Many websites use pay per click, or PPC, as their primary way of making money. However, PPC needs to be branded properly just like everything else. If your PPC marketing seems to be ineffective, it might be because of one or more of the reasons detailed below.
1: Wrong Keywords
You might be using a set of keywords on your site that is not a popular search term. This is especially true if you use terms that are region-specific (such as “pop” in place of “soda”) or if your site uses a lot of slang. Google AdWords offers a keyword tool that can help you identify the best keywords for your particular specialty.
2: A Poor Landing Page
Your landing page is the first page that your potential customers will see. This is where they go when they click on an ad, and it is the most likely place they will land when they find your site through a search. Your landing page should clearly spell out the purpose of your site and answer any immediate questions they might have. It should also be the best-looking page on your site, devoid of clutter and easy to read.
Here are some sites that can help you with your landing pages:
- http://www.leadpages.net/
- https://instapage.com/
- http://www.getresponse.com/features/landing-page-creator.html
- http://www.hubspot.com/products/landing-pages
- http://landerapp.com/
3: Lack of Branding
Branding is important not only as a means of advertising, but also as a means of reassuring the customer that they are where they want to be. Your logo and any other branding that you want tied to your company should be plain to see on every page on your site. If customers don’t see your branding, they are not likely to stay on your site even if you offer services they might be interested in.
4: Poorly Written Ads
If you want customers to click on your ads, you need to make sure that they are well-written. This means proofreading carefully to avoid all typos and grammar mistakes. It also means making your slogan clear and your call to action immediately apparent. An ad needs to draw the eye and give the customer a reason to click on it.
5: Obfuscated Purpose
If a customer clicks on an ad, it is because the ad offers something of interest to that individual. Very few people click on ads blindly, so you need to make it immediately apparent what customers will get when they click on your ad. If the purpose is not clear, you customer will go elsewhere.
6: Low Advertising Budget
Sometimes, you can offer good quality in your PPC marketing but just not a high enough budget. A low ad budget means that your ads will rarely be shown and that when they are shown it will be in areas that do not have a good reach. If you can move any money in your budget, you should try to keep a healthy fund for ads. In advertising, you do indeed get what you pay for.
Even if your PPC marketing campaign seems to be struggling, you might just not be reaching out in the right way. By following the advice above, you will help your ad campaign to thrive.
