A new year means new resolutions, and just like aiming to eat healthier or learn a new skill, your PPC strategies deserve the same attention.
It’s easy to neglect PPC planning, but ignoring it would be a mistake. The world of PPC is constantly changing, and keeping up with the latest tools, platforms, and trends is crucial for staying ahead. As we embrace self-improvement in the new year, let’s explore five PPC strategies for 2019 to boost your account’s growth and performance (and don’t forget to check out our updated strategies for 2021!). Want to enhance your PPC campaigns? Get a free Google Ads performance report to pinpoint areas needing improvement!
#1: Explore a New Channel
The online world is ever-expanding, with people spending more time across various websites and social media platforms.
In 2019, I challenge you to go beyond Google and Bing to connect with your audience in fresh ways, capitalizing on the unique advantages of other platforms.
Consider experimenting with these channels:
My top recommendation? Quora.
Firstly, Quora’s targeting capabilities are unmatched. It’s a distinct platform mirroring search, display, and social targeting options, making it a fantastic way to put both your search expertise and your display and social advertising skills to the test.
Secondly, Quora’s user-friendly platform provides sophisticated conversion tracking and audience building tools, setting you up for success.
Lastly, Quora boasts a 300 million monthly active users user base, but its ad platform is relatively new, meaning less competition from other advertisers. This translates to potentially lower costs and a longer testing period before the platform becomes more saturated.
However, Quora isn’t your only option. Any of the channels listed above are worth exploring. They all offer self-serve platforms and pay-per-click models, allowing you to test the waters gradually.
#2: Align Conversion Actions with the Buyer Journey
Remember that not all users are at the same stage in their buying journey, so they shouldn’t be presented with the same conversion goal. When developing your PPC strategy, align your desired conversion actions with each stage of the funnel. While personalized calls to action for every user might be impossible, we can get pretty close.
This year, I encourage you to review your calls to action. Determine their place in the buyer’s journey and map them accordingly within your campaigns. Then, focus on filling any gaps.
Start by creating a simple chart like this and populate it with your existing calls to action.
Here’s a sample for a basic B2B and ecommerce model:
Keep in mind that not all calls to action involve immediate information exchange or purchases. Most customers don’t convert on their first visit and require nurturing.
Once you’ve mapped your existing calls to action, you might identify missing elements or areas for improvement. For instance, perhaps your B2B funnel offers downloadable content, but it’s outdated or doesn’t convert well. Consider refreshing the content or creating a free tool showcasing the potential savings your solution offers. Be creative and consider what your potential customers genuinely value, not just what you currently have available.
#3: Segment Retargeting Lists Using Date Ranges
Just as you tailor your message to different buyer stages, remember that not all website visitors should be treated equally, even within your retargeting efforts. Someone who didn’t convert yesterday is different from someone who hasn’t converted in 70 days.
This year, invest time in creating more granular audience segments based on date ranges for your retargeting. This allows you to target recent visitors with timely messages while potentially excluding those less likely to convert after 70 days.
Ultimately, this leads to more relevant and effective ads for your audience segments while weeding out underperforming segments, creating a win-win situation.
#4: Utilize Audiences in Campaigns
Audiences are becoming indispensable to campaign strategies. While not replacing keywords anytime soon, they can significantly enhance campaign performance when used together.
At its core, audience targeting refines your search campaigns. By layering various audience types into search campaigns and employing bid modifiers, you can adjust bids based on each audience’s performance.
This means that if a user is both part of your target audience and searching for relevant keywords, you can track their performance separately from users outside that audience.
To implement this, navigate to the Audiences tab in your search campaign and include Observation audiences within your desired ad group.
Next, within the Audiences tab, your data will be segmented by those Observation audiences, allowing you to modify bids based on your CPA goals for each campaign.
Here are some other strategies worth exploring. Whether it’s Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA), combining Remarketing Lists with DSA (RDSA), or other techniques using In-Market or Similar Audiences, audiences can significantly improve your search campaigns.
In 2019, delve into the world of audience targeting by testing the strategies outlined here. Once you’ve started, the possibilities are endless.
#5: Experiment with Automating Parts of Your Account
It’s no secret that the tools available are continuously becoming more sophisticated. This year, let automation handle repetitive tasks, freeing up your time and energy for high-level strategic thinking.
In 2018, we published a series on Google Ads campaign automation, covering keywords and ads, bidding strategies, and automated rules. Review these resources and choose one area to test in 2019.
Make 2019 the Year of Strategic PPC
Each of these strategies has the potential to enhance your existing search campaigns and elevate your PPC game in 2019. I hope this list provides you with actionable ideas for improving your campaigns and making this year a successful one. Happy New Year!