This document discusses strategies for improving a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaign for mortgage leads. It provides a case study showing how the cost per lead decreased over time from $68 to $23 as optimizations were made. Specific recommendations include separating search and display network campaigns, using precise match types and negative keywords, tight ad grouping themes, relevant landing pages, and regularly analyzing performance to optimize bids and ads. Continuous testing and optimization is emphasized to improve quality scores and lower costs.

1. You Down With PPC?
Luke Alley, Director of PPC
luke@dreamsystemsmedia.com
@lukealley

2. Case Study – Mortgage Client
MONTH 1
Cost Per Lead - $68.42
Total Number Of Leads - 52
JANUARY 2012
Cost Per Lead - $28.02
Total Number Of Leads – 1,418
Cost Per
Lead
Leads

3. What’s Happening Now?
MONTH 1
Cost Per Lead - $68.42
Total Number Of Leads - 52
May 2012
Cost Per Lead - $23.10
Total Number Of Leads – 2,563
Cost Per
Lead
Leads
February 2012

4. What Did I Do?
June 2011 – Started
Display Network
Feb 2011 – tested new
keywords, too
broad, though low
CPA.
Mar 2012 – Restructured all
campaigns
Nov 2010 – Hyper-targeted
city campaigns in TX & CA
Normal optimization

5. Where do people get stuck?
Quality Score
Disapprovals
Costs are
High, Leads
Low
Time- Set & Forget

6. Search, Display, Mobile Network
Pro Tip: The Best Mortgage Accounts Have
Search and Display Separated

7. Keyword Resarch - Jumbo Loans!

8. Jumbo Loans!

9. Google’s Keyword Tool External

10. Use Match Types
Broad Match: Jumbo Loans
• Jumbo Hot Dogs
• Find Jumbo Loans
• Loans
Phrase Match: “Jumbo Loans”
• Find Jumbo Loans
• Jumbo Loans Scottsdale
• Jumbo Loans Interest Rates
Exact Match: [Jumbo Loans]
• Jumbo Loans
Modified Broad Match: +Jumbo +Loans
• Jmbo Loans
• Jumbo Loan
• Jumbo Loanings
Pro Tip: Don’t Use Broad Match, Except with
a Thorough Negative Keyword List

11. Make Tight-Knit Adgroups/Themes
“Jumbo Loan Rates”
• jumbo loan rates
• jumbo loans rates
• jumbo loan interest
rate
“Jumbo Mortgage”
• jumbo loan mortgage
• jumbo mortgage loans
• jumbo mortgages
“Jumbo Loans”
• jumbo loan
• jumbo loans

12. Make Specific Ads for Themes
“Jumbo Loan Rates”
• jumbo loan rates
• jumbo loans rates
• jumbo loan interest rate
“Jumbo Mortgage”
• jumbo loan mortgage
• jumbo mortgage loans
• jumbo mortgages
“Jumbo Loans”
• jumbo loan
• jumbo loans

13. What’s this about “Quality Score”?
Historical Clickthrough
Rate of Keyword & Ad
Matched Ad Includes Keyword
Historical CTR of URLs
Landing Page Quality
Account History & Performance
(CTR of ads & kws)

14. What’s this about “Quality Score”?
Expected CTR
• A/B test ads.
• Create tight knit
adgroups
• Add negative
keywords
Ad Relevance
• Include keyword in
the ad.
• Include keyword in
destination URL.
Landing Page Exp.
• Match landing page to KW
• Optimized like SEO page

15. Let’s Be Negative
Universal Negative Keywords!
• Free
• Youtube
• Game
• Facebook
• Job
• Career
• Internship
Pro Tip: Add names of mortgage companies
in your area.

16. Ad Extensions – Give Your Ads
Some Flavor
Sitelinks
Location Extension
Phone Extension

17. Display Network – Uncharted
Territory

18. Making Display Network Work
“Jumbo Loan Rates”
• jumbo loan rates
• jumbo loans rates
• jumbo loan interest
rate
Pro Tip: Display network can yield mortgage
conversions cheaper than search network.

19. Remarketing- You’re Being
Followed!
Pro Tip: Don’t Be Creepy… and Image Ads
Work Great

20. Landing Pages

21. Bringing it All Back Together…
Leads Sales
Tight Knit
Adgroups
(Keyword Themes)
Super
Landing Page
(Converts Traffic)
Well Written
Ads
(Improve CTR)
High Quality
Scores
(Lower Costs)
Thorough
Keyword Lists
with Negative
Keywords
(Quality Traffic)
Remarketing

22. ADWORDS EDITOR!!!

23. Don’t Set It and Forget It!
Comb Through the
Search Term Report
A/B Test Ads
Raise/Lower Bids
Based on ROI
Split Out High Volume Keywords
Into Their Own Adgroups
A/B Test Landing Pages

24. THANK YOU!
Luke Alley, Director of PPC
dreamsystemsmedia.com
luke@dreamsystemsmedia.com
@lukealley