Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising PlayBook That Will Help You Get More Customers

Attracting new customers requires a targeted and data-driven approach. PPC (pay-per-click) advertising remains a powerful tool for reaching high-intent audiences actively searching for solutions you offer.?

But with the constant evolution of PPC platforms and consumer behavior, staying ahead of the curve is crucial.?

This comprehensive guideline will help you understand PPC advertising in 2024 and bring in a steady stream of new customers.

What is PPC and How Does PPC Marketing Work

PPC stands for pay-per-click, a form of online advertising where you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. It's a popular way to drive targeted traffic to your website or landing page.

Here's a breakdown of how PPC works:

• Bidding on Keywords: You choose keywords relevant to your product or service that users might search for. You then bid on these keywords, essentially indicating the maximum amount you're willing to pay each time someone clicks on your ad triggered by that keyword.
• Ad Auction: When someone searches for a keyword you've bid on, an ad auction occurs behind the scenes. Different advertisers compete, with factors like bid amount and ad quality influencing which ad gets shown.
• Ad Placement: The winner of the auction gets their ad displayed in prominent positions on search engine results pages (SERPs) or other platforms like social media. These ads are typically marked as "Sponsored" or "Ad."
• Clicks and Conversions: Ideally, users interested in what you offer will click on your ad, landing on your website or designated landing page. Here, you hope to convert that click into a sale, lead, or desired action.

The best PPC ad networks used by businesses in Kenya

Here are some of the most popular PPC ad networks used by businesses in Kenya:

Search Engine Advertising (SEA)

• Google Ads: The dominant player globally, Google Ads offers a vast reach and granular targeting options, making it suitable for most businesses.
• Microsoft Advertising: While not as widely used as Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising encompasses both Bing Ads and programmatic advertising options across the Microsoft Search Network and other partner sites. This can be a valuable option for businesses looking to expand their reach beyond Google search.

Social Media Advertising

• Meta Ads: This is the overarching platform where you can manage both Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads campaigns from a single dashboard.
• Facebook Ads: An excellent platform for reaching a broad audience based on demographics, interests, and online behavior.
• Instagram Ads: Ideal for visually appealing products or services, Instagram Ads allow you to target users based on their interests and the accounts they follow.
• Twitter Ads: A great platform for B2B businesses or those targeting users interested in real-time updates and discussions.
• LinkedIn Ads: A targeted platform specifically for B2B businesses, allowing you to reach professionals based on industry, job title, and other criteria.

What is a PPC Strategy?

A PPC strategy is an overall plan for using PPC advertising to achieve your specific marketing objectives.? It's like a roadmap that guides your PPC campaigns, ensuring they are cohesive, targeted, and deliver the results you desire.

How to Create an Effective PPC Advertising Strategy

Here is a guide on what you can do:

Chapter 1: Building a Solid PPC Foundation

• Understanding PPC: Break down the core concepts of PPC advertising, including campaign structures, bidding strategies, and key metrics like click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate.
• Defining Your Goals: Determine your specific PPC objectives. Are you aiming for brand awareness, lead generation, or driving sales? Aligning your goals with your campaign structure is crucial.
• Knowing Your Audience: Conduct thorough audience research to understand your ideal customer's demographics, needs, and pain points. This knowledge informs your keyword selection and ad copywriting.

Chapter 2: Keyword Research?

• Keyword Brainstorming: Utilize keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner to identify relevant keywords with high search volume and low competition.
• Prioritizing Keywords: Focus on a mix of high-volume, broad keywords and long-tail keywords with lower search volume but higher conversion intent.
• Staying Agile: Continuously monitor search trends and update your keyword strategy to capture new opportunities and adapt to evolving user behavior.

Chapter 3: Crafting Compelling Ad Copy that Converts

• Headlines that Grab Attention: Write clear, concise headlines that incorporate your target keywords and highlight your unique selling proposition (USP).
• Benefit-Driven Descriptions: Craft compelling descriptions that showcase the benefits your product or service offers and address the searcher's intent.
• Clear Calls to Action (CTAs): Tell users exactly what you want them to do, whether it's "Visit Website," "Download Now," or "Contact Us."

Chapter 4: Landing Pages

• Seamless User Experience: Ensure your landing pages align seamlessly with your ad copy and offer a positive user experience.
• Conversion Optimization: Implement conversion optimization strategies like A/B testing different headlines, layouts, and CTAs to maximize conversions.
• Mobile-Friendliness: In today's mobile-first world, guarantee your landing pages are optimized for all devices.

