Google Search Ads

When every click counts in Google Ads, there’s a metric that many advertisers keep a close eye on. Click through rate (CTR) is one of the key performance indicators that every educated advertiser pays attention to. But how important is it really? In this article, we’ll go over exactly how CTR is calculated, what a good CTR is in Google Ads, and we’ll even take a closer look at how important it really is to the success of your campaign. What is Click-Through Rate (CTR)? CTR is a metric used to measure the percentage of users who click on an ad after seeing it. CTR = (number of clicks / number of impressions) x 100 For example, if an ad was served 10,000 times and received 250 clicks, the CTR is: CTR = (250/10,000) x 100 CTR = 2.5% Role of CTR in Google Ads Your CTR is a way to measure how well an ad resonates with your target audience and its overall effectiveness. If CTR is low, it’s often an indicator that users are not finding the ad relevant or engaging and it’s time to take a second look at your ad copy. Ideally, you’d want a high CTR which means more clicks and this increases the likelihood that you will receive a conversion.  This signals to Google that your ad is relevant and should be served more often than other ads. What is a Good CTR for Google Ads? There is no single answer for what constitutes a good CTR. It depends on various factors–your industry will be a significant determinant of what is a “good” CTR. Wordstream found that the average CTR is around 6%, but the legal industry and home services had lower average click through rates. Our general rule of thumb is anything above a 5% is considered strong. Anything below that could use some improvement. The type of keywords will also affect CTR. Branded keywords will yield higher CTRs–think your company brand name! If the target audience is already familiar with the company and actively searching for the brand, they will be more likely to click on the ad. For example, the brand keyword for Toyota would be Toyota. Simple, right? Non-branded keywords can see lower CTRs since your target audience will be evaluating your ad against competitors. They’ll click on the ad that is most appealing to them. These are keywords like family dentist near me or commercial building painter in Los Angeles.  How to Improve Your CTR 1. Beef Up Your Ad Copy Are you hitting your audience’s pain points? Do your ads include your unique selling points? If your ad sounds like any other competitors, people won’t be inclined to click on yours! Include what sets you apart from the competition. Is it your experience? Do you have a specific service that no one else provides? Are you a family-owned business in a sea of franchises? Including these in your descriptions and headlines can help increase your CTR and get more clicks. Your ads should also appeal to pain points—these are problems, challenges, or frustrations that potential customers face. For example, people looking for a locksmith want someone who is available immediately and is fairly priced. 2. Utilize Ad Assets Google ad assets are a great way to increase your ad’s visibility, provide more information to users, and increase Click-Through Rate (CTR).  They add interest and can trigger more intrigue than the typical plain text ad.  For example, image assets are a great way to showcase your previous work or storefront (if you have a physical location). Call extensions provide a quick way for prospective customers to easily and quickly call you for more information. These ad uses a few different ad assets which include: Image assets Callout extensions Promotion Extension 3. Target the Right Keywords Are you targeting the right keywords?  Take a look at your targeted keywords. If you are going after keywords that are too broad and have low user intent, you’re likely to see a low CTR. High intent keywords are specific and indicative of users who are actively seeking a product, service, or solution. In a nutshell, they are more likely to convert. For instance, “plumber near me with free estimate” or “emergency plumber near me” are high intent keywords. On the other hand, low intent keywords are vague and lack clarity about user intentions. Examples could include generic terms like “fixing a leak” or “plumbing.” These could be people in either the research or DIY phase.  Using too many broad match keywords in your campaign can increase the reach of your campaign, but it may also attract irrelevant clicks, resulting in a lower CTR. It’s critical to use a mix of phrase and exact match in addition to maintaining a negative keyword list. Is Your Google Ads CTR Important? It’s essential to note that while a high CTR is generally desirable, it’s not the sole metric that determines success. Ultimately, what metrics matter most is the goal you are trying to achieve. If you are focused on generating leads, then you should be prioritizing your conversion metrics. A low CTR isn’t necessarily a cause for concern if you are attracting your ideal leads. Conversion rate and return on investment (ROI) would be more important. On the flip side, if you are focused on driving more traffic, then CTR would be important!  As we mentioned, there’s no one-size-fits-all number to what is the ideal CTR. Michelle KopMichelle Kop is a marketing consultant and award-winning pay-per-click marketing strategist. She has over 8 years of professional paid advertising experience in Google and Microsoft Ads, with a specialization in lead generation for B2B and B2C companies. After working in corporate marketing with Fortune Global 500 Brands like Toyota and BP, Michelle founded Level 28 Media, a lead generation micro-agency for small to medium businesses. www.level28media.com

