If you run a business in a mature industry, you might face challenges such as high competition, low margins, and saturated markets. How can you use PPC (pay-per-click) advertising to stand out and generate more leads and sales? In this article, we will share some tips and strategies to help you optimize your PPC campaigns for businesses in a mature industry.
The first step to create a successful PPC campaign is to define your unique value proposition (UVP). This is what makes your business different from your competitors and why customers should choose you. Your UVP should be clear, concise, and compelling. It should also be aligned with your target audience's needs, pain points, and goals. You can use your UVP to craft your ad copy, landing pages, and call to action (CTA).
If you don't have a differentiator then using SEM in a mature industry can kill you with the cost per click rates. Here is a simple way to find your Value Proposition: 1. List down all the competitors 2. Note down all the common values each and everyone has. 3. Once you do that, go through the list of comp again and note down the propositions which are unique to each Based on the above data, you have the values which are supposed to be available in that industry. And the unique angles each comp has taken. Find the gap and make it yours.
Make sure that your product, is not marketed like the others. Liquid death for example, sells water. Yet the marketing is targeted to a whole different audience. Swim from a red ocean to a blue ocean through a different customer archetype. Look what your competitors have in common, such as archetype. and do the opposite. Water is peaceful overall, and is marketed as such. Liquid death is the only one who did it different and marketed water as if it's deadly.
In a mature industry, nailing your PPC game starts with a killer Unique Value Proposition (UVP). Make it crystal clear why you're the go-to choice. Align it with what your audience craves and tailor your ad copy, landing pages, and CTAs to sing that unique tune. Your UVP is your PPC secret sauce.
In a mature industry, PPC (Pay-Per-Click) can rejuvenate business by targeting niche keywords, emphasizing unique value propositions, and crafting compelling ad copy. Focus on remarketing to re-engage previous visitors. Leverage ad extensions to provide additional information and stand out. Implement A/B testing to optimize ad performance continually. Utilize demographic targeting to tailor campaigns to specific audience segments. Monitor competitors and adjust bidding strategies accordingly. Employ data analytics to refine campaigns, emphasizing ROI. Establish a strong presence on both search and display networks to reach diverse audiences. Adapting PPC strategies ensures sustained relevance and competitiveness in mature industries.
The next step is to research your competitors and keywords . You need to know what your competitors are doing, what keywords they are targeting, and how they are performing. You can use tools like SEMrush, SpyFu, or Google Ads Keyword Planner to get insights into your competitors' strategies, bids, budgets, and ad copy. You can also use these tools to find relevant keywords for your own campaign, based on your UVP, audience, and goals. You should aim for a mix of high-volume, low-competition, and long-tail keywords that match your customers' intent and stage of the buyer's journey.
When it comes to keywords research for SEM marketing, I use the Google keyword planner. Next, I analyze these keywords to figure out my competitors strategies and ranking. Then I bid a mix of high-volume, low competition, and long tail keywords.
I like to use Spyfu to get broad-level data on what's going on with the Competitor in terms of their Budgets, overlaps with other websites and a few top keywords. Next, I use SEMrush to find the top-performing keywords, ad copies and creatives. Now we even have a Google ads transparency library that can help us understand the media mix being used. Using the above information, and combining it with the USP + Keyword Research. (keyword planner is my go-to tool) we can create a good theme-based structure for campaigns and allocate budgets efficiently.
Digital Marketer | SEO Consultant | Google Analytics | Content Marketer | Traveler
When it comes to doing keyword research in PPC, I prefer to use the Google Keyword Planner tool. Once the keyword research is done, I analyze these keywords to find out my competitor's strategies and ranking. I also use SEMRush to do the competitor analysis and keywords analysis. After that bid a mix of high volume, low competition long tail keywords to get the most out of the Ad campaign.
The third step is to segment and target your audience . You need to understand who your ideal customers are, what they are looking for, and how they behave online. You can use tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Audience Network, or Google Ads Audience Manager to create and analyze your audience segments. You can also use these tools to target your audience based on various criteria, such as demographics, location, interests, behavior, and device. You should create different ad groups and campaigns for each audience segment, and tailor your ad copy, landing pages, and CTA accordingly.
Segmenting keywords based on the intent themes is the key step which makes or breaks the campaigns. If keywords are not divided into relevant themes, the ad for each type of query will be the same, thus decreasing the relevance. The same will happen with the landing page. Due to this, your Quality Score will suffer and you are going to pay a higher cost for each click. Your impressions share will be low and the campaigns will burn out. So once your keyword research is completed, better to segment it based on the intent and keyword types. For each theme, create a unique ad group, and add a unique ad and landing page. P.S. Landing page structure can be the same but changes in the copy will make the key difference.