Chapter 5: Campaign Management and Optimization

• Leveraging Automation: Utilize automated bidding tools offered by PPC platforms to optimize your bids for conversions within your budget.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Regularly monitor your campaign performance metrics and make data-driven adjustments to improve your CTR, conversion rate, and overall ROI.
• Embrace Continuous Testing: A/B test different ad variations, keywords, and landing pages to identify the elements that resonate most with your audience.

Chapter 6:? Advanced Strategies for 2024

• The Power of PPC for Local Businesses: Explore location targeting features and extensions to dominate local search results and attract customers in your area.
• Remarketing: Keep Your Brand Top-of-Mind: Retarget website visitors who haven't converted with relevant display ads across various platforms.
• The Rise of Voice Search: Optimize your campaigns for voice search queries by incorporating long-tail keywords and natural language.

PPC Account Structure: Campaigns, Ad Groups, Keywords & More

Building an effective PPC campaign requires a well-organized account structure. Here's a breakdown of the key elements:

Campaigns & Ad Groups

• Campaigns: campaigns are broad themes encompassing your PPC efforts. For instance, an advertiser might create a "Coffee Tables" campaign.
• Ad Groups: Within a campaign, you'll further categorize using ad groups. These themed subcategories group related keywords and ads. Think of them as subfolders within your "Coffee Tables" campaign, such as "Oval Coffee Tables," "Long Coffee Tables," and "Round Coffee Tables."

Keywords: The Trigger for Your Ads

Each ad group houses themed keyword variations. For example, the "Oval Coffee Tables" ad group might contain keywords like "oval coffee tables," "coffee tables oval," and "oval coffee tables on sale."

• Match Types: Fine-Tuning Your Reach: Keywords have match types that define when your ads appear. Here are some common ones:
• Exact Match: Your ad shows only for precisely typed queries (e.g., "oval coffee table").
• Phrase Match: Your ad shows for queries containing the exact phrase in the correct order (e.g., "buy oval coffee table"). Variations and misspellings might be included (e.g., "buying oval coffee table").
• Broad Match: Your ad reaches a wider audience with queries containing your keywords in any order, potentially including similar searches (e.g., "modern coffee table").

Negative Keywords: Filtering Out Unwanted Traffic

Not all clicks are created equal. Negative keywords help exclude irrelevant searches. For instance, someone searching for "free coffee table" isn't a potential buyer. Adding "free" as a negative keyword prevents your ad from showing for such queries. Businesses selling high-end products might add "cheap" or "bargain" as negative keywords.

Audiences: Targeting Beyond Keywords

Audiences go beyond just keywords. They allow you to target specific user groups based on various factors. Often used in remarketing, audiences can be built based on website interactions like page views, time spent, or pages visited. Similar to keywords, you can bid on audiences based on their relevance. For example, you might bid higher to reach users who abandoned their shopping carts compared to those who only visited the homepage.

By understanding these core components, you can create a well-structured PPC account that delivers targeted ads and maximizes your campaign effectiveness.

PPC Campaign Types

Understanding these different campaign types is crucial for crafting targeted campaigns that achieve the results you desire. Here's a breakdown of some common PPC campaign types, along with the unique advantages they offer:

1. Search Network Campaigns (SNCs)

The bread and butter of PPC, SNCs display your ads on search engine results pages (SERPs) when users enter relevant keywords.

They are ideal for driving traffic to your website and generating leads or sales from users actively searching for products or services like yours.

2. Display Network Campaigns (DNCs)

DNCs leverage the vast network of websites and apps partnered with the platform to display your ads in banner, text, or video formats.

They are excellent for brand awareness campaigns, re-targeting website visitors, and promoting special offers to a broader audience.

3. Shopping Campaigns

Shopping campaigns showcase your product listings directly on search engine results pages (SERPs) and other platforms.

They are perfect for e-commerce businesses, allowing users to compare prices and easily navigate to your product pages.

4. App Install Campaigns

As the name suggests, these campaigns aim to drive app downloads and installations.

You can target users based on demographics, interests, and online behavior to reach potential app users.

5. Local Services Ads

Perfect for local businesses, local services ads display your business information and contact details in prominent positions on search results pages and maps.

They are ideal for driving calls, visits to your physical location, or online bookings.

