If you’re an ecommerce website using PPC, there’s a slight chance that you might be pouring money into a marketing strategy that generates pretty much no tangible results for your company. It’s not that PPC doesn’t work as a strategy – it can truly be transformative when done right.
What’s more likely to be the case is that your PPC campaigns are stale, and you’re long overdue to conduct a thorough PPC audit to optimise your strategy. But don’t worry; it’s not as complicated as it sounds! In this blog post, we’ll walk you through 10 simple steps to analyse and optimise your PPC campaigns for better performance and a higher return on investment (ROI). Let’s dive in.
What is a PPC Audit?
To keep things simple, think of a PPC audit as a check-up for your advertising campaigns; it’s like going to the doctor for a regular check up. You take a close look at various aspects of your campaigns, such as settings, keywords, ad copy, landing pages, and performance metrics, and you identify areas that need improvement or a little TLC.
Why PPC Audits Matter
You might be thinking, “My campaigns are running just fine. Why should I spend time on an audit?” Even if your campaigns are moderately successful, here are just a few compelling reasons:
- You can spot and fix underperforming elements before they drain your budget.
- You ensure that your campaigns are aligned with your business goals.
- You can optimise your budget allocation and bid strategies for maximum impact.
- You stay ahead of the curve and outperform your competitors.
- You get more bang for your buck by maximising your ROI.
Now that you’re convinced, let’s dive into the 10 easy steps to conduct a PPC audit like a pro!
Step 1: Review Campaign Settings
First things first, let’s review your campaign settings. Make sure your targeting options, such as geographic location, language, and device targeting, make sense for your business objectives. Double-check your ad scheduling and budget settings to ensure they’re set up correctly and efficiently.
Step 2: Evaluate Keyword Performance
Next, it’s time to analyse how your keywords are performing. Look at metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost per click (CPC), and quality score. Identify your rock-star keywords and those that are just coasting along or downright irrelevant. Don’t forget to add negative keywords to prevent your ads from showing up for unrelated searches.
Step 3: Assess Ad Copy Effectiveness
Now, let’s focus on your ad copy. Is it engaging, relevant, and does it include a clear call-to-action (CTA)? Try testing different ad variations to see which ones resonate best with your target audience. When it comes to analysing the effectiveness of PPC, you’ll also want to ensure that your ad copy aligns with your keywords and landing pages for a seamless user experience.
Step 4: Landing Page Analysis
Your landing pages play a crucial role in converting visitors into customers, so you should regularly evaluate them for relevance, user experience, and conversion optimisation. Make sure your landing pages deliver on the promises made in your ad copy and provide a clear path to conversion; test different elements, such as headlines, images, and CTAs, to boost conversion rates.
Step 5: Budget and Bid Strategy Review
You’ll also want to take a close look at your budget allocation and bid strategies to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Consider adjusting your bids based on keyword performance, ad position, and conversion data, andeExplore different bidding strategies – such as manual CPC, enhanced CPC, or target CPA – to find the most effective approach for your campaigns.
Step 6: Ad Extensions and Formats
Ad extensions and formats can truly enhance your ads’ visibility and performance, so consider implementing relevant extensions, such as sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets, to provide additional information and improve your CTR. Experiment with different ad formats, like responsive search ads or display ads, to reach your target audience effectively.
Step 7: Quality Score and Ad Rank
Your keywords’ quality scores and ad ranks directly impact your ad performance and costs, so you’ll want to strive to improve your quality score by ensuring keyword relevance, ad copy quality, and landing page experience. Higher quality scores can lead to better ad positions and lower CPCs, so don’t neglect this area.
Step 8: Competitor Analysis
Don’t forget to analyse your competitors’ PPC strategies to gain valuable insights and identify opportunities for improvement. Look at their ad copy, landing pages, and targeting options to understand their approach. Use competitive intelligence tools to monitor their performance and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Step 9: Performance Metrics and Analytics
Set up comprehensive tracking and analytics to measure the success of your PPC campaigns. Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as CTR, conversion rate, cost per acquisition (CPA), and return on ad spend (ROAS). Use this data to make informed decisions and continuously optimise your campaigns.
Step 10: Ongoing Optimisation Strategies
Like everything in ecommerce, PPC optimisation is an ongoing process, and you might need to update or reform your strategies as the digital landscape changes and evolves. Regularly review your campaigns’ performance and make necessary adjustments based on data insights, and stay updated on industry trends, new features, and best practices to ensure your campaigns remain competitive and effective.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, conducting a PPC audit may seem overwhelming at first, but by following these 10 easy steps, you can unlock the full potential of your pay-per-click advertising efforts and boost your revenue in no time. And if you’re looking for expert guidance in all things PPC, consider partnering with a trusted PPC ad agency like us at ClickSlice! Our expert team knows exactly how to craft a winning, custom strategy that converts, so you can dominate your niche’s online landscape in no time.
