The Clock Was Ticking
John paced back and forth in his office. In just two weeks, his e-commerce store would be launching. He had a beautiful website, thousands of products ready to ship, and a solid marketing plan. Well, most of a plan.
“PPC,” John muttered to himself. “How am I going to get my PPC campaigns up and running before launch?”
He knew driving traffic from day one would be critical to his store’s success. But he was overwhelmed trying to wrap his head around all the details of setting up his first Pay-Per-Click ads.
Luckily, with a little focus and know-how, launching effective PPC campaigns doesn’t have to be stressful. Whether you’re a pro or just starting out like John, follow these 7 tips to build PPC campaigns that drive conversions for your e-commerce business.
{7 Expert PPC Tips For Technology Companies}
1. Set Concrete Goals and KPIs
Over 40% of marketers say determining ROI is their top PPC challenge in PPC management. Before launching campaigns, outline specific goals and metrics you’ll track.
Do you want to drive new customer sign-ups? Increase average order value? Measure cost per acquisition? Identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) lets you optimize towards clear targets.
2. Research and Organize Keywords
Keyword research is the foundation of any PPC strategy. Use free tools like Google’s Keyword Planner and UberSuggest to find relevant, high-traffic keywords for your products.
Organize keywords into tightly-themed ad groups around products, services, and special offers. This lets you create targeted ads and accurately track performance. According to Wordstream, highly relevant ad groups boast a 50% higher Quality Score on average.
3. Design Quality Landing Pages
Your ads can only convert visitors if your landing pages deliver. Build custom landing pages that align with each ad group and quickly communicate value. Include clear calls-to-action, product photos, and minimal distractions.
Conversion rates triple when landing pages reflect ad content. Take the time to optimize user experience – over half of the ad clicks are abandoned if pages don’t engage visitors quickly.
4. Write Compelling Ads
PPC success hinges on your ad copy. Craft targeted ad headlines, descriptions and display URLs tailored to each keyword theme. Emphasize customer benefits over features, and include keywords naturally without overstuffing.
Longer headlines tend to convert better. Wordstream found ads with 60+ characters in the headline had a 17% higher CTR across Google and Bing. Don’t be afraid to test different ad variations too.
5. Set Competitive Bids
What you pay per click directly impacts impressions and conversions. Analyze the landscape to set bids based on competitors’ strategies and industry benchmarks. Leverage Google’s Keyword Planner to see average costs per click for your keywords.
Consider lower bids for brand awareness keywords and higher bids for high-converting products. Just watch costs closely to stay within your PPC budget. Smart bidding algorithms can help maximize conversions at target CPA levels.
6. Integrate Retargeting Pixels
Even if visitors don’t convert initially, retargeting keeps your brand top of mind. Install conversion pixels across your site to track engagement. Then create tailored ad sequences targeting past visitors.
Retargeting paves the way for future conversions. Research shows customized retargeting doubles click-through rates compared to generic ads. Keep your brand visible through multiple touchpoints in the customer journey.
7. Continuously Optimize Campaigns
Like any marketing effort, set expectations for ongoing optimization. Analyze performance data regularly and tweak low-performing elements.
Prioritize changes that directly impact KPIs. For example, pause keywords with high costs and low conversion rates. Then reassess landing pages, ad copy, and bidding for those keywords before reactivating them.
[Mastering PPC Trends in 2024: A Comprehensive Guide]
With these tips in mind throughout the PPC process, e-commerce brands can get campaigns up and running quickly while driving continuous improvements over time. Just like our friend John – within a few short weeks of thoughtful planning and optimization, his PPC foundation was set for launch and beyond. No more pacing the office in stress.
The same successful outcome is possible for brands who invest the effort into building a scalable, optimized PPC framework. Don’t leave the money-making potential of PPC campaigns on the table. Use these guidelines as your roadmap to maximize returns from day one. Your customers are searching and ready to buy. Now get out there and put your PPC plan into action!