6. Smart Campaigns

Designed for simplicity, smart campaigns streamline the process by automatically managing bids, targeting, and ad creation using machine learning.

They are well-suited for beginners or businesses with limited PPC experience, but may offer less control over targeting options.

Choosing Your Weapon:

The best campaign type for your business depends on your specific goals. Here's a quick guide:

• Brand awareness: Display Network Campaigns, Social Media Ads
• Lead generation: Search Network Campaigns, Landing Page Ads
• Website traffic: Search Network Campaigns, Remarketing Campaigns
• App downloads: App Install Campaigns
• In-store visits: Local Services Ads
• Online sales: Shopping Campaigns

Remember, PPC campaigns are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Experiment with different campaign types, track their performance, and refine your approach to achieve maximum impact for your business objectives.

Advanced Targeting Options

Once you've chosen your campaign types, it's time to delve deeper and tailor your targeting to reach the exact audience you desire. Here's a look at some advanced targeting options that can significantly enhance your PPC campaigns:

Reaching Users on the Right Devices

Ads can be displayed across desktops/laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. While search engines consider desktops and laptops similar enough for the same bid,? mobile devices offer more flexibility.? You can set bid modifiers to adjust your bids for mobile traffic.? For instance, a $1.00 bid with a -50% mobile modifier lowers your mobile bid to $0.50, while a 150% modifier would increase it to $1.50. This allows you to prioritize placements based on the devices your target audience uses most.

Laser-Focused Location Targeting

The beauty of PPC lies in its granular targeting capabilities.? You can define your target audience down to the zip code level. Imagine you only want your ads shown in Iowa –? PPC allows you to achieve this with pinpoint accuracy.? Furthermore,? location bid modifiers let you set different bids for various regions within your campaign. This is helpful if you anticipate higher conversions in specific areas and want to optimize your budget accordingly.

Controlling When Your Ads Appear

PPC empowers you to schedule ad delivery based on your preferences.? An e-commerce store might benefit from running ads 24/7 to capture nighttime shoppers.? In contrast, a brick-and-mortar store might choose to show ads only during their business hours.? Ad scheduling provides this control, ensuring your ads reach potential customers when they're most likely to engage.

Taking Advantage of Bid Adjustments

Just like with devices and locations, you can leverage bid modifiers to adjust your bids for specific days and times.? For example, if weekends historically drive more sales, you can set a 20%? bid modifier to increase your bids on Saturdays and Sundays.? Conversely, if you experience low-quality traffic between midnight and 4 AM,? an 80% negative modifier can significantly reduce your costs during those hours.

Setting Ad Campaign Budgets

Each campaign has a designated daily budget, allowing you to control your spending.? It's crucial to set budgets that align with your overall marketing goals.

Choosing Your Delivery Method

There are two primary delivery methods for showing your ads:

• Standard Delivery: This method spreads your ad impressions evenly throughout the day. It's suitable for advertisers with budget constraints who want consistent ad visibility. However, under this option, your ads might not show at all times depending on your budget.
• Accelerated Delivery: This method prioritizes showing your ads as quickly as possible until your budget is depleted. This is ideal for advertisers with more flexibility who want maximum exposure for their ads.

Optimizing Ad Delivery

Google offers two options for how your ads are delivered:

• Optimize: Google prioritizes showing the ads it predicts will generate the most clicks.
• Rotate Indefinitely: Ads are displayed more evenly within the ad auction, but without optimization towards specific goals like clicks or conversions.

Choosing the right delivery method and optimization option depends on your campaign goals.? Consider whether you prioritize maximizing clicks or optimizing for a specific conversion action.

By effectively utilizing these advanced targeting options, you can craft highly focused PPC campaigns that reach the right audience at the right time, ultimately maximizing your return on investment (ROI).

Technical Side of PPC: Conversion Tracking, Extensions & More

Effective PPC campaigns rely heavily on technical aspects that track performance and enhance your ads.? Here's a breakdown of some key elements:

Measuring Success: Conversion Tracking

Imagine conversions as the gold standard of PPC success.? These are actions users take after clicking your ad, such as making a purchase, subscribing to a newsletter, or downloading a whitepaper.

Both Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising allow you to create conversion goals to gauge how your campaigns are performing.? They provide code snippets you place on key pages (like order confirmation pages) to track whether ad clicks convert into valuable actions.

