Did you know that Shark Tank co-host Sabri Suby is a marketing guru? Pay-Per-Click advertising can be a bit like the wild west of the digital marketing world—fast-paced, unpredictable, and potentially quite profitable. However, just like the pioneers who stacked gold without thinking much about comb-overs, too many businesses leap into PPC headfirst, and often, headlast. Here are five common stumbles that can really knock your marketing ROI off its saddle.
1. Yee-Haw! Aims Without Shooting
First things first, partner. It’s tempting to sashay into PPC holsters blazing, but without clear goals, you might as well be shooting in the dark. Are you aiming to direct more traffic to your saloon doors? Or are you gunning for actual customer conversions? Get your targets straight and calibrate your PPC six-shooters accordingly. Otherwise, you could be blowing through your ammo (and your budget) with little to show for it.
2. The Keywords Showdown
PPC isn’t just about throwing money at Google and hoping for the best. Nay, you’ll need to rustle up some strategic keyword research, lest you end up shelling out for “sarsaparilla” when everyone’s sipping on “cola”. Get the wrong keywords and your PPC campaign might as well be written in invisible ink. Use the tools of the trade to scout out the most wanted—and by wanted, we mean searched—words in your business’s neck of the woods.
3. Crafting Copy that Hits the Mark
Your ad copy isn’t just a bunch of words strung together like cowboy lingo. It’s your first round fired in the battle for customer attention. Neglecting ad copy is like fumbling your revolver during the showdown—totally avoidable, and yet, always a shame. Sharp, specific, and enticing copy is your six-shooter; load it with benefits and CTAs that’ll make even the toughest, stoic cowboy scratch his chin and take notice.
4. Saddle Up Your Landing Page
Your ad piques interest, your link’s the trail it’s following, and your landing page is the destination. It better be a right pretty sight to cow eyes or you’ll lose your prospect quicker than a saloon brawl clears out a bar. Directing clicks to a generic homepage is like telling people the gold’s buried somewhere out in the desert—sure, some might look, but most will just mosey on.
5. Don’t Rob the Bank – Manage Your Budget
Unlimited funds are as rare as hen’s teeth, especially in the PPC game. Careless budgeting is the fastest way this side of the Mississippi to end up with an empty holster and a laundry list of regret. Map out your spending with as much precision as you map out your cattle drives, considering not just your cost-per-click, but your rates and customer lifetime value, too.With these five mistakes in mind, you don’t have to fall into the trap of those before you!