When conducting a Google Ads account audit, it’s essential to keep a keen eye out for red flags that can hurt your campaign’s performance. From using incorrect keyword match types without the proper safeguards and bidding strategies to poor conversion tracking, these red flags can waste tons of money and it may even cause you to lose faith in PPC advertising and digital marketing! Google Account Audit Red Flags: What’s Hurting Your Account? 1. Heavy Reliance On Broad Match Keywords Heavy reliance on broad match keywords in a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaign can be a significant red flag. Broad match is a keyword match type that allows your ads to show for a wide range of searches that contain any word in your keyword, in any order, and any other synonyms. While broad match has its merits in driving a lot of traffic and clicks, it can become problematic when used unchecked since unrelated or low-intent searches can trigger your ads. For example, if you’re selling a premium service, broad match will capture searches that include “free” or “cheap”. That’s definitely not what you want! This inefficiency leads to a lot of wasted ad spend, especially for campaigns with a budget below $10,000 per month. To use broad match effectively, it should be mixed in with other keyword types. You also need a robust negative keyword list to filter out irrelevant searches and reduce wasted spend. 2. Heavy Reliance On Automated Bid Strategies Heavy reliance on automated bid strategies like Maximize Conversions can be a red flag, especially when it’s used in a brand new account. These automated strategies are highly effective when they can draw from a large amount of historical performance data to optimize bidding. However, for brand new campaigns, there is not enough data for automated bidding to work. Typically, new campaigns should start with manual bidding, so there is more control and flexibility in the early stages of the campaign. It’s also common for automated bidding strategies to be used incorrectly.  For example, let’s say you use Maximize Conversions and set a small daily spend limit. Google won’t be able to find the relevant clicks and traffic for your ad quickly, resulting in poor performance. Similarly, setting an overly aggressive target cost-per-acquisition (CPA) can also lead to Google struggling to find traffic or conversions at such a low cost. You’ll probably find yourself with low quality leads as well. It’s crucial not to “set and forget” with automated bid strategies. Ongoing monitoring and adjustments are essential to ensure that the bidding strategy aligns with campaign goals and performance metrics.  3. Running Campaigns on a Small Budget Running a PPC campaign on an inadequately small budget (for example: $15 per day) can be a significant red flag. If you are in a highly competitive industry like law or healthcare, your campaign will not be able to gain momentum. Implementing a low budget will be like trying to drive a car with an empty fuel tank. You simply won’t have the resources needed to gather the essential data and traction required for a successful campaign. PPC advertising often demands a substantial upfront investment. You should always be thoroughly forecast and assess whether it aligns with your specific business goals and budget constraints before starting any campaign. Want to learn more about setting the right budget? Check out this article of ours! 4. Not Using Location Exclusions The absence of location exclusions can be a glaring red flag during a Google Ads campaign audit. While your business might serve a specific geographic area, without location targeting, your ads could be shown to people thousands of miles away. This oversight can result in wasted ad spend and poor ROI. If you decide to target a large area, it doesn’t mean you have to serve ads to every city. If there are certain cities or zip codes where your business doesn’t serve, you can exclude these cities with location exclusions. It’s essential to remember that Google’s location targeting isn’t flawless. Sometimes, your ads may be served to people who aren’t within your specified area. This can happen when Google identifies users who frequently visit a location relevant to your business, even if they don’t reside there. You can also implement the “People in or frequently in my location” option. This ensures that your ads are shown to individuals within your service area and not to users located far away.  In addition to setting up location exclusions, consider adding locations you don’t want to target to your negative keyword list. This helps ensure that your ads won’t be displayed to users searching for services or products in areas where you don’t operate or want to focus. 5. Sending Traffic to a Poorly Built Website or Landing Page Sending traffic to a poorly built website or landing page is like inviting guests to a housewarming party when your home is still incomplete and without furniture! When you direct potential customers to a poorly built landing page, you’re paying for clicks and traffic that are unlikely to convert. Imagine a user clicks on your ad and is interested in your product or service. But they are met with a website that lacks basic elements like a contact form or a call-to-action. A well-structured landing page includes elements like: social proof contact form for inquiries mobile-friendly design content that precisely matches the ad’s message. This helps lower exit rates but also pushes your target audience to convert into a real inquiry. 6. No Device Targeting Bid Adjustments One often-overlooked red flag is the absence of device bid adjustments. Ideally, you want to bid more on devices that drive desired traffic and conversions and implement negative bid adjustments on less desirable devices like tablets. For businesses in the B2C sector, mobile traffic is critical conversions. With the increasing use of smartphones, many consumers prefer to shop, research, and make purchasing decisions on their mobile devices. By not adjusting bids for mobile traffic, you are likely

With more remote and hybrid work opportunities, the demand and competition for coworking spaces are increasing. To attract and retain coworking members, more flex space companies are turning to Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising. However, it’s easy to make common mistakes that impact the performance of your campaign.  In this blog, we will share 5 winning PPC strategies for coworking spaces that you can implement to drive more conversions and get more out of your budget! What is PPC for Coworking Spaces? Pay-per-click (PPC) is an online marketing strategy where the advertisers pay for every click that has been made on their ad. It’s a way to help generate more leads and target your ideal customers who are actively searching for specific services and products. Google and Microsoft Ads (Formerly Bing) platforms are the most prominent PPC advertising platforms where you can bid on specific keywords and serve your ads to users using their respective search engines. PPC is a popular marketing channel because you can precisely target searches based on what they are searching for, location, and demographics. As an advertiser, you can also have greater control of your budget and can track exactly where your leads are coming from, unlike traditional marketing channels like billboards or flyers. 5 PPC Strategies for Coworking Spaces Now that you know how PPC works, let’s dive into five practical strategies you can implement. 