Google Ads Conversion Tracking Options:

• Website Conversions: Track actions taken on your website, like purchases, form submissions, or button clicks.
• Mobile App Conversions: Measure in-app activity triggered by ad clicks.
• Phone Calls: Track calls generated through call extensions directly within your ads.
• Offline Conversions: Import data from CRM or sales software to track conversions happening offline (e.g., phone calls leading to sales).
• Google Analytics: Link your Google Ads account to Google Analytics for a more comprehensive view of the user journey after clicking on your ad. This helps you understand how users interact with your website beyond just conversions.

Connecting the Dots: Linking Accounts

For a holistic view of your PPC efforts, consider linking your Google Ads account to other relevant platforms:

• Google Analytics: As mentioned above, this provides valuable insights into user behavior after clicking your ads. Link your accounts by entering your Google Ads ID in the Google Analytics "Admin" section.
• Google Merchant Center: This is crucial for running Google Shopping campaigns (product listing ads). Connect them by entering your Google Ads ID in the Merchant Center's "Settings" section.
• Google My Business: If you have a brick-and-mortar store, linking your Google My Business account to Google Ads allows you to display your business address within location extensions, improving local visibility.

Remarketing: Reconnect with Past Visitors

Remarketing allows you to show targeted ads to users who have previously interacted with your website.? This is a powerful way to stay top-of-mind and nudge them towards conversion.? Setting up remarketing code in Google Ads is a simple process involving placing a tag on all your website pages.

Enhancing Your Ads: Ad Extensions

Think of ad extensions as superpowers for your basic PPC ads. These are additional details that showcase valuable information about your business, making your ads more prominent and informative.? Here are some common extensions:

• Sitelink Extensions: Add additional links within your ad, allowing users to navigate deeper into relevant sections of your website.
• Location Extensions: Perfect for brick-and-mortar businesses, these extensions display your business address and can be linked to Google Maps for easy navigation.
• Call Extensions: Make it easy for mobile users to call your business directly from your ad with click-to-call functionality.
• App Extensions: Promote app downloads and engagement by showcasing your app within your ads (available in Google Ads only).

Building Trust with Extensions

Several extensions go beyond basic information and can build trust with potential customers:

• Consumer Ratings Extensions (Google Ads only): Automatically showcase your business ratings based on trusted customer surveys, adding credibility to your ads.
• Seller Ratings Extensions (Google Ads only): Similar to consumer ratings, these extensions display ratings pulled from trusted review websites, demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction.
• By implementing these technical aspects effectively, you can gain valuable insights into your PPC performance,? enhance your ads with informative extensions, and ultimately drive more conversions for your business.

Supercharge Your PPC Campaigns with These Powerful Tools

The world of PPC is a dynamic one, and search engines are constantly innovating to improve their platforms. As an account manager, you're entrusted with maximizing campaign performance while keeping your clients happy. Luckily, there's a whole arsenal of tools at your disposal to not only justify budget increases but also ensure optimal campaign effectiveness. Let's delve into some of these game-changers:

Gain Insights from Change History

Both Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising offer a treasure trove of information within their change history features. This acts like a timeline, meticulously recording every tweak you've made, from bid adjustments to adding sitelinks. You'll see who made the changes (by alias or login email), along with the exact date and time. The best part? This data is exportable, allowing for easy analysis and future reference.

Unearth Powerful Keywords with Keyword Planner

Google Ads' Keyword Planner is your secret weapon for crafting winning campaigns. This tool empowers you to discover and meticulously plan your keywords and ad groups. It even provides valuable insights into projected performance metrics. Leverage this data to establish realistic starting bids and budgets for your PPC endeavors.

Target the Right Audience with Display Planner

The Display Network offers a vast landscape to reach your target audience. But how do you navigate it effectively? Enter Display Planner, your one-stop shop for crafting strategic Display Network campaigns. This tool identifies websites, keywords, topics, and interests that resonate with your ideal customers. It even recommends a plethora of fresh websites, apps, and video channels to expand your reach.

Diagnose Ad Visibility with Ad Preview and Diagnostics

Ever wondered why your ad isn't showing for a specific search term? Google Ads' Ad Preview and Diagnostics tool sheds light on this mystery. Simply input your desired location and language, and the tool will analyze in the background, delivering insights into why your ad might not be appearing.

Organize and Optimize with Labels

Think of labels as digital Post-It notes for your PPC campaigns. These built-in Google Ads features allow you to categorize campaigns, ad groups, keywords, and even individual ads.? Whether you want to track ad creation dates or highlight top performers, labels are your friend. They become especially crucial for managing accounts with multiple stakeholders or segmented campaigns with distinct goals. With proper labeling, analyzing campaign performance for specific initiatives becomes a breeze.

