When it comes to advertising on the internet, your first goal is probably to find new customers. However, your second aim should be to avoid wasting money.
Google AdWords makes it easier than ever to find targeted potential customers who are looking for your product or service at exactly the right moment. However, it’s also easy to use the platform without enough focus or discipline and blow through your marketing budget without generating any real leads or sales.
How do you avoid overspending on Google AdWords PPC campaigns? Here are five pieces of advice to follow…
#1 Not Adjusting Their Account or Campaign Settings
If you don’t change any of your default AdWords account settings you could pay for ad displays (and costly clicks) that don’t fit your customer profile. That’s why you need to adjust for things like location, device type, time of day, language preference, and more, before you start any of your campaigns.
#2 Trying to Target Too Many Searchers
Not everyone who searches any term related to your industry is a good prospect for your product or service. In fact, many searchers are just looking for basic information, or another brand, and wouldn’t be likely to buy from you. By narrowing your search advertising campaigns you can improve click-through rates, improve Google AdWords Quality Scores, and lower ad expenses.
#3 Attempting to Outbid Larger Competitors
It’s always nice to have one of the top Google search ad positions, but that doesn’t mean you should pursue them at any cost. In some markets, large companies dominate the bidding, to the point that it wouldn’t be profitable for a smaller business to secure a top bid position. When that happens it’s smarter to look for niche keywords, restrict ads by geography, or take other steps to avoid head-to-head bidding.
#4 Ignoring Their AdWords Quality Scores
Whether you’re trying to stay ahead of a well-funded competitor or just make the most of your AdWords budget, you should always be trying to achieve 9/10 or 10/10 Quality Scores. When yours are that high you are spending the minimum amount needed to bring targeted visitors to your website. If they’re lower, you’re wasting money on inefficient ads and campaigns.
#5 Failing to Optimize Their Landing Pages for Conversions
Getting visitors to your website is only the first step in a Google AdWords campaign. To make your ads pay off you also have to convert your visits into conversions. For that reason, you should periodically split test your landing pages and study your Google Analytics reports to see if there is room for improvement. You might discover you can double or triple your sales without spending any more on your ads.
Want to Avoid the Biggest PPC Advertising Blunders?
The best way to reduce the learning curve associated with pay-per-click advertising – and make the most of your monthly budget – is to have a team of experienced experts on your side. Contact Biondo Creative in Philadelphia today so we can schedule a free consultation and account review!