1. Set a Big Enough Budget  One of the biggest mistakes that coworking businesses make is starting with too small of a budget. While saving money is a great thing, small budgets will constrict campaigns—especially if the cost per click (CPC) for each keyword is expensive. For example, if the cost per click is $15 for your keyword and your daily budget is set at $30, then your ads won’t be served after two clicks since you hit your daily max budget. That’s why you need to factor in your CPC when setting your budget. Collecting data is critical to your campaign’s success, so you need a big enough budget for the campaign to “hit the ground running”.  Depending on your targeted geography and how competitive it is, the clicks can be expensive, especially for “office space” keywords.  PPC does involve a big upfront investment, but if your customer lifetime value is significant, then how much you spend on your budget doesn’t matter. 2. Don’t Target Cities Too Far From Your Coworking Location  Understanding customer behavior and where they are located is critical to setting the right location settings. If you are targeting a large area for just one coworking space, you are likely wasting a lot of your budget. It’ll take a lot for someone to drive 30+ miles to your space!  A coworking member  will not be willing to drive more than 10-15 miles to get to your coworking space. These are typically professionals looking to have an office space or dedicated workspace close to their home and with great amenities. Whether you have one coworking space or multiple locations across different cities and states, make sure you aren’t targeting more than 10-15 miles from the location. 3. Create a Structured Campaign  Don’t dump all of your keywords into one campaign and ad group. Your campaign structure needs to be strategic, so your keywords aren’t competing with each other and you’re increasing your relevancy.  For your coworking space, consider creating campaigns based on your offerings. For example, you can have one campaign for the following: Meetings rooms Monthly office rentals Dedicated desk Virtual office You should also have a separate brand campaign that is focused on your company’s keywords. For example, WeWork will target keywords relevant to “WeWork” in a brand campaign. Having an organized account is critical to the success of high-revenue offerings (think monthly private office rentals). You need to be highly targeted to increase your chances of a conversion. 4. Create a Landing Page That Sets You Apart Landing pages are where you can sell your coworking space.  Photos of your amenities and office space are absolutely critical. Do not use any stock photos – this will be a big mistake because it doesn’t look authentic. When people view photos of your coworking space on a landing page, that’s what they will be expecting when they come in. Share photos of meeting rooms, dedicated desks, and any other amenities that help you stand out against competitors. You should also be listing all of these amenities in a bullet point format on the landing page. Include enticing offers on your landing page. A common one is a free day pass, but try to think of different promotions. These could be summer promotions or reduced meeting room rates. 5. Make your Ad Copy Compelling  Your ad copy needs to be compelling – after all, the goal is to get clicks and more conversions! This ad by Industrious Office is a great example of ad copy that can generate plenty of clicks. Let’s take a look at what it has. Image Extensions: Prospective customers want to know what the space looks like. Image extensions are a great way to provide a quick preview and to persuade people to learn more. Offers: Make your offer stands out by adding it to the headline. Make sure your offer lines up with the offer on your landing page. Amenities: List all the amenities that you offer! Industrious shares tons of info and offerings that are most relevant to searchers. Hit Pain Points: This is about hitting the pain point of target audiences. For example, people needing office space but don’t want to commit to a big lease. Mention flexible pricing and things like “private offices” or “month-to-month” contracts. Include these items in your ad to increase CTR and test to see what resonates best with your audience. Last Thoughts on PPC Strategies for Coworking Spaces While these five strategies can help you generate more leads via PPC, do not “set and forget” your campaign. PPC needs constant care and maintenance. Continuing

Looking to generate more new lead opportunities for your law firm? PPC is an appealing lead generation channel for so many businesses and law firms are taking notice. However, many firms are missing the mark when it comes to an effective PPC strategy. PPC can be a rewarding marketing channel, but it’s often executed poorly which results in many law firms losing faith in advertising and digital marketing in general. In this article, we’ll share why PPC is a great lead generation tool for law firms and four winning PPC strategies that we’ve used to get outstanding results for our legal clients! Why PPC Firms Should Use PPC Many law firms wonder if it’s worth investing in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. While it does require a large upfront investment because of how competitive it is, there are tons of upsides in implementing PPC for your firm. Target The Exact Clients You Are Looking For Unlike mailers or billboard ads, PPC allows law firms to advertise directly to ideal clients in a precise way. You can bid on keywords that are used by people actively searching for legal services in their area. For example, if you are a bankruptcy attorney, you can target keywords like bankruptcy attorney near me or ch 7 bankruptcy attorney. You can also target specific geographic areas and income levels. This gives you greater control over where your ads show up and increases conversion rates. Greater Online Visibility More people are relying on the internet to find a service rather than on recommendations from friends and family. PPC increases your online footprint since you can advertise on popular search engine platforms like Google and Microsoft Ads (Bing). With Google, you can bid to appear in the top three to four spots above organic search results and even in the Google Business Profile listings. Greater online visibility means more prospective clients learning about your law firm which can drive more traffic and new client inquiries. Measurable Results PPC provides measurable ROI and valuable data insights that other traditional marketing channels cannot provide in real time. You will be able to know exactly how many clicks your ad received, how many conversions came in via ads, the cost per lead, and more. If you know your customer lifetime value, you can quickly see if PPC is working or not. With more data, you can also adjust your campaign to improve performance. This could be improving the ad copy, adjusting what demographics you are targeting, and even the time of day your ad is served.  