Automate Repetitive Tasks with Automated Rules (Google Ads Only)

Say goodbye to tedious manual adjustments! Google Ads' automated rules are a game-changer. Define your desired performance criteria and set these rules to run on a pre-determined schedule. This frees you from repetitive tasks, allowing you to focus on higher-level strategic decisions. However, remember, automation should never replace human expertise.? Consider setting performance thresholds or safety nets to prevent unexpected dips in campaign performance.

The Power of PPC Reporting: Insights to Drive Success

In the fast-paced world of PPC, data is king. But without clear and actionable insights, that data is just a collection of numbers. Here's where PPC reporting comes in, transforming raw information into a powerful tool for campaign optimization and client satisfaction.

The Art of Storytelling with Data

A well-crafted PPC report isn't just a dump of metrics. It's a compelling narrative that tells the story of your campaigns' performance. This story should focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with your client's goals.? Are you aiming for increased leads, website traffic, or conversions? Highlight the data that demonstrates progress towards those objectives.

Key Metrics: Your Performance Compass

There's a treasure trove of data available in PPC platforms, but focusing on the essentials is key. Here are some must-have metrics for your PPC reports:

• Impressions: The number of times your ad was displayed.
• Clicks: The number of times users interacted with your ad.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): (Clicks / Impressions) x 100. This reveals how effective your ads are at grabbing attention.
• Cost-per-Click (CPC): Total cost / Clicks. Tracks how much you pay for each click.
• Conversions: The number of desired actions taken by users, such as purchases or form submissions.
• Conversion Rate: (Conversions / Clicks) x 100. Measures the effectiveness of your landing pages in converting clicks into actions.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Total revenue generated / Total ad spend. The ultimate metric for assessing campaign profitability.

Visualizations: Painting a Clear Picture

Don't overwhelm your audience with raw numbers. Utilize charts, graphs, and other visual elements to make data easily digestible. Use color effectively to highlight positive trends or areas needing attention.

Beyond the Numbers: Insights and Recommendations

Don't stop at just reporting the data.? Analyze it and provide actionable insights.? Are there underperforming keywords that need tweaking?? Is there a specific audience segment driving better results?? Use your expertise to identify areas for improvement and suggest optimization strategies.

Tailored Reports for Different Audiences

Remember, your reports should cater to your audience.? For clients, focus on high-level performance metrics and the overall campaign ROI.? For internal stakeholders, you might delve deeper into granular data and technical details.

Schedule Regular Reporting

Don't wait for the end of the campaign to share results.? Establish a regular reporting schedule, whether it's weekly, monthly, or quarterly.? This allows for ongoing monitoring and course correction if needed.

By mastering the art of PPC reporting, you can transform data into a strategic advantage.? You'll not only demonstrate the value you bring to clients but also gain valuable insights to continuously refine your campaigns and achieve optimal results.

Get PPC Support LeadCare Digital Marketing Agency - Call or WhatsApp 0100 881089

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a potent weapon for driving targeted traffic and conversions.? We're your one-stop shop for maximizing your PPC ROI and achieving your marketing goals.

Here's how LeadCare empowers your PPC success:

• Data-Driven Strategies: We don't believe in guesswork. Our team leverages in-depth data analysis to craft targeted campaigns that resonate with your ideal audience.
• Keyword Mastery: We meticulously research and implement high-performing keywords to ensure your ads appear when your target audience is searching for relevant products or services.
• Compelling Ad Creation: We craft captivating ad copy that grabs attention and compels clicks. We know how to make your message stand out in a crowded digital marketplace.
• Landing Page Optimization: We don't stop at clicks. We optimize your landing pages to convert clicks into valuable leads or sales.
• Performance Monitoring and Optimization: We constantly monitor your campaigns, analyzing data and making strategic adjustments to maximize performance and ROI.
• Transparency and Communication: We believe in clear communication. You'll receive regular reports detailing campaign performance and our optimization strategies.
• LeadCare goes beyond just managing campaigns. We become your trusted partner, working collaboratively to understand your unique business goals and develop a customized PPC strategy that delivers measurable results.

Ready to unlock the true potential of PPC advertising? Contact LeadCare Digital Marketing Agency today and watch your campaigns soar!