Written by Pat Norton, Director of Business Development at Active Web Group. Posted on January 18th, 2011
Pay per click or PPC advertising is an excellent marketing tool for small and midsized businesses. It is more affordable than other advertising methods, and it can produce measurable results. However, it is possible to waste valuable time and resources learning how to use pay per click marketing.
A common mistake that many companies make is not testing their ads. Creating more than one ad and alternating them on search engines will allow you to learn which keyword combination is drawing in customers. This process is called A/B testing or split testing. Split testing can be done repeatedly so that the optimal PPC ad is discovered.
Many companies also make the mistake of using their website homepages as their landing page. Pay per click marketing allows you to choose the exact link your customers go to when they click the ad. It may be tempting to send potential customers to the main page so that they can get to know the company. However, many people do not want to take the time to search for a specific topic on a website. A better option is to create a landing page that will allow customers to go directly to what they searched for in the beginning. Doing so will allow the customer to find what he or she wants and increase the chance of a purchase being made.
The landing page needs to be designed to suit the keywords that your customers will search. Trying to merge different services or products on a single landing page can confuse customers. The landing page needs to be customized for each search so to eliminate confusion and increase sales.
Another common mistake that companies make with their pay per click marketing is creating generic ads. Pay per click ads limit the number of characters that your ad may have, and this means that your advertisement must stand out. Avoid worn out terms or catch phrases. Think of a way to incorporate key words and specifically set your business apart.
Placement of bids depends on price and keywords. Placing ads below the third position on the page decreases the likelihood of the ad being clicked. Take the time to research keywords, and choose words that rank 10 or higher to improve your chances of reaching the top three.
