Managing pay-per-click campaigns effectively requires using the right free ppc tools for research, optimisation, and analysis as well. But you don’t need to break the bank on paid tools to boost your PPC performance.
Here are 10 free ppc tools that allow you to research keywords, create ads, analyze data, and optimize landing pages to improve your PPC results. Use these free ppc tools to manage campaigns more efficiently and maximise your ROAS.
10 Free PPC Tools for Campaign Management
Keyword Research Tools
Thorough keyword research is the foundation of every effective PPC campaign. These free ppc tools can help identify high-volume, low-competition keywords to target.
1. Google Trends
Google Trends is a valuable and free ppc tool that every marketer should be using for keyword research. It shows search volume patterns and emerging trends for keywords segmented by country and region. Tracking the popularity of keywords over time in Google Trends can reveal new opportunities and help inform content strategy.
Even curating content around trending keywords spotted in Google Trends can help get your website/content more visibility. You can see rising and falling levels of interest in topics and keywords, and compare search metrics across different locations and categories.
Key Benefits of Using Google Trends:
- Uncover rising keyword demand and seasonality of search queries.
- Discover untapped keyword opportunities by analysing top competitors.
- Identify areas where search interest is declining.
- Download search query data for further analysis.
- Completely free ppc tool to use for all types of businesses.
Tips for Using Google Trends for PPC:
- Analyse at least 5-10 top competitors’ keywords for new ideas.
- Look for opportunities in related keywords with high search volume.
- See if global events/news trigger interest in any keywords.
- Check if your ad budget aligns with keyword popularity trends.
- Use it along with other keyword tools for more data.
Success Stat: 70% of digital marketers use Google Trends regularly as a free ppc tool for their PPC keyword research. It provides invaluable data to make the right marketing decisions.
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2. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is an indispensable free ppc tool for PPC keyword research. It provides keyword suggestions and average monthly search volumes to help guide your keyword selection and ad group structuring decisions.
Using Keyword Planner, you can:
- Get accurate local and global monthly search volume data for keywords. This helps estimate traffic potential.
- Forecast traffic for new keywords you may be targeting. Useful when expanding your PPC campaigns.
- Export curated keyword lists to use directly in PPC platform. Saves time.
- Filter keywords by competition level and search intent to find the best options.
- See historical graph trends for keyword volumes. Spot rising/falling opportunities.
Best For: Business of all sizes find value in Keyword Planner as a free ppc tool, especially medium to large scale companies with existing PPC campaigns to analyse and improve. The detailed data helps make informed decisions on budget allocation and new keyword expansion.
Pro Tip: Make the most of Keyword Planner as a free ppc tool by using filters like Competition, Custom Intent Audiences and Search Trends. This surfaces keywords most relevant to your business.
Success Metric: 78% of PPC experts feel Keyword Planner gives them the most reliable keyword data to optimize their campaigns. The insights it provides into customer search behavior is invaluable.
Google Keyword Planner is a must-have free ppc tool for uncovering new keywords and aligning PPC strategy with search trends and demand. The data it provides is superior to most paid keyword research tools.
3. Soovle
Soovle is a useful free ppc tool that aggregates keyword data from Google Autocomplete to find hundreds of long-tail variations for your seed keywords. This makes it great for building expansive, targeted keyword lists.
Key Benefits of Using Soovle:
- Discover 100s of long-tail keyword variations you may not have considered before. Goes beyond obvious keywords.
- Get estimated monthly search volumes for the suggested keywords. Helps gauge traffic potential.
- Find related keywords and ideas you can target. Expand your PPC keyword scope.
- Easy to extract and export the keyword suggestions in CSV/Excel.
- Completely free ppc tool to use with no limits on keywords.
Best For: Soovle works well as a free ppc tool for small businesses new to PPC looking to brainstorm fresh, long-tail keyword ideas and expand their keyword research. The long list of suggestions can unlock hidden gems.
Pro Tip: Start with 3-5 broad seed keywords highly relevant to your business as input for Soovle as a free ppc tool. This provides the most useful long-tail keyword variations.
Success Metric: Soovle keyword suggestions are 50% longer on average (more words) compared to other free tools. The longer keywords target users’ precise intent.
Soovle is a free ppc tool that can enhance your PPC keyword research by helping uncover overlooked, longer-tail variations of your core keywords. The larger keyword pool gives more options to target searches.
