Do you have an account where performance has gone stagnate? Volume tends to remain relatively flat despite your ongoing optimizations? Or maybe you have a new account and you are looking for ways to grow volume and have an immediate impact on performance?
These are both very common scenarios that PPC managers face on a regular basis. To help combat the sleepy account syndrome, I’ve decided to use my fellow Account Managers at Hanapin as a focus group to come up with 7 tips to help boost performance and grow incremental volume.
1. Conversion Rate Optimization
How do you increase your conversions? Increase your conversion rate! One of the ways you can do this is by doing landing page testing using a tool like Optimizely (there are many out there but this is one that I’m most familiar with). You don’t have to be an expert in javascript to do landing page testing. Just place a pixel on the page and then you are able to test several different versions of your landing page. Making the smallest changes sometimes can make a BIG difference. A few CRO tests that have proven to be successful include: changing the font size, using opposite colors on the color wheel for the call-to-action of a button.
Recently we ran a CRO test that focused on the call-to-action button by moving it above the fold, changing the color and the call to action. The new version of the landing page saw a 71% increase in conversion rate compared to the original page. To learn more about CRO check out this webinar by our very own British Sam and Crazy Egg.
2. Remarketing For Search
Remarketing for search gives you an opportunity to play ball on some of those more expensive generic terms that you normally wouldn’t be able to bid on by using the same remarketing tag that you already have on your site if you are running display remarketing. For example, if you are a small retailer that sells trinkets and gifts you may not be able to compete on a term like “stocking stuffers” over the holidays without completely destroying your ROI but with remarketing for search, you can. You are able to target people in the Google search network that have already expressed interest in your product and help move them through the funnel.
3. Ad Extensions – Sitelinks Google and Bing
This is a pretty standard go-to move to help increase clicks and click through rates. By utilizing all the sitelinks you have more coverage on the SERPs. There have been many updates, especially in Google, lately for sitelinks. They shortened sitelinks to 25 characters but now allow a description for each sitelink so you can take up even more space. Google also recently made a change to their rank algorithm that takes into consideration ad extensions so if this is something you aren’t currently doing you should start, ASAP!
4. Facebook Custom and Lookalike Audiences
If you are currently running a Facebook program or just getting started, Facebook Custom and Lookalike Audiences are a great way to grow your account efficiently. Custom Audiences let you take a list of clients and target the clients, or people similar to them on directly on Facebook. We are running this in one of our accounts and are seeing 78% lower CPAs compared to other channels. Here is an article with more information on how to set this up in your account.
5. Mobile & PPC Specific Landing Pages
Another big win for growing volume in stagnant accounts mentioned in the focus group of account managers was creating specific landing pages for PPC and for Mobile. Having content that is specific to what the ad and the user is searching for is imperative in helping increase conversion rates. And whether we like it or not, mobile is here and not going anywhere anytime soon. Ads that have a mobile specific ad and mobile site showed significantly higher CTRs and CVRs. There are many companies that you can use to easily build mobile sites relatively easy. One that I’ve used in the past that I found reasonable and easy to use is Mobile Hippo.
6. Going Beyond Google – Alternative PPC Options
While Google still holds approximately 70% of the market share, that leaves 30% still out there ripe for the taking. Bing is an obvious next choice. Bing typically yields lower CPCs (depending on the terms) and is a great way to expand your account efficiently. In addition to Bing, I’ve personally seen success on other channels like Yahoo Stream Ads and Retargeting platforms like AdRoll. Fellow blogger Kayla lists 10 Alternatives to Google in this article if you are looking for ways to increase incremental conversions.
7. Location Bid Modifiers
One of my favorite features of enhanced campaigns is the ability to adjust bid modifiers by location within your campaign. Instead of having to segment a bunch of campaigns by state or region, you are now able to simply run a day-part analysis and adjust your location bid modifiers directly in your campaigns. This has been a great tool to push or pull back in specific geo areas, for example by state, and allow for efficient growth. Here is an article by Carrie on things to know about day-parting.
Hopefully these tips will give you some ideas to wake up that sleepy account of yours and kick off the New Year at full speed. Let us know if you have any other tips that are your go-to move for jump-starting your accounts!
