Pay-Per-Click Advertising
How to Maximize the Return from Each Click-through
Steven Schwartz
President, PowerWebResults.com
Southeastern Massachusetts E-Commerce Network
University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth
Agenda
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Definition
Why Advertise?
ROI
Key Elements
Resources
Q&A
What is Pay-Per-Click
According to MarketingTerms.com..
“Pay-Per-Click is an online advertising
payment model in which payment is based
solely on qualifying click-throughs.”
How Does it Work?
• Bid on relevant keywords
• Advertising engine displays your text ad
on their results page or network of web
sites
• You only pay when people click
Why Advertise?
• Get instant visibility
• Cost to enter is small
• Track ROI
Who Are the Major Players?
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Google
Yahoo
MSN
Find What
Ask Jeeves/Teoma
Google
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Keyword Targeted CPC (Cost Per Click)
More Clicks, Better Results
You set max per keyword and budget
Track Results – Conversion Tracker
Ads appear on Google.com
Google content network via Adsense
program
Yahoo Sponsored Search
(Formerly Overture)
• Bid on keywords (auction format)
• Highest bidder gets highest placement on
the page
• Yahoo, MSN, Altavista, CNN, Infospace
• Yahoo Publishers Network Content Match
(Beta)– Like Google Adsense
MSN
• Text Ads Limited to MSN, CNBC, Hotmail,
• Program will eventually replace Yahoo
results
• May be an opportunity down the road
Getting Started
• Very Easy to Set Up
• Take the time to
– Plan
– Research
– Setup
– Execute
– Track Results
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Step: Budget and ROI
Define program objectives
What’s success?
How will you measure success?
Define and set conversion expectations
Conversions
• Any interaction that you want to track
• Valuable events like:
– Product Purchase
– Form Completion
– White Paper Download
– Event Registration
– Inquiry
2nd Step: Research
Keywords
• Yahoo Search Marketing
– Keyword Selector Tools
– Keyword Bid Tool
– ROI Calculator
• Google
– Keyword Lookups
– Keyword Analysis
– Traffic Estimator
• Wordtracker.com
Bid Example
ROI: What’s Each Conversion
Worth?
Source: http://www.bplans.com/common/calculators/ppcroi.cfm
How Can You Maximize Your ROI?
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Great Ad Copy
Keyword Specific Landing Pages
Improve Conversions
Continually Track What’s Going On
Scenario 2
Copywriting
• Focus on Your Ad Copy
– Title
– Body text
– URL
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Google lets you run multiple ads
Art more than science
Look at competitors
Hire copywriter
Elements of a Good Ad
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Attention
Promise of Benefit
Credibility
Persuasiveness
Interest
Desire
Action
What Will Make You Stand Out?
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Do you have the lowest price?
Do you have the best variety?
Do you have high-quality products?
What makes you credible?
How do you meet the needs of the
potential buyer?
Focus on the Ad Title
• Most people scan the title
• Body copy holds less weight
• Insert relevant keyword in the Title
– Google lets you do it automatically
• If prices are low, put price in
• Free add-ons can make a difference
– Free shipping
– Free 30 day trial
More Ad tips
• Quantify your ads
– Most, Lowest
• Avoid Using Hype
– Buyers are savvy
• Create a Sense of Urgency
– "limited-time offer“
– "available for overnight shipping."
• If you have space, add creditability
– 30 day money back guarantee
– 5 star rated vendor
Ad Tips
• Look at Competitors
• Create a unique approach that focuses on
the opposite or reverse of what your
competitors are advertising
• Test, retest and track
Conversion - Landing Page
• You just spent $$ to bring someone to your
web site, now what?
• Don’t waste it on your home page
• Build specific landing pages that match the
expectation your ad generated
• Call to action – highlight your conversion
- Buy
- Download
- Register
Landing Page
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Call to action
Copy
Navigation – Limit, can distract
Merchandising
– Local, Geography, Season
• Micro-site
– Self contained site just for the offer
Improved Conversion
Do your landing pages convert?
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A/B Test
Multivariate Testing - Offermatica
Track visitors from Ad to Landing
Landing to Next Step and beyond
Google Conversion Tracking
Use a Good Metrics Program Like
– Webtrends, Click Tracks, Net Tracker
– Urchin (Recently purchased by Google)
Campaign Analysis
• Daily – watch after launch of campaign
• Weekly – Check listing performance
– Traffic
– Sales
– ROI Numbers
• Monthly – Deep Analysis
– Search engine
– Products
– Keywords
Resources
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Good Keywords - Softnik Technologies
PPC Toolkit – Softnik Technologies
Arelis
Keyword Tracker
Bid Management Tools
– AtlasOnePoint (formerly GOTOAST)
– BidRank
Conclusion
• PPC Advertising is a very effective way
generate traffic and sales
• Takes effort, planning, testing and
constant monitoring
Q&A
Steven Schwartz
PowerWebResults.com
info@powerwebresults.com
(401)440-4028