Paid advertising is an effective way to drive traffic to your site in a short amount of time. But, if you’re not careful, you could run through your budget quickly without seeing any real results. To make sure that you are getting the most from your internet marketing strategy, it’s important to set things up properly. By taking the time to plan, you will see improved results using a smaller budget.
Let’s dig into five things you should do before jumping into your next paid internet advertising campaign.
One of the best tools for researching keywords is the Google AdWords tool. My only word of caution is to choose quality, long tail keywords. Many of the keywords listed are broad, which means they are more expensive and less effective. Pay attention to long tail keywords that are longer and more specific. Your ad dollars will go a lot further if you target lower-traffic terms that are relevant to your industry.
There are many different internet advertisement options, so it’s important to know which ones you want to use.
Display ads. Display ads, or banner ads, are common and available in a wide range of sizes. They can be effective, but they are generally shown to be people who are not actively looking for something. Banner ads can be shown for a certain length of time or purchased using a PPC model.
Text ads. They are less expensive than display ads, and they target people who are looking for something specific. To be effective, these ads need good keyword research and A/B testing.
Social ads. Social advertising on channels like Facebook or LinkedIn combine text and display ads. They allow you to target very specific people based on their preferences, demographics and location.
Google AdWords. Google AdWords offers display and text ads that revolve around highly targeted keywords.
Bing or Yahoo. Similar to Google, Bing and Yahoo ads combine display and text ads with specific keywords. They tend to be less effective than Google's ads but have a higher return.
By tracking your ads, you can see how well they are performing. Google Analytics is probably the most comprehensive, easy-to-understand and free analytic program out there. Once set up, you can create customized URLs for each campaign to monitor performance. As you see what’s working and what’s not, you can make adjustments in real time.
Each campaign should point toward a specific landing page. If you send people to your generic homepage, they’re less likely to continue with the desired action. Before launching an ad, create a unique landing page with a customized message for your audience. You can also point users to a specific offer, such as downloading an eBook.
Lastly, set a budget for your ad campaign. Paid advertising works best when it’s done over a slow and steady period. Allocate your budget over a length of time without spending everything upfront. Generally speaking, the larger the budget, the greater the results. To make this true for your investment, be sure to create highly targeted ads that are shown to the right audience.
Paid internet advertising helps get your brand noticed. But, it can be confusing. If you need help setting up or managing an effective paid ad strategy, contact WSI Star Web Solutions. We help small businesses earn money for every dollar spent! We will also do a free complimentary audit of existing campaigns.