Introduction to Paid Search, PPC Presentation by Melissa Mackey at SES Chicago 2011

1. Introduction to Paid Search
@Mel66

2. Where Else Can You…
• Market to customers while they’re researching
your product
• Only pay when someone is interested in your ad
• Test your ad copy and landing pages in real time
• Learn how people talk about your product or
service
• Quickly drive sales at a positive ROI
@Mel66

3. Paid Search Can Do That!
@Mel66

4. Is Paid Search Right for You?
Direct marketing
Testing
Informing other marketing
Quickly driving traffic & conversion volume
@Mel66

5. Great! I’m Sold!
@Mel66

6. Before You Do Another Thing…
Determine business goals first
@Mel66

7. Tips for Successful Goal Setting
• Goals should be measurable
– Conversion tracking
• Goals should help your business grow
– i.e. not just traffic
• Goals should be achievable
– Do you have the infrastructure in place? Can
your website fulfill the ad promise?
@Mel66

8. Glossary
• Impressions
• Clicks
• Conversions
@Mel66

9. Glossary
• Campaign
• Ad Group
• Keywords
• Search query
@Mel66

10. Keyword Research
1. Brainstorm
designer jeans
buy designer jeans
deals on designer jeans
designer jeans online
designer jeans that fit
@Mel66

11. Keyword Research
2. Use a keyword tool: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
@Mel66

12. Keyword Research
Keyword
3. Remove irrelevant terms designer jean brands
design jeans
jeans that fit
plus size designer jeans
cheap designer jeans
designer clothes
new designer jeans
designer jeans for women
white jeans
design jeans online
seven jeans
designer jeans womens
7 for all mankind jeans
buy designer clothing
lee jeans
jeans on sale
jeans sale
flare jeans
designer denim jeans
@Mel66 boyfriend jeans

13. Keyword Research
4. Segment relevant terms & organize into ad groups
@Mel66

15. Keyword Match Types
Exact Match: Triggers ads only when the search query
exactly matches the keyword
[designer jeans]
Will only appear for that exact query
@Mel66

16. Keyword Match Types
Phrase Match: Triggers ads when the search query
includes the keyword phrase in word order
“designer jeans”
May appear on searches for: black designer jeans
designer jeans size 10
women’s designer jeans
where can I buy designer jeans cheap
@Mel66

17. Keyword Match Types
Broad Match: Triggers ads when the search query
includes the keyword phrase in any order, as well as on
similar phrases and relevant variations
designer jeans
levis jeans
May appear on searches for: designer shoes
jean jackets
true religions
joes jeans
cheap jeans
what designer makes lucky brand jeans
@Mel66

18. Keyword Match Types
Modified Broad Match (Adwords only): Triggers ads when
the search query includes certain words within a keyword
phrase
+designer jeans
designer true religions jeans
May appear on searches for:
buy jeans from famous designers
But not for: levis jeans
cheap jeans
jean jackets
@Mel66

19. Keyword Match Types
Negative Match: prevents your ad from showing on
queries including the negative term or phrase
Eliminate brands you don’t sell: -lee
-american eagle
-levis
And low-conversion potential: -free
-cheap
-used
@Mel66

20. Keyword Match Types
@Mel66

21. Ad Copy
Review your ad groups & keywords: what is the goal of each ad
group?
@Mel66

22. Ad Copy
Write the call to action first
@Mel66

23. Ad Copy
Research the competition – perform a few searches
@Mel66

24. Ad Copy
Determine your USP
Unique
Selling
Proposition
@Mel66

25. Ad Copy
By the way, these AREN’T USPs:
FedEx - The World On Time.
Nike - Just Do It.
De Beers - A Diamond Is Forever.
Miller Lite - Great Taste, Less Filling.
Ford Motor Co. - Drive One.
@Mel66

26. Ad Copy
Start writing your ads Why should someone click?
Sense of urgency
Include numbers – i.e. price
Include keywords
Write at least 2 ads per ad group
@Mel66

27. Ad Copy
25
35
35
@Mel66

28. Ad Copy
Good Ad Copy
Bad Ad Copy
@Mel66

29. Choosing a Landing Page
Must be relevant to the search query!
@Mel66

30. Choosing a Landing Page
Query = “womens seven designer jeans”
Bad landing page:
@Mel66

31. Choosing a Landing Page
Query = “womens seven designer jeans”
Better landing page:
@Mel66

32. Choosing a Landing Page
Query = “womens seven designer jeans”
Ideal landing page:
@Mel66

33. Account Setup
• Daily Campaign Budget
• Billing and Currency Settings
• Account time zone
• Ad Distribution – Geography
• Campaign Language
• Ad Distribution
• Ad Rotation
@Mel66

34. Account Setup
Key Setting #1:
Daily Campaign Budget – never more than you
can afford and are willing to spend per day
@Mel66

35. Account Setup
Key Setting #2:
Networks – Google and Search Partners Only!
WRONG!
@Mel66

36. Account Setup
Key Setting #3:
Ad Rotation – Rotate Ads More Evenly
WRONG!
@Mel66

37. The Big Scary Quality Score
Quality score “looks at a variety of factors to measure how
relevant your keyword is to your ad text and to a user's
search query.”
If you follow the method I’ve outlined so far, you’ll have a
good chance at good quality scores.
@Mel66

38. Bid Management
Top Tips for Effective Bid Management:
• Keep it simple
• Don’t bid more than you can afford
@Mel66

39. What Are We Getting Out Of This?
Measure everything with conversion tracking
@Mel66

40. What Are We Getting Out Of This?
Evaluate with analytics – some are free!
FREE!
@Mel66

41. Social PPC: Opportunity For the
Right Advertisers
@Mel66

42. Facebook Ads
• Good for building fan base
• Can work for other activities (lead gen, ecommerce,
etc.) as long as visitors stay on FB
• Read “Killer Facebook Ads” by Marty Weintraub:
http://killerfbads.com/
“Now that you’ve had the wow-that’s-dry-stuck-in-your-throat hors d’oevres, it’s
time for the caviar, baby. (I don’t know about you, but I’m rocking out to “Black
Cat” by Janet Jackson for this section.)”
@Mel66

43. LinkedIn Ads
• Ads for jobs & professional services that are highly
targeted to professions can work well
• Can be effective driving conversions off LinkedIn to
an optimized landing page
• Read “6 Tactics for Awesome ROI on LinkedIn Ads”
article on Search Engine Watch by Joe Kerschbaum:
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2113351/6-Tactics-for-Awesome-ROI-on-LinkedIn-Ads
@Mel66

44. Takeaways
PPC is more than a few keywords and a
credit card: plan, track, test
@Mel66

45. Takeaways
You must plan ahead! It will be worth it…
@Mel66

46. Resources
• PPC Basics Series, Web Marketing Today:
http://www.wilsonweb.com/paid-
search/mackey-ppc-mix1.htm
• Adwords Beginner’s Guide:
http://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/static.py
?hl=en&page=guide.cs&guide=21899
• Microsoft adCenter Training Guide:
http://advertising.microsoft.com/small-
business/support-center/training-
accreditation/adcenter-training
@Mel66

47. Melissa Mackey
mmackey@fluencymedia.com
@Mel66