Two of the most important factors of any Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign
are creating successful ads and deciding how much to pay per click. There are
many PPC options out there to choose from, I am going to focus on the two most
popular, Google AdWords and Overture.
Creating your ads for AdWords
Creating your ad copy is the single most important part of any ad campaign. You
want your ad to stand out amongst the others and scream out ‘click me!' If
your add looks and says the same thing as everyone else users will simply pass
it by.
Before creating your ads you need to determine your target market and keyword
selections. If your company focuses on a specific market niche try to target
your ads in regards to that niche. Properly targeted ads will almost always
out-perform those directed at a general audience.
When creating your first ad be sure to fit in your main keywords either in the
title or near the beginning of the body text. Say something to draw attention by
using call to action phrases and words that provoke enthusiasm and response.
Things like "Save on DVDs," "Get cheap stereos," or
"Join now for 20% discount," etc. Just be cautious, if you advertise
something that you don't offer, Google will pull your ad. If your ad says you
have something for free, you better have something for free listed on your
landing page! Always be sure to follow Google's
Guidelines.
Once you are happy with your first ad, create 3 more ads that are radically
different from the first. After 3 or 4 days take a look at how your ads are
doing. (If you are using less frequently searched terms you may have to wait 1-2
weeks for better results.) Check the click through rate (CTR) of each ad. In
most cases one of the 4 will show to be out-performing the rest. If this is the
case, delete the poorly performing ads and create 3 new ads that closely
resemble the successful one, each with subtle differences in the title and body
text.
Again wait 3 or 4 days to see which of the ads is out performing the rest. If
you again notice that one stands out, repeat the process. Eventually you will
end up with 4 quality ads that are performing equally. Once the ads have
levelled out, continue to keep an eye on them, I recommend daily. If one begins
to slip, slightly tweak the wording. You must always keep an eye on your ads if
you wish for them to continually perform well.
Determining your Max Cost Per Click with AdWords
With AdWords when you enter your MAX CPC, it will then show you what Google
estimates your average position will be for each keyword. (The position
predictions provided by Google are based on historical data from previous
advertisers and are not 100% accurate, but it will give you an idea what to
expect.)
Unfortunately there is no way to see what the competition is paying, so in most
cases it's a bit of a duck hunt in the beginning. I suggest starting out with a
MAX CPC slightly higher than you would normally, this will give you a slightly
higher ranking and increase your chances of accumulating clicks. If your ad
performs really well your rank will increase. As you begin to establish a good
click through rate (CTR) you can adjust your max CPC to reflect the position you
wish to obtain. (See part one of this article to find out how Google ranks ads.)
Creating your ads for Overture
With Overture, writing the perfect ad is slightly different than with AdWords.
Overture only allows you to create one ad per keyword, so this takes away the
option of trying out various ads and going with the obvious winner, however, the
basis for creating your initial ad remains virtually the same. After you have
selected your target market and main keywords, write a specific ad targeting
each individual keyword and be sure to include the keyword in the title or
beginning of the main body text along with a call to action phrase or something
that is sure to draw attention. Remember to check the status of your ads on a
weekly basis, and tweak as needed. Keep and eye on your click through rate and
regularly tweak poorly performing ads
Determining your Max Cost Per Click with Overture
Deciding how much to spend on Overture is simple. Take a look at what the
competition is spending, and out bid them. With Overture you should always try
to be in the top 3 if you wish to have your ad dispersed among partner sites.
(Yahoo, Lycos, MSN, etc). If the number 1 spot is currently paying 25 cents per
click you need only bid 26 cents to grab the number 1 spot. If you want the
number one spot, but are also willing to pay more, you can bid 40 cents, and
will only be charged the 26 cents. One penny above the competition. Keep in mind
though, if someone else increases their bid, your actual cost will also increase
up to the max CPC you have entered.
Managing an AdWords or Overture PPC campaign can be confusing at first, but it
doesn't take long to get a handle on what works. Creating a highly successful ad
the first time around with either AdWords or Overture is a rare occurrence, but
with a bit of regular maintenance and a well targeted campaign it won't take
long to start seeing results.
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Articles by Scott Van Achte
About the Author:
Scott Van Achte is the PPC Manager for StepForth Search Engine Placement. Scott
has worked with StepForth Placement for
the past year since graduating from college and has thoroughly enjoyed working
in the search engine industry. When he's not punching away at the keyboard he
can be found spending quality time with his soon to be wife Lyndsay, or out on
the golf course. Scott would be happy to answer any questions, and can be
reached at
.