6 Tips to Rescue Your Failing Pay Per Click Advertising

If left to itself, pay per click ROI tends to go down the drain. Why? Competition gets stronger, bid prices skyrocket, and click fraud runs rampant. So what can you do to stop the hemorrhaging? Below are some advanced PPC tips to give your campaign a much needed boost.
If left to itself, pay per click ROI tends to go down the drain. Why? Competition
gets stronger, bid prices skyrocket, and click fraud runs rampant. So what can you do to stop the hemorrhaging? Below are some advanced PPC tips to give your campaign a much needed boost.
  1. Keywords in the Display URL: For example, if you were targeting the keywords "seo tips", create a display url of www.yoursite.com/SEO-Tips. Google, Yahoo, and Live search all allow you to create a display url that differs from the destination one. By using the exact keywords the user types in, you'll embolden the keyword in the ad, thereby creating an enticing eye magnet.
  2. Separate Out Keywords: Don't group dissimilar keywords together under one ad group. When you do this, it makes it harder to tell which keywords are performing best. Separte them out as much as feasibly possible, then adjust your bids accordingly.
  3. Watch Your Positions: If you rank in the top 3 organic positions for a keyword, you're probably better off bidding for the 4 or 5 spot with PPC. This is much easier with Adwords then it is with Yahoo or Live search because Google allows you to bid for a certain position. It's not always perfectly accurate, but it's better than nothing.
  4. Test Different Ad Styles: You'll never know which writing style will trigger the most clicks unless you test them. Pit an informative style versus intriguing ad copy, or soft sell versus a hard sell. Give them some time, then analyze the results. Don't simply look at which one received the most clicks. Most likely, you're better off basing your decision on which converted the best.
  5. Follow through with Landing Pages: Always display the same keyword on the landing page that the user typed in. Think about it. Why did the user click on your ad? Because it contained their keywords! Ensure that they stay on your site by following through with a consistent message.
  6. Don't Land Visitors onthe Home Page: Nothing says unwelcome more than dropping your visitors off on the most generic page on your site. If you don't have a relevant landing page to send them to, you might want to consider not running the ad.
It is possible to reinvigorate your PPC campaign with the right tactics. Remember the key is to constantly monitor your results, and adjust accordingly.

Justin Palmer's company, Palmer Web Marketing specializes in

search engine optimization (SEO) E-books
. His current project is C28.com, a
Christian clothing brand, which sells
Religious t-shirts and
religious
jewelry
.

By Justin Palmer
Published: 9/21/2007
 
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Your Comments:
Your Name:
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
Recipient Email Address:
 Separate multiple email addresses by ;
Your Name:
Your Email Address: