Curious about the effectiveness of PPC campaigns? The average conversion rate falls around 2.7%, highlighting the importance of crafting compelling ads and targeting the right audience.
If you’re going to use broad match keywords, do not forget to implement this one important step!
If you don’t, it’s guaranteed to skew your results. Add your brand as a negative keyword to the ad group. Multiple Google reps assured me yesterday that tROAS bidding would be the safeguard against broad match going too crazy.
Well…if you don’t add your brand as a negative, Google will ALWAYS be able to pull in a branded search term to hit your ROAS targets.
I’m not an anti-broad match but without the right elements in your campaign you won’t be getting the most out of it.
Message matches could be the culprit. It’s a surprisingly common issue, yet fixing it can unlock a dramatic boost in conversions and slash your cost per lead.
Let’s dissect this problem and discover exactly how to make your ads and landing pages sing in perfect harmony.
The Big Problem
Many PPC campaigns stumble due to a mismatch between user intent and ad messaging. Imagine Dr. Smile, a dentist offering diverse services. He throws tons of keywords into a single ad group, crafts a generic ad, and directs traffic to his homepage. Weeks later, his ad spend has climbed, but conversions remain elusive. Why? Message mismatch!
He throws tons of keywords into a single ad group, crafts a generic ad, and directs traffic to his homepage. Weeks later, his ad spend has climbed, but conversions remain elusive. Why? Message mismatch!
Dr. Smile’s broad ad doesn’t resonate with users searching for specific services. They click, expecting relevant information on their chosen procedure, only to find themselves on the general homepage, lost in a sea of options. This disconnect between ad and landing page cripples conversions and wastes precious ad budget.
The solution? Message matches across every step! From laser-focused keywords to targeted ad copy to service-specific landing pages, every element needs to align with user intent. This cohesive approach ensures clear communication, relevant experiences, and ultimately, happy patients and thriving campaigns.
Keyword-To-Ad Match
When auditing accounts, we find advertisers will place different services in the same ad group or worst of all, place all of their keywords in one ad group.
When a user searches for one of the keywords that Sam’s targeting, they aren’t getting an ad that matches that service specifically.
In our example, when a user searches for something very specific, like Invisalign:
Instead of targeted ads relevant to their needs, they get hit with generic dentistry promos that miss the mark.
Mismatched expectations lead to ad fatigue. Searchers seeking Invisalign specifically might skip your ad if it focuses solely on being a dentist.
This translates to low click-through rates (CTRs) and high cost per click (CPC). Worse, it could hurt your quality scores, pushing ad costs even higher.
How do you fix this?
Ditch the one-size-fits-all approach for your ad groups! Instead of cramming all your keywords into a single group and hoping for the best, segment them into smaller, tightly focused groups based on specific service types.
Take a cue from the example below: instead of a single ad group with a generic message, we’ve created dedicated groups for each service, allowing for targeted ads that resonate with user intent. This laser-sharp approach leads to higher relevance, better ad performance, and ultimately, happier customers.
Cut through the clutter and grab clicks with laser-focused ad copy. Speak directly to your ideal customer’s desires by mentioning what they’re searching for, then highlight compelling benefits that resonate with their needs.
This targeted approach, coupled with a clear call to action, will entice them to click your ad over the competition. Boost your keyword research with our free PPC Competitor Research Tool, ensuring your ads hit the right search terms.
But the journey doesn’t end there! Maintain seamless message match consistency across your landing page, reinforcing the value proposition and guiding them towards conversion.
Ad-To-Landing-Page Match
Imagine landing a click on your ad, only to lose them on a generic homepage. It’s like baiting a hook with juicy details, then reeling them into an empty boat.
Take this “Invisalign” search, for example. The ad boasts “Dental care worth smiling about,” but crickets chirp about the clear aligners they craved. This disconnect breeds bounce rates faster than you can say “missed conversion.
Sending potential customers to a generic homepage can overwhelm them with mixed messages, competing CTAs, and a confusing navigation.
Instead, guide them seamlessly from ad to landing page, echoing the specific message that piqued their interest. This clear path ensures they feel they’re in the right place, eliminating friction and showing them exactly what to do next. Anything less can feel like a bait-and-switch, damaging trust and conversions.
How To Fix This:
Target your ad traffic with laser precision by crafting dedicated landing pages for each service.
Mirror the keywords used in your ads on these pages, prominently featuring them in headlines and throughout the copy.
This seamless transition reinforces your ad message and leaves no room for confusion. Make the desired action crystal clear for potential customers, guiding them effortlessly towards the next step.
Think of it as a custom-built bridge between your ad and a satisfying conversion.
Strikingly similar to the ad, this landing page doubles down on its key points: Invisalign in Tampa, with a tempting new patient special starting at just $129/month.
That familiarization, coupled with the clear value proposition, sets the stage for high conversion rates.
Throughout the journey, trust is subtly cultivated. Each element reinforces the message, building confidence in the potential customer’s mind.
- Broad Match:
If you don’t tell Google how and when to show your keywords, it will default to this setting and show your ads for any search it considers relevant. This could include searches that use your keywords in any order or don’t even contain your keywords at all.
So if your keyword is:
– DUI Lawyer
With no punctuation or brackets, Google could show your ads for searches, such as:
– Law firm near me
– Do I need a lawyer?
– Estate planning lawyer
– Should I become a lawyer?
Instead, use “Phrase Match” or [Exact Match] keyword match types.
- [Exact Match]
This option gives you total control. You no longer have to worry about spending your marketing dollars on keywords that aren’t relevant to your campaign. This step alone will save you thousands of dollars in wasted marketing assets.
To use the Exact Match option, throw brackets around your keyword. So if your keyword is:
– [Motorcycle Crash Lawyer]
Your law firm won’t show up for searches such as:
– Free lawyer
– Crash lawyer for motorcycle accidents
– Personal injury lawyer
– Should I hire a crash lawyer?
If a searcher misspells the keywords in your ad, it won’t show up.
- “Phrase Match”
Personally, this type of match type is my favorite. But you must keep a close eye on the searches you appear for and add the poor searches to your negative keyword list.
Enter your keyword in straight quotation marks. People will see your ad when they type in the keyword in that precise order, but your ad will also display if they type additional words before or after:
– “Motorcycle Crash Lawyer”
With this keyword match type, here are some of the searches where your ad will appear:
– Best Motorcycle Crash Lawyer
– Motorcycle Crash Lawyer Near Me
– Motorcycle Crash Lawyer in Kansas City
– Motorcycle Crash Lawyer Free Consultation
Adding keyword match types will give you more control over which keywords your advertisements appear for, saving you time and money.
Conclusion
So the test is quite hands-on. Keep your eye on it. Go from there.
If it worked (which it probably will), and you’ve got a good Exact that was converting and spending money, then guess what? The test expands. You do it again. Perhaps with your second-favorite Exact that’s spending decent money and converting.
This really is not rocket science. Do not overthink it. There’s no super-ninja funky tactical play here.
Author: Christopher Smith
SEO and linkbuilding expert. More than 7 years of work in the field of website search engine optimization, specialist in backlink promotion. Head of linkbuilding products at GREAT Guest Posts, a global linkbuilding platform. He regularly participates in SEO conferences and also hosts webinars dedicated to website optimization, working with various marketing tools, strategies and trends of backlink promotion.