Instead of wondering what is working, PPC gives you the actionable data you need to make smart decisions about your campaign. Quicker Results Than With SEO Strategies Assuming your campaign is built correctly, you will be able to see PPC results a lot faster than with SEO. It takes about 1-3 months to see results with PPC, but it can take SEO strategies at least six months to a year to be effective (sometimes more or sometimes less depending on how competitive your market is). With SEO, the goal is to rank in the top spot on Google for certain keywords. However, you have to account for multiple factors that can affect your rankings and organic traffic. This includes how well your website is built, domain authority, competition, website content, and Google search engine updates.  PPC is an advertising channel, so many platforms will factor in how well your campaign is built along with how much you are willing to bid on keywords. This allows you to quickly build a campaign that is more competitive than with an organic strategy. This doesn’t mean SEO is a bad strategy. In fact, many law firms use both PPC and SEO! These are strategies that complement each other well. But PPC can help you see quicker returns if done correctly. Winning PPC Strategies for Law Firms 1. Selecting Relevant Keywords Choosing keywords that are too broad (lawyer near me, law firm in los angeles) will result in a lot of wasted budget and poor quality leads. Instead, you need to choose keywords based on your practice area or the services you offer. Do you practice an area of law where clients need to speak to you ASAP (think DUI cases)? Or is it a more relationship-oriented service such as family law related to divorces and custody issues? It also helps to include the geographic area that you serve. For example, these are keywords like DUI lawyer in Orange County, CA or divorce attorney in Irvine ca.  Use the Google Keyword Planner to brainstorm targeted keywords and see how much the CPC is. 2. Address Pain Points in Your Ad Copy With so much competition and high costs, you cannot afford to have ineffective ad copy. Highlight what makes your law firm different from others while also addressing pain points that potential clients have. For example, bankruptcy attorney ads can use phrases such as “Facing creditor harassment?” and “Don’t tackle financial stress alone.” With DUI lawyers, you can write ad copy that relates to helping clients get their life back on track. By resonating with pain points, your targeted audience will be more likely to choose your law firm since you understand their current challenges. Google Ads uses AI and machine learning to test which headline and description combinations work best, so make sure you use all of your ad real estate. This means providing the maximum amount of headlines and descriptions. 3. Humanize Your Firm on Your Landing Page Getting prospects to click on your ads is only half the battle. Your landing page is critical in converting a click into an actual inquiry. Many people are hesitant to reach out to lawyers. By humanizing your firm and putting a face to a name, your targeted audience will be more likely to reach out to you versus the competition. Avoid using stock photos when possible. It’s impersonal and does not offer any credibility. Use actual images and videos

Google Guaranteed Local Service Ads is a new way for local businesses to generate new leads and offer extra reassurance to customers. But is this the right advertising option for your business? With so many requirements and an air of exclusivity, many local businesses wonder if it’s worth using. In this article, we take a look at what the program entails, how it can benefit your business, and if it’s worth pursuing. What is the Google Guarantee? Google Guarantee is an advertising program designed to bolster user confidence and satisfaction when reaching out to local service providers. To join this program and receive the Google Guaranteed badge, advertisers must meet stringent qualification criteria. When users book services from a Google Guaranteed business, they’re protected with a satisfaction guarantee. This includes Google offering refunds up to a certain amount if the service does not meet their expectations.  In the US, customers are eligible for up to $2,000 of lifetime coverage. Google will not cover any add-on projects, property damages, or dissatisfaction with pricing and cancellations. This innovative program not only provides users with a sense of security but also encourages businesses to maintain high standards of service delivery. It’s also a separate advertising opportunity from the Google Ads platform as you will be paying for each lead instead of each time someone clicks on your ads. Here are some businesses that are eligible for Google Guaranteed: Appliance repair Auto repair HVAC Locksmith services Plumbing Roofing As of March 7, 2023, Google Guaranteed Local Service Ads are available to more than 70 types of businesses.  How Does Google Guaranteed Benefit Small Businesses? The Google Guaranteed badge enhances visibility in search results, instantly signaling reliability to potential customers. Your placement will be at the top of the search engine. This boost in visibility drives more clicks and visits, directing qualified leads to the business. Backed by Google’s endorsement and a satisfaction guarantee, it reassures customers and fosters positive perceptions, especially beneficial for new or lesser-known businesses. Small businesses can prominently display their commitment to quality, setting them apart from larger competitors and franchises. Screening and Verification Process for Google Guaranteed It’s not that easy to get set up with Google Guarantee. First, you will need to register for Google Local Service Ads. Depending on your business category and location, Google may require different kinds of background checks and verifications. For example, they may check your civil litigation history at a company level and conduct background checks for both owners and employees. Your business will also need to meet local license and insurance requirements. Requirements may include but are not limited to: A Google Business Profile that is connected to matching Local Service Ads Background checks on owners, and in some cases, service professionals Business license check Insurance checks for general liability insurance and professional liability insurance National