30 May

A Pay-Per-Click Primer, Part 2

By Libby Esterle, Senior Account Executive 

 

Recently, I wrote a blog about Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads, discussing what PPC ads are, how they work and the advantages of running a PPC (also called Google AdWords or paid search) campaign. 

 

As discussed, PPC is a great, fast and easy way to improve your search rankings by moving your website to the top of the page. It is also beneficial in reaching your potential customers when they are ready to buy goods and services.  

 

So, how do you get your PPC campaign up and running? The following steps will help you get your campaign underway and will also help to keep it running optimally as time goes on.   

  • Determine your target audience members. Who are trying to reach? What services/products/offerings are they looking for?  What age range do they fall into?  
  • Define your goals. What do you want potential customers to do when they see/click on your ad? Visit your website? Call your company? Once you determine your call to action, you can include it in your ads (more on that below). 
  • Set your budget. Determine how much you want to spend and then set your campaign parameters accordingly. 
  • Identify your keywords. What words would someone use to search for your company/business/organization/services or product(s) online? For instance, if you are a jeweler, some keywords to include would likely be: jewelry, gemstones, diamonds, gold, silver, etc.  We also recommend identifying up to 75 keywords to keep your list manageable. 
  • Write your ad(s). Using your keywords and call to action, draft copy for your ads, following the parameters for word count. PPC allows for: 
  • Up to four ad extensions (sitelinks, call outs/call to action, call extensions and snippets). 
  • A maximum of two headlines with 30 characters each 
  • A description/ad body copy up to 80 characters each 
  • A maximum of two path fields up to 15 characters each 
  • Continue to measure results and optimize your campaign as you go along. Using tools such as web analytics, page visits, etc., you can easily see what is working and what isn’t and adjust your campaign from there, by simply revising your search terms and/or ads to improve your results.  

 

Interested in learning more or need help to get started? Give us a call- we’re happy to guide you through the process. 

by