Paid Search: From Ads To Applications

What is Paid Search? How do we use it? How can it be used by MBA Programs to "convert" on applications?

Over the past two years, as our world was put on pause and everyone turned to technology, online advertising, and the competition for SERP dominance, has jumped exponentially. Altering business approaches to your online audience whether through an organic search or paid advertising presence is crucial to success during these times. Paid Search, is immediately measurable, more controllable than traditional forms of advertising, and if used properly, can create a network of relevant ad experiences for your customers to convert on.

Paid search allows you to tailor to your more specific market more than organic search alone, so making sure you know your market before investing in paid search is essential. Paid search puts your Ads right in front of those target audiences if they fall within certain quality and relevancy bandwidths. In this case, keywords and quality are key.

The Process of Paid Search works similarly across Ad Platforms, Such as Google or Bing:

1. Select Location: Select where you want your ads to show by city, state, zip, etc.
2. Select Keywords: Decide which words and phrases are going to be best for your users. There are many software available that can help search and source the best keywords for your business.
3. Choose Keyword Match Types: Keyword types fall into various Match Categories: Exact Match, Phrase, Broad, Modified Broad, and Negative
4. Create Ads: Create the Ad that your users are going to see. Make sure that your keywords and phrases are incorporated into your Ad, along with Calls to Actions(CTA) to turn viewers into clickers
5. Bid on Ads: Set the amount you're willing to pay per click (PPC) on each Ad that contains your keywords. Bids can be changed for each keyword, and they can also vary by essentiality/utility in the market and which Ad program you're working with.
6. Extensions: Extensions can help increase the overall quality of your ad(which ups your ranking) and increase your refutability among consumers looking at your link. Show your ratings, where you're located, your number, a price, callouts(additional info about your business), and site links to additional pages
7. Launch: Once you're prepped and ready to go, post your Ad to the masses! Within a few hours, your Ad should get posted.
8. Pay (Nothing's Free Right?): When you set up an account you will set up a form of payment as well. Once you've met a particular click threshold or once 30 days have passed, your account will be charged.

Post Production

After you post your Ad and start getting feedback, you can begin to adjust and inspect accordingly. You can adjust your bids based on the traffic that you're getting behind each of your keywords and check your search term report to figure out which keywords generated your ads the most. These are the situations you look out for you Negative Keywords that could hinder users from coming across your ads(i.e Your word is "bear" for black bears, "teddy" would be a negative keyword)

Who Does It Better? Google Vs. Bing

Though the steps for Paid Search can be similar in a lot of aspects, they do have differences that can be more advantageous than others depending on your business size, budget, and capabilities.

Because It's Not Google, Right?

While Google does hold the majority of the overall search market share, that does not always mean it dominates every aspect of PPC. Bing PPC operates through three different engines: Bing, Yahoo, and AOL, with Ads getting published across the three platforms upon Ad Launch. This diversification helps Ad specification, with smaller pools of consumers to adjust to. In addition, Bing's smaller reach allows for less competition, and users shop online 36% more than other leading search engines. Being able to advertise into this more exclusive pool helps produce comparable conversion rates to that of Google.

"Just Google It"

Google's AdWorks has two main networks, the Display Network and Search Network campaigns which allow them to have access to a large majority of searchers. In tandem with these campaigns is Google's own Keyword Planner which can help you find your traffic straight from the source. Being able to reach a larger audience with finer-tuned keywords can be great for conversions, but developing successful SERP-worthy Ads can be difficult in a competition saturated market, so make sure you bring your A-Game from the quality standpoint. Making sure your Ad is interactive, easy to use, engaging, and streamlined to convert organically will set you apart from your counterparts.

Decisions, Decisions

Though it may seem like the choice could easily sway in Google's overwhelming presence, but each Ad Platform has its advantages with its niche. That is what the Paid Search experience is, the idea of niching to your consumers regardless of which platform, and to also use as many platforms as you can to get your business out there to find what works. Observation and calculation will produce results regardless of medium, find which one is the best for your business.

PPC in the PNW: Applications

And now it's time for real-world applications, and in this case, actual applications. How would a university, in this case, Western Washington University, that was tucked in the Pacific Northwest, only 30 minutes from the Canadian border, advertise and entice potential enrollees into their MBA program online? Well, Let's go through the steps.

• Location: An advertiser would want to have a target audience for potential enrollees that was centered around other schools in the state that have good undergraduate business programs. It could also be important to outsource to potential students in Canada granted the proximity. You want to cast a wide, but smart, net.
• Keywords and Keyword Matching: "Keywording" for an MBA program could entail broad phrases such as "MBA Programs in Washington State" or more specifically like "MBA Programs in Western Washington." The pool for this query is already going to be a little exclusive, so refer back to the link of the Best Keyword Research Tools to help narrow the list even further.
• Create The Ad: An advertiser would want to make sure certain aspects are highlighted when promoting an MBA program. Users should be able to see information such as contact numbers, accreditations, accessibility(online or in-person), whether or not the GMAT is required, and tuition rates.

• Set Bids: Decide which keywords to bid on based on keyword research
• Extensions: It would be important to have site links to contact faculty resources, application pages, tuition rates, scholarships, financial aid, and possibly other links entailing the student experience at the university.
• Time to Launch!!!: Ensure that PSO is performed to ensure which links are providing the most traffic and which keywords are proving to be most efficient.

It's Simple Ad-dition, Really

As you can see, paid search has practical applications and you are interacting with them every single day. I'd consider it a "calculated social science" in which you figure out what pieces of a consumer's puzzle can you fill with your Ads. In the Digital Age that we are in, Paid Search is identifying how to take advantage of your locale, your competitors, and your product within your market. Whether it's Google or Bing or some other search engine, you have access to a vast population that is constantly seeking to consume or solve problems, it's just up to you to convert.