Provider Identifier (NPI) verification if you are a healthcare provider Up to 5 Google reviews This process is strict since Google may have to reimburse customers should they ever be unsatisfied with the quality of your work. If they let everyone have a Google Guarantee badge, Google could be losing a ton of money! How Much Does the Google Guaranteed Program Cost? Unlike the PPC format of Google Ads, you will be paying for each lead you receive from the Google Guaranteed program. This is every time someone calls or connects to your service. The cost per lead will vary depending on your industry and what budget you are setting for the campaign. You can also dispute leads that aren’t legitimate if you find that the calls are not relevant. What Are the Pros and Cons of Google Guaranteed Local Service Ads? Pros of Local Service Ads Simplicity and Convenience: The program eliminates the need for keyword research and complex aspects of paid search advertising such as conversion tracking, bidding strategies, and negative keyword lists. Pay For the Legitimate Leads: With traditional Google Search Ads, you are paying for every click on your ad. Not all clicks will turn into leads. Local Service Ads have a leg up on Search Ads where you pay only for legitimate leads and can dispute ones that are not relevant. Differentiates Your Business: Qualifying for the Google Guaranteed badge can make your business stand out by increasing credibility and trust among potential customers. Cons of Local Service Ads Stringent Verification: The verification process may be rigorous and time-consuming, potentially posing a challenge for some businesses. Risk of Poor Reputation: You must meet customer expectations to maintain a positive reputation and retain the Google Guarantee badge. Failing to satisfy customers could lead to negative reviews and the loss of the badge. Lack of Control: There aren’t a lot of customization options. For example, you cannot edit ad copy or control what specific keywords your Local Service Ads are showing for. Additionally, there’s no real strategy to bump up the number of leads besides potentially increasing your ad budget with Google Guarantee. Results can be random and not reliable (you cannot expect a minimum of a certain number of leads per week). Does Your Business Need Google Guaranteed? This is an appealing program for many businesses, especially since it does not involve keyword research and the more complex aspects of paid search advertising (conversion tracking, bidding strategies, negative keyword lists, etc.). However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore Google Ads completely. It does require a more extensive set-up process, but it gives you greater customization and more accurate performance tracking. Plus it is more predictable vs local service ads in Google Guarantee. These two platforms can work together – it’s not a mutually exclusive situation. This results in two lead generation sources for your business! Our general rule of thumb is to have both Google Guarantee and Google Ads to balance each other out and capture more real estate in search results. If you are a local business that qualifies for the Google Guarantee Local Service Ads program, feel free to

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital advertising, the question of where to invest your marketing budget is a pivotal one. The debate about using Google Ads vs Facebook ads is incredibly common among small business owners. In this article, we will dissect the strengths and weaknesses of Google Ads and Facebook Ads and which is best for your business. How Does Google Ads Paid Search Work? The Google Ads platform is centered around bidding on keywords frequently used by Google users, aiming to position ads prominently in search engine results. As an advertiser, you will bid on these keywords via Google’s auction system. This auction takes into account various factors, including the bid value, the quality, and the relevance of the ad to the user’s search. It’s a pay-per-click (PPC) model, so you will only pay every time someone clicks on your ad. The cost per click varies since it will depend on the level of competition for particular keywords and ad quality. With billions of Google searches performed daily, this platform offers a massive audience reach. For example, individuals might search for “nail salon near me” to find a local nail shop or seek specific expertise like “bankruptcy attorney in Orange County.” It’s a great way to put your business in front of customers who need your services ASAP! How Do Facebook Ads Work? Facebook Advertising (now known as Meta Ads) is one of the biggest paid social platforms on the planet. Through their platform, you can reach users not only on Facebook itself but also seamlessly on Instagram. As an advertiser, you can target potential customers based on demographics (age, gender, location), interests, behaviors, and connections. Unlike other advertising methods, Facebook does not have keyword targeting options. Ads can be shown on the Facebook newsfeed, Instagram feed, stories, and the audience network which includes third-party apps and websites. These placement options enable you to tailor your approach to the preferences and behaviors of your target audience, maximizing visibility and engagement. Google Ads vs Facebook Ads: Pros and Cons Facebook Pro: Great Channel for Top of Funnel Strategies and Brand Awareness Since Facebook has great targeting options based on interests, you can put your product in front of the right audiences. It’s a great way for users to discover your brand and push them to the top of the funnel. Remember, Facebook Ads gives you access to advertise on Instagram feeds, and you can be found by tons of users casually scrolling through their feeds. Pro: Plenty of Remarketing Opportunities Remarketing is all about targeting customers who have previously visited your website. It’s a great way to increase brand awareness, and using Facebook ads is one of the most effective ways to do remarketing. You’ll be able to hit users on both Facebook and Instagram which can push them towards a purchase. Con: Users Are Not Typically Ready to Make a Purchase With Facebook Ads, we’ve talked a lot about how it’s a great strategy for brand awareness. Since it’s a platform that allows users to discover new brands and companies, users will be less likely to convert than if you were to target specific keywords on Google Ads. The traffic from Facebook tends to be a lot “colder” than traffic from Google. Facebook users are typically passively scrolling through their social feeds rather than actively searching for new products. Con: High Ad Fatigue Due to the high frequency of ad exposure on Facebook, users may experience ad fatigue. People are constantly on social media, endlessly scrolling through their feeds. Due to this, Facebook ad effectiveness can reduce over time. Google Search Ads Pros: Higher Chance of Conversion Since you can target specific keywords, you can set your campaign up for a higher chance of conversion. This is especially true if you are targeting high-intent keywords like orthodontist near me or residential roofing contractor near me. Small businesses that have a tighter budget can put their efforts into these keywords to get the best results.  