At Wilderness Agency, we believe that if your company offers a valuable product or service that, then advertising on Google is a no-brainer. The key to success with AdWords is to make sure that you are doing it right and getting a ROI. This requires a solid PPC strategy that is carefully managed by a knowledgeable team or individual. If you get it right, your business growth could double, triple, or even quadruple from the PPC side of your marketing alone.

However, every industry is unique and presents its own challenges when it comes to AdWords. This is why it’s important to understand the recommended strategy for success based on your business model and industry. In this guide, Wilderness Agency will explore the challenges and provide recommendations to help you succeed with AdWords.

First, let’s discuss what to consider testing, and then, we will discuss how you test.  When it comes to A/B testing, you can test almost anything. With that being said, here are some general areas to consider and pursue: 

Messages: Which message and/or copy resonated the most with our target audience? 

Visuals: Which visual impacted the most conversions? 

Within messages and visuals, there are countless elements that can be tested. In particular, marketers should look to test elements that they believe directly affect conversion rates and are high impact for your business. Here are elements for you to consider testing, broken down by channel:

Why invest in PPC instead of relying solely on free SEO methods?

The notion that SEO is a cost-free method for appearing in search engine results, while PPC requires investment, is controversial. However, when you take a closer look at the differences between these two methods, it becomes clear that relying solely on SEO is not practical for long-term business success.

Even if you do everything right, there is no guarantee that you will achieve a top ranking in the organic search results.

SEO is a challenging and uncertain way to boost online visibility compared to PPC advertising. Despite efforts to create high-quality content, and follow SEO practices, there’s no guarantee that your website will achieve high organic rankings. Even if you have great organic listings one day, they could be lost in an instant when Google updates its algorithms. Additionally, your competitors are probably investing in PPC, which makes it difficult to compete. Furthermore, SEO is not truly free, as it requires consistent resources to produce and optimize quality content.

If you are facing challenges with AdWords, like high costs or low conversion rates, it’s likely that you’re making mistakes in your campaign management. It is crucial to invest time in learning about AdWords, including key concepts like bidding, match types, negative keywords, and budget management. Additionally, the landing page of your website is a crucial factor in determining success with AdWords. Even if you secure cheap clicks, they will not result in conversions if your landing page is not optimized.  AdWords can be effective if it is managed correctly, and this post provides tips to help you achieve success with the platform. If you’d like to learn more about SEO or PPC click here:

All About SEO

Efficient PPC

What if I Dont Have the Time

The AdWords interface is not designed for the multi-tasker. Analyzing data, optimizing campaigns, and maintaining the organization of your account can consume a significant amount of time and become a full-time job. Unless you have the time and expertise to continuously stay current with the evolving world of PPC, it’s recommended to consider the following options:

If you’re having trouble with AdWords being too expensive or with low conversion rates, you may need to consider some other options: 

1. Hire a dedicated PPC employee who can be responsible for your account, running ads on various networks, and bringing in new business from your paid advertising strategy. However, this can be costly and requires finding a reliable and capable hire. 
2. Another option is to outsource to an agency. This also involves a significant investment, but can reduce the risk of hiring someone who doesn’t understand your business objectives. 

What if I’m new to this?

Don’t worry! It’s okay to admit that your PPC skills need improvement. The first step to mastering PPC is recognizing the need to learn. While you may understand the difference between paid and organic listings, other aspects such as account structure, proper use of match types and negative keywords may be unfamiliar. But don’t fret, PPC is not rocket science and can be learned for free online.

What if you’re a B2B

The B2B sector faces its own set of challenges, such as lengthy sales cycles and a targeted audience. Although some may consider PPC a hindrance, numerous B2B companies, have found that PPC is an integral part of their lead generation strategy. As long as you execute AdWords correctly, you can achieve success. Here are some tips to ensure your AdWords success.  If you’re a B2B business, you may face unique challenges such as longer sales cycles and targeting specific audiences. However, PPC can actually play a crucial role in your lead generation strategy. To make the most of AdWords, follow these tips:

1. Conduct keyword research to understand how your target audience searches during the buying cycle.
2. Bid on keywords related to problems and direct your ads to solution-focused content.
3. Create a custom advertising schedule that targets the most profitable hours, typically during working hours from Monday to Friday for B2B offerings.

Don’t shy away from PPC, embrace it as a critical component of your sales strategy. With the right approach, you can achieve success with AdWords.

What if you’re in the retail space?

In the retail industry, competition for AdWords advertising is intense. Adobe’s Digital Index reports that retailers’ spending on Google shopping ads increased by 47% from the previous year. However, not advertising on Google may limit your ability to grow your business as many shoppers begin their search through google.

In the retail industry, competition is intense, making it imperative to advertise on Google to grow your business. To make the most out of your AdWords strategy, consider the following:

1. Use Google Shopping Ads: Display an image, price, your brand and even reviews, allowing the searcher to get all the information they need, leading to high-intent clicks that are cheaper and have higher conversion rates.
2. High-Quality Images and Accurate Prices: Ensure the images for your shopping ads are high quality and the prices are accurate.
3. Utilize Remarketing: Re-engage searchers and push them down the funnel with remarketing.
4. Don’t Neglect Search Ads: Text ads are still important for retail marketers to raise brand awareness and create repeat buyers.
5. Automation: Automation tools such as ad customizers, dynamic remarketing ads, and ad scheduling will save you time and resources.
6. Seasonal Peaks: Understand your seasonal peaks and adjust your AdWords budget accordingly, especially for events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

What if you’re in the local space?

Don’t overlook the impact AdWords can have on driving local foot traffic to your store. People often use Google to search for nearby businesses, whether it be for a new restaurant, dental office, or a baby clothing store. To succeed in local PPC, it is crucial to focus on the following factors:

1. Maximize the impact of your budget by accurately targeting your location in AdWords. Choose the most appropriate radius to reach your desired audience.

2.Optimize your Google My Business profile – it’s a free and simple way to showcase your business effectively on search results pages.

3. Implement a call plan. Phone calls are essential for local businesses, so you should be using call-only campaigns, and call extensions. It’s also necessary to monitor calls for optimal AdWords account performance.
4. Make information accessible to searchers through SERPs by using all relevant ad extensions, such as call, location, sitelinks, and callouts.

Final Thoughts:

Google AdWords is a powerful tool for growing your business if managed correctly. A solid PPC strategy and knowledgeable team are key to success. AdWords requires a customized approach based on your business model and industry, including A/B testing for effective messaging. PPC investment is necessary for growth, but can present challenges like high costs or low conversion rates. Consider hiring a PPC expert or learning online to succeed with AdWords. B2B sector requires a unique approach to AdWords due to longer sales cycles.

If you’re ready to get started check out our blog on how to build an efficient paid search account structure.