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4. Answer the Public
Answer the Public is a handy free ppc tool for getting keyword inspiration and ideas by displaying Google autocomplete suggestions and search question data. It also lets you filter the results by location.
Key Benefits:
- Results are visually displayed and easy to scroll through for keyword ideas.
- Reveals the actual questions people are asking online related to your topic. Informs content strategy.
- Compare keyword interest across different countries and languages.
- Download results as a spreadsheet, PDF or in image formats.
- Most of the features are free to use with no limits. And if you want to dive in deeper, you need to purchase a monthly/yearly plan.
Best For: Bloggers and content marketers get great value from Answer the Public as a free ppc tool. The search question results provide headline and topic ideas that resonate with users.
Pro Tip: Try using different related categories beyond just your core niche as input in this free ppc tool. This surfaces fresh, unexpected keyword suggestions.
Success Metric: Answer the Public sources keyword data from 166 Google domains to provide comprehensive results for any niche or topic.
Answer the Public is an excellent free ppc tool for unlocking keyword inspiration from Google’s autosuggest and user questions data. It gives you ideas to create content that aligns with search intent.
Competitor Analysis Tools | Free PPC Tools
Monitoring competitor PPC ads gives insights into their strategies and opportunities they may be missing.
5. Google Ads Library
The Google Ads Library is an invaluable free online database that displays text ads running for specific keywords across Google Ads accounts. You can filter the results by location, language, device, and more to analyze competitor targeting approaches.
Key Benefits of Using the Google Ads Library (free ppc tools):
- View actual ads your competitors are running to uncover their messaging strategy.
- See landing pages competitors are driving traffic to. Reveals their conversion funnels.
- Find untapped, high-potential keywords your competition may not be targeting yet.
- Discover new audiences and demographics your competitors are focused on.
- Completely free ppc tool to access with no account or login required.
Best For: Businesses of all sizes find value in the Google Ads Library as a free ppc tool, especially medium and large companies operating in established PPC markets. Competitor data helps guide their targeting and budget decisions.
Pro Tip: Check the Google Ads Library regularly to see new ads and approaches competitors are testing in their PPC campaigns. This can spark ideas.
Success Metric: Top PPC advertisers refresh their ad copy every 2 months on average according to studies. The Google Ads Library allows you to keep up as a free ppc tool.
In summary, the Google Ads Library is a free, must-use ppc tool for gaining insights into competitors’ PPC strategies. The intelligence it provides can help uncover areas of untapped potential in your own campaigns.
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6. Facebook Ad Library
Similar to Google’s ad library, Facebook also offers a free online ad library containing all active ads currently running on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Audience Network. You can use this library to study image and video ads competitors are using as well as the audiences they are targeting.
Key Benefits of Facebook’s Ad Library:
- View ad creatives and messaging competitors are using in their ads. This can spark creative ideas.
- Identify overlooked audiences and customer segments your competition is focused on targeting.
- See ad formats and placements competitors are investing in across Facebook’s platforms.
- Completely free to access and search through with no login required.
- Download image copies of ads for further analysis.
Best For: Any business investing significantly in paid social media advertising can derive value from Facebook’s free ad library. The competitor insights help guide budget and targeting decisions.
Pro Tip: Search for competitors specifically by industry in the ad library. Look for ad copy concepts or creative content formats you can take inspiration from.
Success Stat: 85% of Facebook ad clicks now come from mobile devices. Review their mobile-optimized creatives.
Regularly checking Facebook’s free ad library allows you to research competitors’ social media ads and uncover winning formulas. You can apply these learnings to refine your own ad approach.
7. SEMrush Traffic Analytics
SEMrush is a robust paid tool that provides valuable insights into competitors’ paid traffic sources and volumes over time. This intelligence is useful for assessing where competitors are focusing their paid efforts and any potential gaps you can fill.
Key Benefits of Using SEMrush for Paid Intelligence:
- Analyze competitors’ top paid advertising channels – PPC, social, native, etc. See where budgets are allocated.
- Estimate competitor spending on paid campaigns based on traffic volumes. Benchmark against your budgets.
- Track increases/decreases in competitors’ paid traffic month-to-month.
- Identify new paid channels competitors are testing and having success with.
- Download reports for further analysis.
Best For: Larger enterprises and brands investing in multiple paid channels derive the most value from SEMrush’s cross-channel paid data. It aids high-level strategic planning.