Pro: Get to the Top of Search Results Faster Than SEO Google Ads takes a close look at your ad relevance in addition to how much you are bidding. With a well-structured campaign and proper bidding strategy, you are able to fight for that top spot on Google. With SEO, it can take at least 6 months to a year to get to the top of search results on Google–sometimes, you may never even get on the first page! Pro: Ability to Precisely Measure Your ROI By implementing conversion tracking, you can track specific actions that users take after clicking on their ads, such as completing a purchase or submitting a consultation request. This data-driven approach enables advertisers to attribute conversions directly to their Google Ads campaigns, providing clear insights into which keywords, ads, and strategies are driving the most valuable outcomes. Pro: Great Ad Formats for Local Business If you are a small business owner, Google Search Ads gives you access to advertise on Google Business listings and Maps. Why is this great? It gives you more opportunities to get eyeballs on your ads in places that people use to find a business near them. So many users are conducting searches on these apps in addition to the main search engine! Con: Higher Upfront Investment To perform well on Google Search, you need a sizable budget. Many small business owners make the mistake of starting out with a budget under $1,000. You need to have a sizable budget to get your campaign running quickly and collecting data. If you have a high cost per click, a small budget will not get you anywhere. Your campaign might run out of money in the first few days! Con: Campaign Setup is Extensive Google Ads can be very intimidating for a new advertiser. There are a lot of things to tackle–keyword research, conversion tracking, and landing page creation are just a few of the items. However, proper setup is incredibly important to your success. Try to avoid taking

With the ability to target specific keyword intent and measure return on investment, pay-per-click marketing is incredibly appealing for any business. However, PPC strategies for small businesses are a whole different ball game compared to those nationwide, enterprise-level tactics. In this article, we will go over specific (and practical!) strategies for local small business owners. Learn how to get the most out of your budget and avoid common mistakes. What is PPC Marketing? PPC, short for Pay-Per-Click, is an online advertising model businesses can leverage to reach their target audience and drive revenue. You bid on specific keywords relevant to your products or services and (as the name suggests) only pay when users click on your ads.  For local businesses, Google Ads and Microsoft Ads (Bing) Ads are the most popular PPC advertising platforms. If you choose to create a PPC campaign with either of these platforms, your ads will be served on the respective search engine. With millions of searches conducted every month, this is a sure way to get your business in front of the right people–if you strategize correctly. 6 Practical PPC Strategies for Small Businesses  1. Start With a Reasonable Budget Starting with an excessively tiny budget is one of the most common mistakes that many small businesses make. While it’s natural to be cautious with your budget, PPC does require a significant initial investment to be effective. A measly $100-200 budget isn’t enough to see any traction in your campaigns, especially if you are in a competitive geographic area or industry. That’s why starting with a reasonable budget is important. The key to a fruitful PPC strategy lies in data-driven decision-making. Allocating a decently sized budget allows campaigns to gain momentum, so you get valuable data and insights into audience behavior, refine ad performance, and identify top-performing keywords. These insights empower you to make better decisions on how to improve your campaign. Striking the right balance is crucial. You don’t necessarily need to start with tens of thousands of dollars, but you have to have enough money to be competitive. Sometimes cost-per-click prices can be $20 per click! If you need help determining a good starting budget, check out our blog. 2. Target High-Intent Keywords One powerful strategy that can make a significant impact is leveraging high-intent keywords. But first, let’s understand the difference between high-intent and low-intent keywords. High-intent keywords are terms that indicate a strong likelihood of the user being ready to take action or make a purchase. These can be terms like orthodontist near me or emergency key replacement in san diego.  On the other hand, low-intent keywords are more general and informational in nature, showing a user’s intent to gather information or explore options without an immediate intention to convert.  An example of these keywords can be how to stop a leaky faucet or how to paint the interior of my home. These are likely to be searchers looking for DIY research instructions rather than a professional. Even though it’s possible they will reach out to a professional later on in their journey, you would not want to waste money on these keywords if you have a limited budget. For small businesses, high-intent keywords combined with location-specific terms are a great use of your budget and the best way to get in front of people that are most likely to convert.  To uncover these valuable keywords, use keyword tools like the Google Keyword Planner. It can provide insights into search volumes, competition, and suggested bid estimates. Additionally, SEMrush and Ahrefs are valuable tools that can help you identify high-intent keywords that your competitors may be targeting successfully. 