Ecommerce PPC is an important part of any online retailer’s marketing strategy. It can be a great way to generate traffic and sales for your business, but only if you do it correctly. In this post, we talk about the best practices for getting the most out of ecommerce PPC, so read on!
What is PPC for Ecommerce?
PPC stands for “pay-per-click”. It is a form of internet marketing where advertisers pay only when someone clicks on their ad. This can be an effective way to generate traffic and sales, but it’s also important to make sure that you optimize your ads and budget.
Brush up on your PPC lexicon with our ultimate PPC glossary!
How Does PPC for Ecommerce Work?
To launch a PPC campaign for an ecommerce website, there are four steps you’ll need to take.
- Choose your keywords. Keywords are the words and phrases people type into search engines when they’re looking for something to buy or a service that fulfills their needs. They can also be used as part of an ad’s headline, description line, URL path and body copy.
- Create ads with those keywords in mind. It makes sense to have different versions of your advert tailored towards specific interests related to your product, such as “women’s running shoes” or “kids’ clothes”. You’ll need lots of them too – typically at least 50 per campaign is recommended so you don’t miss the opportunity to target any potential customer segments.
- Adjust your bids accordingly. Lower-quality keywords need less spending because they are less likely to result in conversions; high-quality ones will need more spend as these tend to convert better and bring in greater returns for each dollar spent.
- Track your progress and correct mistakes. This is the best way to see what’s working, what isn’t – and how you should change up your spending moving forward.
Ecommerce PPC’s Importance and Advantages
There are many advantages to including PPC in your overall marketing strategy. Here are the main reasons to use PPC for your Ecommerce store:
1.) PPC ads provide instant traffic
Unlike SEO that takes a long time to show results, PPC gives traffic from day one. You should still think about your long-term business success, but sometimes we need to get off to a good start, and PPC ads are one of the best ways to do this.
2.) PPC user data helps your SEO strategy
SEO and PPC work together. PPC is an effective way to test your keyword strategy before you commit to your SEO plan.
Usually, it’s hard to find the correct keywords to target. Using PPC allows you to see behind the curtain, where you get an overview of the exact searches your audience is making.
3.) PPC ads are easy to produce
It’s easier than ever to create PPC ads. Unlike SEO campaigns that can have a steep learning curve, you’ll be able to get your ad off the ground quickly with minimal time constraints.
4.) Set your own budgets
You can start with just $5 a day when jumping into the world of ecommerce PPC. This will give you a chance to get a feel for how things work. You can then work up to a limit that reflects your company’s goals and current budget.
You’ll want to closely monitor performance as time progresses – and then adjust your budget accordingly. You can even move more cash to the top-performing ads.
5.) Get super targeted
PPC allows you to be specific with your marketing strategy. You can target your exact audience with the exact materials you want them to see. You may find that you want to target people who are considering a purchase, but not yet committed. You can use PPC advertising to show them specific products they might be interested in, and then promote those items with discounts or extra incentives!
6.) You’ll get instant feedback
Google Ads contains an analytics tool called “Ads Campaign Experiments.” This is invaluable for ecommerce marketers because it helps us see which marketing strategies work best – we’re able to test different types of targeting (such as location, keywords, demographics) without ever having to spend the money on all three at once. The experiment will tell us how many conversions were received from each type of ad campaign tested.
Ecommerce PPC’s Best Practices
PPC campaigns make up about 50% of an average company’s digital ad spend – but you need to put in the work if you want your dollars to show a positive return.
1.) Target the right keywords
First, make sure you are targeting the right keywords. A keyword is a word or phrase that people use in search engines to find information about your product, service, or company. Targeting the wrong keyword will mean more clicks to your site, but fewer conversions. Essentially, you only want people on your site that are actively looking for what you provide.
2.) Be in stock
It can be frustrating to see an ad for a product, to then find out it’s no longer available when you click through – this will happen less often if you have accurate data of what’s still in stock or sold out.
3.) Don’t forget about mobile-specific ads
People use their phones more than they do laptops or desktop computers these days, so take advantage of this by tailoring your campaigns specifically towards smartphones and tablets.
4.) Know who you’re targeting
You should know which types of customers want certain products or offers. So think about whether you’re targeting moms, teenagers, professionals, etc. With a clear target customer in mind, you can fine-tune your ads to suit their needs and desires.
5.) Setup ecommerce tracking
This can be done by either setting up a Google Ads conversion event in your ecommerce platform or using the UTM parameters to track conversions. Doing this will tell you which products are converting best, how much revenue your ads are generating, and how you can optimize your campaign.
One great tool that you can use to track activity on your site is the Facebook Pixel plugin, check out the link to learn more!
6.) Produce a great landing page
You may get more people onto your website, but it doesn’t matter if you have a poor landing page that doesn’t convert. Your landing page should have detailed descriptions, engaging images, easy navigation, and product reviews.
Final Thoughts on Ecommerce PPC Ads
So, that’s everything you need to know about PPC for ecommerce stores. You can start with a few simple steps and then build up as your PPC knowledge grows.
Remember these steps, stay up-to-date with marketing trends, and you’ll be on your way to a successful ecommerce PPC campaign!