When diving into audience segmentation for PPC, precision is the name of the game. Here's a quick roadmap: Demographics: Start with age, gender, location, and income. Tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Insights can give you a solid demographic snapshot. Behavioral Segmentation: Analyze user behavior on your site. Tools like Google Analytics and Hotjar provide insights into what pages users visit and how they interact. Interests and Hobbies: Leverage tools like Facebook Audience Insights and Google Ads Affinity Audiences to target users based on their interests and hobbies. Custom Audiences: Utilize your existing customer data. Platforms like Facebook and Google Ads allow you to upload customer lists for targeted campaigns.
The fourth step is to test and optimize your ads and landing pages. You need to measure and improve your PPC performance, based on your key performance indicators (KPIs), such as impressions, clicks, conversions, cost per click (CPC), and return on ad spend (ROAS). You can use tools like Google Ads, Google Optimize, or Unbounce to run A/B tests, multivariate tests, or split tests on your ads and landing pages. You can also use these tools to optimize your ads and landing pages for quality score, relevance, and user experience. You should test different elements of your ads and landing pages, such as headlines, images, copy, CTA, layout, and design.
Digital Marketer | SEO Consultant | Google Analytics | Content Marketer | Traveler
Testing and optimizing your ads and landing pages in PPC is like fine-tuning a melody. Here's your playbook: A/B Testing: Create variations of your ads and landing pages. Test one element at a time—headline, CTA, imagery—and track performance. Landing Page Relevance: Ensure your landing page directly aligns with the ad. Page Speed Optimization: Fast-loading pages keep users engaged. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can highlight areas for improvement. Mobile Optimization: With many users on mobile, ensure your landing pages are mobile-friendly. Ad Schedule Testing: Experiment with different times and days for running your ads. Ad Copy Refinement: Continuously refine your ad copy based on what resonates with your audience.
The fifth step is to monitor and adjust your bids and budget. You need to manage your PPC spending, based on your goals, ROI, and competition. You can use tools like Google Ads, Google Ads Editor, or Google Ads Scripts to automate and control your bids and budget. You can also use these tools to set up rules, alerts, and bid strategies, such as manual, enhanced, or smart bidding. You should monitor and adjust your bids and budget regularly, based on your campaign performance, market trends, and seasonality.
Digital Marketer | SEO Consultant | Google Analytics | Content Marketer | Traveler
Keeping tabs on your PPC bids and budget is crucial for smooth sailing. Regularly check campaign performance using tools like Google Ads. Analyze keyword and placement success, adjusting bids for optimal exposure. Monitor budget usage, allocating more to high-performing areas. Consider seasonal adjustments and explore automated bidding for efficiency. Stay competitive with strategic bid changes based on competitor moves. Analyze performance data for different times and days, adjusting bids accordingly. Finding the sweet spot ensures your PPC ship navigates toward success.
The sixth and final step is to experiment and innovate. You need to keep up with the changes and opportunities in the PPC landscape, such as new features, formats, platforms, and trends. You can use tools like Google Ads, Google Trends, or Google Marketing Platform to discover and try new PPC options, such as video ads, display ads, remarketing ads, or shopping ads. You can also use these tools to integrate your PPC campaigns with other digital marketing channels, such as SEO, social media, email, or content marketing. You should experiment and innovate with your PPC campaigns, based on your UVP, audience, and goals.
To stand out in a mature industry you need to keep experimenting with the keywords, ad copies and landing pages. For one of my clients, we had to stand out in a very crowded shopping listings. So first what I did was see the elements of shopping campaigns that the competitors are using. Their images, the background colour, the angle of the product, the headline, offers etc. Then for my client, we did the opposite of everything that the competitors were doing. For example, the listing was filled with dark-coloured variants of the product, so we added a lighter one. The images had white backgrounds, we added a light greyish background. It worked like a charm in our favour and helped us stand out,
PPC is a game-changer even in mature industries, injecting fresh vitality into established businesses. Leverage long-tail keywords to capture niche opportunities and focus on precise targeting. Crafting compelling ad copy that highlights unique value propositions and innovations can help break through industry norms. Continuous A/B testing ensures your ads stay sharp, while strategic bidding and budget management optimize ROI. Embrace remarketing to stay top-of-mind with your audience. In a mature industry, PPC becomes not just a tool for visibility but a dynamic force for differentiation and sustained growth.