When it comes to Pay Per Click advertising (PPC), retail heavyweights such as Amazon may hold a certain advantage due to their big pockets – but they definitely don’t hold all the cards. Thomas Coppen of Keel Over Marketing offers 5 tips for ecommerce marketers to get the most out of Google’s AdWords programme.
Google AdWords is a great way for any business to find new customers. It has a plethora of benefits, and can produce immediate results if you use it in the right way, almost guaranteeing a sizable ROI.
However, AdWords can be a complicated beast to master if you choose to go it alone rather than outsourcing to a PPC agency, so listed below are certain key factors you need to be aware of in order for your campaign to be a success.
1. Don’t send people to your home page
Send them to a landing page!
If someone clicks on your ad expecting to find thermal clothing, for example, but instead are taken to a generic homepage, they’re unlikely to go to the effort of searching the rest of your site for their winter warmers.
If, however, your ad directs them to a landing page that showcases said garments, they’re much more likely to convert to a sale. You should always make it as easy as possible for potential customers to complete transactions.
2. Make sure your ads are correctly targeted
In the advert setup, there is a drop-down box where you can select ‘Broad,’ ‘Phrase’ or ‘Exact.’ Make sure you select either Phrase or Exact. Do not select Broad.
AdWords management can be tricky and selecting Broad restricts your chances of connecting with your target audience, meaning you’ll be more likely to burn through your budget very quickly.
For example, if the keywords for your advert are ‘PVC coat’ and you select Broad, your ad will appear in generic searches for coats and jackets. Your keywords will also display for any of the words in any order. This is not targeted.
Selecting Phrase, however, means your ad will display in searches with the exact wording, allowing for additional words either before or after (or both). This is more targeted than Broad and you are likely to reach a more focused demographic.
If you select Exact, your advert will only display in searches for ‘PVC Coat’ (in the correct order). This is highly targeted and will only be seen by your target audience.
3. Be negative
Researching the popular keyphrases that people are likely to input when looking for you product is an absolute must, but you should also specify the keywords that you DON’T want your advert to appear for.
If you don’t sell duffel coats, use ‘duffel’ as a negative keyword. And if you want to attract actual buyers rather than people on recon missions, also select words like ‘free’, ‘advice’ and ‘review’ as negatives as well.
4. Use location targeting
AdWords marketers need to contemplate more than just keywords, though, and careful consideration should be given to exactly where in the world you want your ads to be seen. Making use of AdWords Location Targeting enables you to focus attention on particular market zones, thus improving your chances of getting noticed by the right people.
For example, if you’re based in London and don’t ship overseas, it’s unlikely that you want your advert to be seen by people in New York. The more specific you are, the better your ROI.
5. Get analytical
Google Analytics is a brilliant tool for keeping you on track, allowing you to monitor multiple campaigns to see exactly what works and where improvements need to be made.
Measuring the effectiveness of each ad is the only way to ensure success, and you can also run different variations to see which one performs better over time. You can also gain a clearer insight into conversion rates by using Analytics to track PayPal; these payments are usually registered as coming directly from PayPal, but you can override this in order to see how many transactions are actually completed on your site.
By following the above tips you’ll soon be on the way to creating a successful AdWords campaign that is sure to kickstart your ecommerce site.
About the Author: Thomas Coppen is the UK Director of online advertisers, Keel Over Marketing. After receiving funding and mentorship from former Dragons’ Den investor James Caan, Thomas has gone on to secure an international client base. You can connect with Keel Over on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.