Are you using the trinity of PPC success to maximise your Google Adwords ROI? by Ian Howie, 18 November 2008
Optimize your Google AdWords campaigns to maximize your Return On Investment (ROI) by using the same keywords within the Trinity of PPC Success: (1) Keyword Bid, (2) Ad Copy and (3) Landing Pages.
You are hoping that potential customers start with a search on Google and end up buying your products from your website. This is a journey from keyword search to your advert and then to your landing page, as shown in the diagram below:
At each stage a searcher makes a decision to move closer to buying from you or not.
You can influence those decisions by matching your keywords with your ad copy and then with your landing pages. If searchers see the keywords they searched with, then they are more likely to think they will find what they are looking for and then read, click and buy.
Let’s look at each of the three parts of that Trinity of PPC Success with the example of a search with the keyword ‘BMW series 3 manual’:
1. Keywords
In the image below, the search with the keyword BMW series 3 manual is made on Google:
2. Ad copy
The image below shows an advert that displays for a search with ‘BMW series 3 manual’. The title, the URL and the description all use elements of the keyword:
3. Landing pages
Completing the Trinity of PPC Success, the landing page shown below is seen by those who click on the ad above. The headline and key copy both use elements of the original keyword:
Your check list for the trinity of PPC success
When ad copy and landing pages are related, conversion figures will be higher. Google also wants ads and landing pages to be relevant to searches so the more targeted and relevant your ads and landing pages are, the more favorably you are treated by Google. Here is a quick check list for the trinity:
- Make sure an ad group’s keywords are all in its ad copy. Only put a keyword in an ad group if it appears in the ad copy.
- If you’ve got keywords that don’t match the ad, take them out and put them in a new ad group with new ad copy that uses those specific keywords. You can create as many ad groups as you need.
- Don’t send people to your home page – think seriously about creating bespoke landing pages at least for each ad group.
- Use tools like Google’s Website Optimizer to improve the performance of your landing pages.
- Continually monitor and test Clickthrough Rates (CTRs) and ROI of keywords.
- Keep testing ad copy – use A/B testing to get a feel for ad tone and test 2 or 3 ads at a time. Test headlines, offers, USPs and calls to action like “buy” or “get”.
- Spend time creating your ad copy.
Monitor results, refine ads and landing pages
Allow the performance of your ads and landing pages to influence your ongoing strategy. As you monitor your campaigns over time you will notice things that work really well (and not so well!). Because you can change your keywords, ad listings and landing pages at any time, you have huge control over the performance of your campaign. Delete components that aren't delivering sales and swap ad listings and landing pages monthly to promote new offers.
Have a look at the Wordtracker Academy section on PPC for some more information on PPC.
About Ian Howie
Ian Howie started working in SEO and PPC in 1995, turning professional in 2002 and specializing in PPC since 2003. Ian co-founded London PPC agency 1upSearch in 2006 and he manages Wordtracker’s PPC Training Workshops and PPC campaigns. Ian has been Google’s guest in Mountain View, San Francisco and Dublin and Microsoft’s in the UK and Dublin. Follow Ian Howie's PPC on Twitter.
10 comments
This method is so so simple - yet so many people don't do it. If you use the Trinity method with negative Keywords: http://www.wordtracker.com/academy/negative-keywords you are on your way to having high CTR. Remember to measure the results - never be afraid to switch off what is not working. Even using this method the 80/20 rule applies.
Great article Ian, as you say it is very common sense and I'll admit that I often forget the very basics of keeping things consistent when doing PPC, trying out variations in the same ad rather than creating new ads with a consistent key word presence! thanks for the kick and reminder!
Outstanding article with great info! Question: What is considered a 'high' CTR? Anyone?
A superb easy to understand and to the point article Ian. Sphunn it: http://sphinn.com/story/85888
High CTR - it really depends on context.
Think of it this way, print and TV can get less than a 1% response rate - and CTR is really just a measure of response. So that is why getting above 1% is so important. Once you get above a 1% CTR Google will reward you.
By breaking down the keyword and ad - and by using long tail keywords you may be able to get CTR of 5% or more. Also using negative keywords can boost your CTR, see: http://www.wordtracker.com/academy/negative-keywords.
Hey Howie,
Great post. Can I ask you guys something:
Should I test/optimize my ad copy AND my landing page copy simultaneously at the same time, or should I first optimize my ad copy and only then the landing page.
How are you, Howie, and my fellow readers optimizing your ads?
Best regards
Hi Kle,
Great question.
Split test your ads - so have at least 2 running on each ad Group. I like to start with 4 and then bring it down to 2, then I take the best of those 2 and keep it running - but I try to write an ad that will better it. I always have at least 2 ads running.
With the Landing Page - start with a page that fits the keyword and all the ads - once we have an ad that clearly beats the others then optimize the Landing Page to that ad.
Always be prepared to paused / delete keywords and ads that are not working.
Hope that helps,
Ian
Hey Howie,
Thanks for taking the time and sharing your advice. I really appreciate it. (Now I know: 1) Find the winner ad with and the then 2) optimize the landing Page to that ad. Great.)
'wish you all the best.
Hi all, very new novice to internet marketing here with some very elementary questions..... I am preparing copy for a a very basic but useful data collection website meetmybiz.com - perfect for me needs at this stage. Am I right in assuming that for more than one add I need more than one of these sites, or can these data collection sites run several adds at once? Apoligies if this seems very ill infomred.
Enormously grateful for any help that any of you experienced internet marketers can offer!
Regards Allanah
This is very important information for Online earnings.