8 PPC Optimization Strategies You Need to Try

When you’re an enterprise or multi-location business, the online landscape can be a pretty daunting place. You’ve got to win leads, but how do you achieve that amid the competition?

The answer is PPC (pay-per-click).

If executed right, PPC can:

Boost brand awareness by 6.6%
Convert 50% better than organic site visits
Reel in an average ROI of 200%

So yeah, PPC is pretty cool. But even in the PPC and marketing world, there are good and bad strategies.

Lean on these eight PPC optimization strategies to stay on the good side and inject your campaign with the boost it needs this year.

1. Track the Proper Metrics

Let’s start with this, shall we? Because without tracking the proper metrics, you can’t make data-driven decisions—decisions that ultimately help gain trust with your audience and affect your bottom line.

Six key PPC metrics you should track include:

Number of clicks
Click-through rate (CTR)
Conversion rate
Quality score
Cost-per-click (CPC)
Cost per acquisition (CPA)

2. Ad Copy Optimization

PPC is unique because it relies on a targeted approach, allowing you to get in front of your audience directly.

Awesome? Yes. But not if you aren’t crafting the right messages. Relevant and quality copy converts.

Ad copy optimization involves:

Focusing on performing keywords: Identify the top 20% of keywords that drive 80% of results. Then pause underperforming keywords. They’re costing you money instead of reeling in conversions.
Aligning language with your audience: How does your audience talk? What are their pain points and needs? What words do they gravitate toward? Use these areas to optimize your copy.

3. Ad Placement Optimization

So you’ve nailed your messaging. Now, where do you place the ads?

Find out where your users are hanging out and meet them there. Whether they’re primarily on Google or social media platforms, optimizing ad placement is vital to getting your brand seen.

This entails:

Finding your target audience by diving into competitive research
Conducting audience analysis via tools like Sparktoro
Doing A/B tests via tools like VWO and HubSpot

Check out this free digital marketing tool kit for additional resources.

4. Ad Extension Optimization

Sticking to the basic features on ad platforms can be limiting. You need ad extensions to boost the chances of gaining the right results and more.

Per Google, every ad extension can increase your CTR by 10-15%. Why? Extensions add useful business data to your ad, like locations, call buttons, additional links, and more.

The best of all? Ad extensions are free!

Google offers several extensions (or “assets,” as the search engine calls them):

Location extension
Call extension
Sitelink assets
Callout assets
And more

Google outlines how to select the right extensions based on your campaign goal.

5. Landing Page Optimization

Think about the user experience when it comes to PPC. Once a user clicks on your ad, you want them to take further action and convert. This merits providing a good experience on the landing page.

Make the navigation process quick and convenient. Otherwise, users might jump ship to a competitor site.

Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling:

Ensure your page loads quickly. We’re talking three seconds or less.
Improve the design of the landing page to keep it eye-catching yet simple. Less is more.
Conduct heatmap tests to see where users are engaging the most and/or at what point on the page people are bouncing.

6. Stay Attuned to Trends

Online marketing is always changing. You need to stay on top of trends to maintain your competitive standing. Be sure to subscribe to and bookmark industry resources.

Want a head start? Check out these PPC trends and stats to guide your upcoming strategy:

Google Shopping will be the place for retailers.
Facebook will get smarter with ad targeting. This platform has the best ROI for social ads compared to other social media platforms.
Pinterest will lean more heavily on virtual and AR experiences, where users are five times more likely to convert.

7. Spend the Right Amount

Oof. Tough subject here. Sorting out a budget is a complex and often stressful process. How much should you spend on PPC?

It really depends on your company, industry, size, and audience. Here are some key industry facts to help guide your PPC cost decision:

The average PPC cost across all industries is:

$2.41 for a Google Ads search results page
About $0.59 for a publisher’s display page

Here’s how Pay-Per-Click costs per industry play out:

Apparel: $1.38
Arts & Entertainment: $1.47
Business and Industrial: $2.58
Computers & Computer Electronics: $2.77
Dining and Nightlife: $1.30
Finance: $3.56
Health: $3.13
Hobbies & Leisure: $1.68
Home & Garden: $2.77
Jobs & Education: $2.24
Law & Government: $6.35
Real Estate: $2.27
Retailers & General Stores: $2.16
Sports & Fitness: $1.46
Travel & Tourism: $1.42
Vehicles: $2.03

8. Stay Clear of PPC Mistakes

Like we said earlier, there are good and bad PPC tactics.

Stay clear of common PPC mistakes like:

Writing unemotional ad copy. You might be focused on reeling in conversions, but stay centered on who you’re talking to—human beings. Elicit emotion in your writing to connect and convert.
Not setting up ad schedules. Users are presumably creatures of routine, so study the days and times your audience is online. Establish ad schedules based on this data.