Pro Tip: Study your own customers’ acquisition funnels as well as clients’ funnels for new paid channel ideas beyond just PPC.
Success Metric: PPC accounts for 65% of total digital ad spend in the UK currently. But diversifying spend is key.
Overall, SEMrush provides robust paid traffic analytics to assess competitors’ strategies across channels over time. The intelligence can help uncover gaps and new paid opportunities. While SEMrush itself is a paid tool, the insights it provides can guide you in making the most of free ppc tools.
Optimisation Tools | Free PPC Tools
Fine-tuning landing pages and ad copy improves PPC results. These free tools assist with optimisation.
8. Google Optimize
Google Optimize is a free and easy-to-use A/B testing tool that enables you to test changes to landing pages without engineering resources. Running A/B tests reveals what page copy, layouts, visuals and other elements increase conversions.
Key Benefits of Google Optimize:
- Quickly set up and run A/B tests on page variations without coding knowledge.
- Make ongoing incremental improvements to pages based on test results.
- Integrates directly with Google Analytics for easy test analysis.
- Free to use with ability to run unlimited tests.
- Supports web and mobile page testing.
Best For: Businesses of any size can benefit from Google Optimize to start optimizing landing pages. The tool is intuitive and requires no technical expertise.
Pro Tip: Start with 3-5 quick, easy tests like changing a headline, button color, image etc. This builds momentum.
Success Metric: Well-optimized landing pages successfully lift conversion rates by 20% on average according to studies. Google Optimize helps unlock this potential.
Google Optimize is the ideal free landing page optimization tool to make and measure changes that increase conversions. The insights it provides can dramatically improve PPC campaign results.
9. Google Analytics
Connecting your Google Ads account to Google Analytics is critical for analyzing the performance of your PPC campaigns. This integration enables you to import key cost and conversion data from Google Ads into Analytics.
Within Google Analytics, you can then:
- Review keywords, ads and landing pages driving the most conversions and revenue.
- Analyze conversion rates and return on ad spend (ROAS) for campaigns.
- Attribute offline conversions to online PPC clicks for a complete view.
- Optimize bids and budgets based on real-time conversion data.
- Build custom reports on PPC campaign metrics.
Best For: All businesses running Google Ads need to activate integration with Google Analytics for deeper performance analysis. The data fuels optimization.
Pro Tip: Use automated bid strategies in Google Ads flowing Analytics conversion data for improved optimization at scale.
Success Metric: Businesses leveraging Google Analytics for in-depth PPC analysis have 13% higher conversion rates on average. The data-driven approach pays off.
In summary, connecting Google Ads and Analytics is a must for unlocking the full potential of your PPC spend. The unified view of cost and conversion data enables sharper optimization.
10. Microsoft Clarity
Microsoft Clarity is a powerful free heat mapping tool that records visitor sessions on your website to help you visualize user behavior and pinpoint usability issues.
Key Benefits of Using Microsoft Clarity:
- Heatmaps show exactly where visitors are clicking and scrolling on each page. Spot issues.
- Session recordings let you watch real user interactions on your site. Identify struggles.
- Form & survey tools provide visitor feedback to understand experience.
- Completely free to use on one site with basic features.
- Integration with Google Analytics for additional data.
Best For: Ecommerce stores and lead generation sites derive huge value from installing Microsoft Clarity to reduce friction and boost conversions. The visual data makes improving user experience easy.
Pro Tip: Watch session recordings yourself and make quick fixes where you observe visitors struggling with navigation or conversions.
Success Metric: Pages with unclear navigation or calls-to-action have 88% higher bounce rates according to research. Microsoft Clarity helps avoid this.
Microsoft Clarity is an invaluable free tool for understanding visitor behavior and continuously improving page experience to boost conversions. The heatmaps make problems visual and easy to fix.
Additional Tips for PPC Success | Free PPC Tools
In addition to using free ppc tools, here are some other best practices for running effective PPC campaigns:
- Set specific campaign goals and track KPIs like CPA in analytics
- A/B test ad copy and landing pages frequently
- Create tightly themed ad groups around product/service topics
- Enable location targeting for geo-modified bids
- Use negative keywords to reduce irrelevant traffic
- Check Search Terms Report and add high-converting keywords
- Follow Google Ads best practices for quality scores and low CPCs
- Build responsive landing pages for optimal mobile experience
- Remarket to website visitors across channels for more conversions
- Audit ad accounts quarterly for low-performing areas to improve
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