)


# 9. Hacking Ad CTRs with “Unicorn Ads”

Google Expects (A Lot) More Of Your Ads


CONFIDENTIAL – DO NOT DISTRIBUTE 21

Forest vs. Trees

Here’s a Map of the Forrest…


Donkeys vs. Unicorns

Percentile Vs. Average CTR Designation

Bottom 50% n/a DONKEYS

Top 15% 2x

Top 5% 3x

Top 1% 6x UNICORNS



Unicorns Ads(6x Avg. CTR - HOW?!)


Hunting Unicorn Ads

Keywords With High Commercial Intent


What About Dynamic Keyword Insertion? (DKI)


DKI Doesn’t Produce as Many Unicorn Ads


What About Ad Extensions?


How To Write “Unicorn Ads”?

(Top 1%, 6x Average

CTR)

Most Ads (+90%) Suck.

31Larry Kim (@larrykim) #stateofsearch

The Hack: Ads That Trigger Emotions


This Ad Gets 6x Above Avg. CTR


Because Everyone Else Sucks


These Emotions Make People Click



# 8. Quality Score Sculpting

Crazy Hack To Increase Quality Scores

•Add 10% Branded Terms to Raise Account Average Quality Scores

•Delete the Bottom Third of Your PPC Account and Move the Budget to Remarketing Instead


Example Crap Account

•Mix of above and below average keywords



• Notice how the account has no high QS keywords!


Example Awesome Account

• Mostly above average CTR keywords, some below avg.


Example Awesome Account

• Notice how the account has only high QS keywords!



• Notice how the account has no high QS keywords!


What’s a Good Quality Score These Days?

• Current Average ~5/10

• Previously 7/10

• As average values drift lower, above average QS worth up to 200% more than before!


So What To Do With My Keywords?

• If Your Keyword’s Quality Score is…– 1 to 3: Delete

Immediately– 4 to 6: Fix / Optimize– 7 to 10: Don’t Mess

with Success



# 7. Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA) CTR Hack

Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA)

• Customize Ads To Users Who Previously Visited Your Site

• On Average:– Doubles Click Through

Rates (Raises Quality Score)

– Cuts CPC’s in Half!!



# 6. Quality Score for Google Display Network = Insanely Low CPC’s

A 0.1% +/- in CTR yields +/- 20% in CPC!

Quality Score Exists on Google Display Network!!

Higher CTR = Lower

CPC

Higher CTR = Lower

CPC


The Hack: Make Display Ads With Very High CTR


About Those “Display Ads”…

• 67.5% of Display Ads are Plain Text Ads!


CTR of “Display Ads” Based on Ad Format

Ad Format on Google Display Network

Click Through Rate

Text ads that are formatted as Images

0.23%

True Image ads 0.31%


Huge Tax on “Text Display Ads” vs. True Image Ads

Google Display Network Ad Format

CPC (USD)

Text $2.31

Custom Image $0.48


1. Push Display Ads To Your Offers


Do a Conversion Path Analysis

Define audience segments using the pages that most often lead to a conversion event


Conversion Rates vs. Ad Impressions


Conversion Rates Double With More Ad Impressions!

2. Push Display Ads to Content


~5% of Blog Content Gets ~50% of Social Shares

Promote These Top 5% of Articles!!!


These Emotions Make People Click on Things


The Hack: Make Display Ads Look More Like Content



# 5. Get 3x More Impressions on Google Display Network

14 Display Ad Formats on GDN

• Vertical rectangle: 240 x 400• Mobile leaderboard: 320 x 50• Banner: 468 x 60• Leaderboard: 728 x 90• Square: 250 x 250• Small square: 200 x 200• Large rectangle: 336 x 280• Inline rectangle: 300 x 250• Skyscraper: 120 x 600• Wide skyscraper: 160 x 600• Half-page: 300 x 600• Etc.


Different Ad Formats Don’t Compete With Each Other


Diversify Your Ad Formats = 3x Impressions

Ad Format Share ofImpressions

Leader board (728 x 90) 25.5%Inline rectangle (300 x 250) 25.1%Banner (468 x 60) 12.0%Wide skyscraper (160 x 600) 10.1%Large Rectangle (336 x 280) 8.6%Mobile leaderboard (320 x 50) 7.4%Half-page (300 x 600) 4.3%Square (250 x 250) 2.8%



# 4. Crazy Mobile Hack to Triple Conversions

Mobile is Very Different…

OMG a Call Button!!


Call Extensions Change Everything!!

Calls to Businesses worth on Average 3x More Than Clicks to Websites!!

4. Captured Lead

2. Calls Business

2. Clicks On Ad

Desktop Search Conversion Funnel

3% Avg. Conversion Rate

Mobile Conversion Funnel

1. Sees Ad 1. Sees Ad

3. Visits Website Landing Page

3. Lead Captured!!


Forget Mobile Sites and Landing Pages!



# 3. New Gmail Ads!

Larry Kim (@larrykim)Larry Kim (@larrykim) #stateofsearch

Subject Line and Teaser …


Email Ad!


The Hack: Target Your Competitor’s Emails


# 2. New People Based PPC Marketing!

Facebook “People Advertising”


Twitter, Too!


The Hack: Think of PPC More Like Email Mktg.

Email Marketing

• Limit Number of Blasts To Reduce Unsubscribes

• 0.5-2% Unsubscribes Each Blast

• People Need To Opt Into Your List

• Tons of Unqualified Emails on the List

People Based Marketing

• N/A

• N/A

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# 1. First Mover Advantage

+1000 New Features Every Year!!


TrueView Ads in YouTube!


+Post Ads for Google+


My Google+ Story…


Google+ Visibility Before and After!

AfterBefore


Summary: The Top 10 AdWords Hacks of All Time!

1. Say No to Low CTR!

2. Unicorn Ads Get +6x Average CTR

3. Delete Crap in Your Account

4. RLSA 2x CTR, 1/2 CPC

5. Quality Score on Google Display Network = Cheap Clicks

6. Hacks to Get More Ad Impressions on GDN

7. Triple Conversion Rate with Mobile

8. Get in People’s Gmail Inboxes!

9. Target Specific People on Facebook and Twitter

10.Always be First Mover!


Flywheel Effect: Paid

Don’t Settle For Average – Be a Unicorn Among a Sea of Donkeys!

Thank You #stateofsearch!

Slides: bit.ly/stateofsearch2014