3. Incorporating Uniques Selling Points (USPs) One crucial element that can make a significant impact is incorporating Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) into ad copy. Highlight what sets your product or service apart and why it matters to your audience. A few examples are a unique warranty, discount, credentials/experience, or a free consultation. Use action-oriented verbs and phrasing to create a sense of urgency and hit on their pain points. If a prospect knows you understand their pain, then they will be more likely to convert. If you are stuck on what to write, check out what your competitors are saying. You can also refer to best practice tips and leverage artificial intelligence to help you brainstorm ad copy content. 4. Creating a Dedicated Landing Page One powerful tactic that often gets overlooked is the creation of dedicated landing pages (LPs). However, many small business owners shy away from this strategy, either due to time constraints or a lack of expertise. Unlike generic website pages, LPs are designed with a specific goal in mind. They provide a seamless user experience and a clear call-to-action. By focusing on a single offering or campaign, you eliminate distractions and guide visitors toward the desired action. This can be making a purchase, signing up for a service, or filling out a form. Some LP best practices include incorporating the targeted keyword in the headline, using a mobile-friendly design, and keeping external links to a minimum to reduce the likelihood of someone leaving the LP. A well-crafted LP should reinforce the message and value proposition presented in the ad, building trust and credibility with the audience.  5. Never Ever “Set and Forget” Your Campaign Another common mistake is that many small businesses “set and forget” their PPC campaigns. Just because you had a great first few months, it doesn’t mean it will continue forever. Active management is key to continued success. Seasonable trends, additional competition, and changes in consumer behavior can affect your campaign. For example, using automated bidding strategies can seem like a timesaver, but they can also be a double-edged sword. If you aren’t watching carefully, it can drive up your costs and eat up your budget early on in the month!  Neglecting to keep a close eye on daily budgets can also lead to unwelcome surprises at the end of the month. It’s crucial to regularly assess

If you’re scratching your head wondering what this “conversion rate” metric is all about, no worries, we’ve got you covered! It’s a crucial metric that can make all the difference in the success of your Google Ads campaigns.  In this article, we will uncover five tactics that can help increase your conversion rates and get you more leads from your Google Ads campaigns! What is a Good Conversion Rate for Google Ads? Your conversion rate is one of the most important Google Ads (and for any other PPC campaign) metrics to monitor. The conversion rate is calculated by dividing the number of conversions (desired actions taken by users, such as purchases or sign-ups) by the total number of ad clicks and then multiplying the result by 100 to get the percentage. Industry benchmarks can be a helpful starting point for gauging your performance. However, it’s important to recognize that there isn’t a universal, one-size-fits-all benchmark for conversion rates as they vary significantly across industries and ad types. It’s equally crucial to consider your cost per conversion in addition to your conversion rate. A high conversion rate may appear impressive, but if the cost of each conversion is excessively high, your ROI could be compromised. When assessing your conversion rates, be cautious of overinflated numbers resulting from poor conversion tracking configurations. Inaccurate tracking can lead to false positives, making your conversion rate appear better than it actually is. How to Improve Google Ads Conversion Rate 1. Beef Up Your Copy Improving ad copy is one of the best ways to boost conversion rates! When crafting ad copy, it’s essential to empathize with the audience and address their pain points directly. Do this for both the ad itself and any landing page copy! By identifying their needs and offering solutions, the copy can resonate more effectively, driving higher click-through rates. Additionally, creating a sense of urgency can motivate users to take immediate action and increase the likelihood of conversions. With landing page copy, many advertisers make the mistake of writing lengthy paragraphs. Lengthy paragraphs can be overwhelming and deter potential customers from engaging with the content. Clarity and conciseness are crucial in landing pages just like with the ad itself. Use bullet points, subheadings, and shorter paragraphs to make the content skimmable and visitors will be able to grasp essential information quickly. In addition, visitors are more likely to stay on the page and proceed to the desired call-to-action. 2. Be Strategic With Your Landing Page A well-optimized landing page can significantly improve conversion rates, particularly for emergency and local service-based businesses. With a landing page, you can add design elements to mitigate exit rates.  Some best practices are: Eliminating external site navigation ensures that users stay focused on the intended action Minimizing slow page loading times. Strong and strategically placed call-to-action buttons. Creating a mobile-friendly landing page design Establishing credibility through testimonials, reviews, or certifications. If you are in a business where the customer purchasing journey is more extensive, then it’s worth testing to see if you can use your website as a landing page. Many SaaS companies benefit a lot from using their homepage since it’s already built for conversions. 3. Target Higher Intent Keywords Here’s the deal: not all keywords are created equal. Some people who are ready to whip out their credit cards and convert are likely using different search terms than those who are just casually browsing around. Now, if you’re running a service-based business, going after those broad or low-intent keywords might lead to lackluster conversion rates. Why? Well, because those customers might just be starting their research journey and not quite ready to commit. For instance, let’s say you are a plumber and target the keyword “how to fix a leaky faucet.” DIYers are most likely to use these keywords and they may not be ready to call a plumber yet. It is a low-intent keyword because it’s research-based. To increase your chances of conversion (and get the most out of your budget), target higher intent keywords like “emergency plumber near me” or “plumber Orange County CA.” When folks are typing these gems into their search bar, you know they are actively seeking a plumber!  So, remember, it’s all about understanding your audience and meeting them where they are in their buying journey. 4. Test Offers Offers are a great way to stand out from the crowd and give your potential customers that extra push they need to hit that CTA button.  