Advertisers spent more than $10 billion on pay-per-click marketing in 2017. That number was only expected to increase. As marketing budgets increase, so too does the amount spent on PPC.
As you already know, spending more money doesn’t always mean you’re running a more effective campaign. In fact, many marketers have remarked on the rising costs of PPC. Ads are getting more expensive, but without yielding better results.
If you want to maximize your PPC results in 2019, you’ll need to rethink your PPC strategy. That’s why we wrote this guide. In it, you’ll find eight tips for the best PPC ads and campaigns in 2019. If you want to run better campaigns and get ahead of your competition, start here.
1. Prepare for Trends Like Voice Search and Video
Over the last few years, video marketing has become more popular. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that by 2021, all content on Facebook would shift to video. The Internet at large is following that trend. Another emerging trend is voice search. With the help of assistants like Alexa and Siri, people are searching even while their hands are full. There’s no reason your PPC strategy shouldn’t shift to adapt. Try adding some video content to your campaigns. Learn about the different ways to optimize your ads for people who are searching by voice By doing so, you’ll be one step ahead of your competition.
2. Focus on Audiences in Your PPC Strategy
For years, paid search ads relied almost entirely on keywords. In 2019, the story is changing. Over the last little while, there’s been a marked shift from the use of keywords to the use of audiences. While keywords are still the bread and butter of PPC campaigns, advertisers are focusing more on the people behind searches.
Increasing audience segmentation is likely to be the trend. Use your data to distill who your audience is, and then layer that information into your PPC strategy. By doing so, you’ll be able to leverage bids to reach more of the people you want to talk to. A focus on audience also helps your ads feel more personalized and relevant to every user.
3. Test Drive New Features and Platforms
Google paid search is still the behemoth on the PPC landscape, but new platforms are emerging. Take, for example, Amazon and YouTube. You should also think about social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook.
In short, search doesn’t have to begin and end with Google. You can even go beyond search engines like Bing and Yahoo to reach your audience. As you expand, though, don’t forget about new features on platforms you’ve already been using. Google has no shortage of new features to test out in 2019. Key features include bid adjustments for phone calls and promotion extensions.
4. Enter the Age of Automation
If you’re still managing everything about your PPC campaigns manually, it’s time to get a helping hand. Artificial intelligence and automation aren’t just trends in the marketing world. They’re becoming PPC best practices. Automation can help you accomplish routine tasks in no time at all. AI can help you adjust to your audience and glean deeper insights into their behavior.
Of course, some things still need a human touch. Your team can spend more of their time turning insights into meaningful action. Automation means they can spend time assisting a customer or following up with a lead. In short, AI and automation could be the key to unlocking the potential of both your campaigns and your team.
5. Think for a Mobile World
It’s no secret that mobile usage has now surpassed desktop usage. People are more on the go than ever before, which means they’re searching from airports, the office, and almost anywhere else. It’s little wonder Google introduced a mobile-first index. Making your site mobile-friendly has been a key component of SEO for some time now.
It should also be part of your PPC strategy. Most of your audiences are viewing your ads on their smartphone screen. They’re conducting “near-me” searches. Adjusting your strategy to this new customer behavior is good business.
6. Review Your Budget
The more things change, the more they stay the same. That’s why PPC best practices for 2019 still include budget reviews. Your budget is key to making sure you don’t overrun your costs. With the increasing costs of PPC ads, this is easier than ever to do, so a budget has taken on more importance.
You should review your budget with an eye to how realistic it is. It’s important to acknowledge that PPC costs have been increasing. This doesn’t mean you have to spend more, but it does mean you have to spend wisely. A budget review can help you spot opportunities and strategize where you put your dollars.
7. Keep Step with Google
Even with emerging platforms, Google is still the #1 choice when it comes to paid search ads. As such, what Google does can make and break campaigns. Google updated its algorithm several times in 2018, and there’s no reason to believe it won’t do so again. It continues to apply the expertise, authority, and trust (EAT) test to sites. Late last year, it shifted users to a new ad experience and updated Adwords guidelines.
You’ll want to keep an eye on how Google is ranking pages, as well as things like snippet length and more. Keeping up with Google can be a task, but it will help you find success with your campaigns.
8. Rethink Reporting
The final key in your 2019 PPC strategy is to rethink how you’re reporting on your efforts. What metrics are you gathering data on? How are you measuring success? Think about how you’re using the data you collect. Can you act on it? Are there other, newer metrics that might be more useful? As PPC changes, your reports should also be updated to reflect your new strategy.
New Year, New Strategy
If you’ve been using the same PPC strategy for ages now, it’s time to update it for 2019. The world of paid search continues to evolve. If you want to succeed, you have to keep up. If you’re not sure where to start with designing a new strategy for PPC, get in touch with us. We can help you craft a strategy that will help you find success in 2019 and beyond.
