3 Tactics to Jumpstart Low Conversion Rates from Paid Search

Are your paid search efforts seeing low conversions? Bring them back to life with these innovative tactics.

Paid search is a microcosm of the ever-expanding world of search engine marketing. Translation: There’s a lot going on in this space. So much so, that even the most agile paid search marketers could be hit with arguably the most dreaded KPI: low conversion rate. While this metric isn’t a place any veteran marketer wants to find themselves in, there are a few innovative ways to get back to business.

Switch up your keywords. Of course, every seasoned pro knows the importance of a well-crafted keyword strategy, but it’s just as important to switch it up when things get stagnant. Using both broad and phrase match keywords can help drive more traffic to your site. Consider revising your keywords and creating ad groups with long-tail, low-competition keywords, too. Not only does it play into getting a great ad position, but also keeps costs low. From here, you can implement a conversion tracking strategy and segment campaigns and SEO efforts by conversion rate. Track conversions by keyword or action track by referral source by looking at a content marketing bump. Segmenting that data by incoming referrals (search engines, direct type-ins, and links) gives you an even better picture of who’s sending you truly valuable traffic.

Implement a Target Return on Ad Spend bidding strategy. Previous ad campaigns are your friend since they provide precedent for how your customers behave. If you have a goal conversion rate in mind, consider performing a Target Return on Ad Spend bidding strategy. If the goal, for example, is to generate $5 for every $10 spent, you could set your bids to maximize conversion based on return.?Though this method can be a bit tricky, it can help it can kill two birds with one stone: increase conversions and keep you within budget. (Your marketing department will thank you!)

Improve the quality score of your landing page. Conversions can be hard to come by if your landing pages aren’t up to par. If KPIs show that page visits are higher than your page views, for example, this could indicate a UX issue, such as confusing navigation. This could impact your page’s quality score, and ultimately, your ad’s position on the SERP. By incorporating new diverse keywords into titles, meta descriptions, site links, and URLs, you can inadvertently help organic search efforts as well, since people who click on organic listings during the research phase typically return to a site through a paid ad -- this can lead to higher conversions. (SEO and PPC synergy at its finest!)

Yes, the paid search realm evolves every day. But with that comes new solutions, tricks, and tips to make your paid search efforts all the more rewarding.?