Editorial
The Gist
- Channel diversity. Consider diversifying your paid ad channels and budget allocations.
- Keyword precision. Avoid broad match keywords, opt for more specific phrase matches.
- Device consideration. Monitor keyword search results on all device types.
Paying for ad space online has become one of the most trusted, dependable ways to attract new leads. After all, Google alone reportedly could see nearly 100,000 searches per second. And while not everyone wants what you’re selling, you’d be remiss to neglect to add paid search to your marketing. There’s just one problem, though: Paid search efforts can stagnate over time.
Why does paid search sometimes hit a plateau? A number of factors could be at play. You might be losing ground to competitors. Your messaging could be outdated. You could even have the wrong target audience. Regardless, you want to figure out what’s going on so you can better optimize every search.
The following strategies should help you start on a path to getting more mileage from your paid search ads. That way, you can start to ramp up your growth and see a stronger, more sustainable return for your company.
1. Mix up Your Paid Media Channel Spending Allocations
A Hawke Media 2023 Ecommerce Data Benchmark Report shows that in 2022, marketers began exploring new paid search channels. Their willingness to try different platforms resulted in a 64% year-over-year paid search spend on TikTok. Pinterest saw a bump in paid search, too, to the tune of 47%. This implies that many professionals are maneuvering their budgets based on seasonality and site.
If you’ve been operating with the same paid channel distribution mix for a long time, you may be missing out. Consider not just diversifying where your paid ads run but the money you put toward specific platforms. With a little experimentation, you may discover that reworking your mix helps move the lead generation needle.
2. Avoid the 'Broad Match' Keyword Trap
This tip is squarely aimed at your Google paid search ad setup. When it comes to keywords, you’ll note that the default setting is to go for the “broad match.” In other words, you’re telling the system to show your ad to nearly anyone who almost matches your keyword. This can seem like a logical way to get a lot of eyeballs. The problem is that those eyeballs might not be the audience most likely to buy your product or service.
Here’s why this can backfire: Let’s say your keyword is “dog food.” You know from your research that your highest-spending customer tends to have at least two large breed dogs. “Dog food” just isn’t narrow enough, especially on a broad match. You’d be better off drilling down and changing to a narrower “phrase match” or “modified broad match.” Remember that choosing keywords can be much trickier than the task might seem. Again, testing a few settings could result in big — and positive — changes in your paid search metrics.
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3. Know Your Keyword Search Results on All Types of Devices
Recent Smart Insights research indicates only 11%-13% of URLs get the same search result rankings on mobile and desktop devices. That means you could be in the top three search results on someone’s phone but not on their laptop. You’ll want to know this, especially as you deploy and measure each paid ad campaign.
For instance, you may know that the bulk of your buyers find you on mobile devices. Given that fact, you’ll care more about appearing in the top search results on phones than on computers. Nevertheless, you’ll want to stay on top of all your website page positions. A good way to do this without driving yourself crazy is to invest in automated software to stay aware. If a major dip in positioning occurs, you’ll know right away so you can adjust.
4. Tweak Your Ad Bid Timing
Unless you make sales 24/7, it’s a huge waste of dollars to allow your paid ads to run all day. Sure, it may seem like a good idea to snag low bids. Nevertheless, a “good deal” isn’t good if you don’t net any clicks. Of course, you’ll need to look over your historic data to see when most people respond to your ads. It may be a time of day or even a specific day of the week.
Once you learn more about how your audience is engaging with your paid advertisements, you can make bid adjustments. When you have a grasp on the timing, you can move on to trying other ways to influence better paid search results. Just be careful about changing just one thing at a time. You want to know exactly what’s working, which requires thoughtful manipulation and systematic tracking.
Related Article: How AI Can Impact Your Marketing, Customer Experience
5. Stay on Top of the Latest Search Engine (and Search Platform) Trends
The world of search is moving at an incredibly fast pace. You need to stay on top of all the trends that could affect your paid search ads. Any channel that you’re using for paid search deserves your monitoring and attention.
Consider what’s happening with Google and AI. It's moving fast to incorporate AI into search. This could transform the way people interact with the Google search bar. As such, it might have ramifications on keywords and paid search. Quite a lot of attention is being given to Google Bard currently. Being in the know — even if you’re not an expert on AI — will help you avoid avoidable surprises.
Paid search is one of the most dynamic tools you have in your marketing kit. Make sure you don’t just let it sit on autopilot. Instead, take charge and fiddle with it to ensure you’re getting the biggest boost from your paid search advertising initiatives.
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