Take a peek at what your competitors are offering, and then get creative. Think outside the box! Can you offer financing options, a free quote, or even a warranty? How about throwing in some comparison tools to help your customers make their decision? However, don’t cheapen your business with steep discounts. Remember, the goal is to push those potential customers over the finish line, not give your service away for free. That might even attract the wrong customers! Try A/B testing offers to see what resonates with your target audience. Implement ad copies with different offers and include the offers in your landing page copy. 5. Consider The Customer Experience When Creating Your Form Finding that delicate balance between the information you need and what your customers are willing to share is important for your forms. Short lead forms are a marketing preference – they’re quick, easy to use, and won’t overwhelm potential leads. However, don’t be surprised if your sales team nudges you towards longer forms for better prospect qualification. While longer forms may help them, it could also lead to a dip in your conversion rates.  The key is to identify the essential information you truly need. Keep it concise, focusing on crucial details like contact information. For local service-based businesses, don’t go overboard with lengthy forms. After all, someone looking for a nearby plumber doesn’t need to fill out a 12-step form. A SaaS company would need a more extensive form to deter unserious prospects. You need to understand

It’s no secret that working on factors that improve your Google Ads Quality Score can unlock benefits, from better ad visibility to cost savings and improved ad performance. But how do you go about improving this elusive metric? In this blog post, we’ll uncover proven strategies and insider tips that can help improve your Quality Score. What is a Quality Score? Quality Score is a metric that directly impacts the success and cost-effectiveness of your campaigns within Google Ads. Google will issue a score based on the relevance of your keywords, ads, and landing page to your target audience. It considers the expected click-through rate (CTR), and landing page experience to determine your Quality Score. The higher your Ad Quality Score, the better your ad ranking, and the more likely you will have to spend less on your cost-per-click. How to Improve Your Google Ads Quality Score Improve Your Ad Structure Great ads and campaign structures start with keyword research and selecting relevant keywords that align with your target audience’s search intent. If you have a ton of different keywords with ads that don’t match the intent of those keywords, then it’s time to revisit your campaign structure. Organizing your keywords into tightly themed ad groups further enhances the relevance and coherence of your campaigns. This allows you to deliver tailored messaging to users, increasing the chances of higher click-through rates and improved Quality Scores. Additionally, use keyword match types to refine your targeting and ensure your ads are shown to the most relevant audience. If you use many broad match keywords, your ads will be showing for searches that may not be relevant, so keep an eye on it and add negative keywords as needed. Create Relevant and Compelling Ad Copy Since Google is assessing your CTR, you need to have compelling ad copy. This may take a few adjustments and brainstorming sessions – crafting clickable ads can be challenging, but there are tips you can follow. Think about what makes your product or service unique and find creative ways to communicate that in your copy. This be highlighting a special offer, showcasing a key benefit, or addressing a pain point. Make sure to include your targeted keywords in your ad copy to improve ad relevance. However, be mindful of maintaining a natural flow in your copy. For example: If you are targeting a keyword like dentist near me, adding “near me” in your ad copy will sound awkward.  Experiment with different, strong CTAs. You need to encourage users to take the desired action–this could be scheduling a consultation, contacting for a free estimate, or calling for more information. Include Google Ads ad assets like sitelinks, call extension buttons, and location extensions to increase the chances of users clicking on your ad. Landing Page Optimization Since your ad Quality Score will take into account the relevance and user experience of the landing page, you need to optimize your landing page. First and foremost, make sure that your landing page is highly relevant to the ad you’re running and the keywords you’re targeting. Aligning the messaging, visuals, and overall offer with your ad helps create a seamless experience for searches, increasing the likelihood of a conversion. Check your landing page speed. If it loads slowly, there will be a ton of searchers dropping off before they get to see your landing page! Don’t add too many elements or images that will slow down the page. Also, make sure your landing page is responsive. This means that it will adjust to whatever device the user has. If your page isn’t mobile-friendly, you are losing out. Last Thoughts on Google Ads Quality Score It takes time to improve your quality score. Like with many other marketing strategies, great results will not happen overnight! You’ll likely need to make multiple adjustments over many months. You also need to take a closer look at other metrics such as conversion rates, cost per conversion, and impressions to get a better picture of your campaign’s overall health. At the end of the day, the number of leads and sales you get is what matters most! Important note to remember: While your quality score is important as an overall health metric for a campaign, it should NOT be the only metric you optimize for. You should always prioritize your lead generation metrics over Quality Score metrics because having a higher Quality Score may not necessarily contribute to more leads. Improved Quality Score can help to a certain extent but it’s important to view your performance from a high-level view instead of granularly at just the Quality Score.   Michelle KopMichelle Kop is a marketing consultant and award-winning pay-per-click marketing strategist. She has over 8 years of professional paid advertising experience in Google and Microsoft Ads, with a specialization in lead generation for B2B and B2C companies. After working in corporate marketing with Fortune Global 500 Brands like Toyota and BP, Michelle founded Level 28 Media, a lead generation micro-agency for small to medium businesses. www.level28media.com