Has your business used pay-per-click (PPC) advertising? Pay-per-click advertising on Google Ads allows businesses to pay for each click on an ad that directs a user to its site. Essentially, this tactic uses captivating ads as a form of paid search. If the pay-per-click advertising campaign is thoughtfully and strategically curated, your business is likely to convert tens or even hundreds of qualified leads within weeks.

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is one of the most powerful digital marketing tools, but it can blow your advertising budget quickly if not properly managed. Although potential customers may be looking for your exact product or service, it only takes one weak element of your campaign to lead them astray. Certain weaknesses can lower your conversion rate, and your company may miss out on credible business opportunities. What can your business change to convert more leads? As pay-per-click advertising experts, we can provide the tips you need to boost your company’s PPC conversion rate.

Understand your unique conversion rate

Improvements cannot be made until you learn your business account’s current pay-per-click conversion rate. If your business isn’t already tracking pay-per-click activity on Google Ads, be sure to collect all relevant data. That way, you see how your conversion rate has evolved over time. What is an appropriate conversion rate for your business? Each industry operates according to different benchmarks on Google Ads; therefore, successful conversation rates vary from market to market. According to SpyFu though, the average pay-per-click conversion rate across all industries is around “3.75% for search… and about 0.77% for display networks.” Nonetheless, speak with an industry expert to set timely and achievable pay-per-click conversion rate goals that are appropriate for your business. Additionally, you can analyze data to understand where those leads fell through. Were they overwhelmed by your landing page? Did they feel dismissed when they didn’t receive an answer to a form fill? These are the details you should explore in order to improve overall conversions.

Curate your landing page

If a lead makes it all the way to your landing page, you still have a long road ahead before the conversion is complete. A pay-per-click (PPC) ad provides a glimpse into the world of your business, but the customer must feel that the landing page echoes your company’s offer in a clean, concise way. The landing page is where a potential customer can feel intimate with your business after clicking on an enticing ad. The landing page should showcase a straightforward call to action (CTA), copy that resonates with your target audience, and visuals that keep the user’s attention without being distracting.

Use your Google Ads Quality Score to your advantage

Google Ads has a system in place that identifies and rewards high-quality pay-per-click (PPC) ads. According to Google, quality ads can improve your Ad Rank and bring about other benefits, like a lower cost-per-click, better ad positions, and eligibility for alternative ad formats. The Google Ads Quality Score is based on “the likelihood your ad will be clicked; how closely your ad matches the intent behind the user’s search; and how relevant, transparent, and easy-to-navigate your page is for users.” Keep in mind, the Google Ads Quality Score is not updated in real-time. It is considered a “diagnostic tool and not a key performance indicator,” says Google.

Add or eliminate keywords

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising uses specific keywords to match a business with a potential customer. More specifically, a business account can yield varied results based on the keyword match they implement. These include a phrase match, an exact match, or a broad match. Google Ads can tailor keyword matches based on your business account’s main goal. Do you want to reach as many people as possible? Are you trying to reach the same customer multiple times? Your keywords and matching potential can completely alter the conversions you generate from Google Ads. Often, weak keywords can damage your pay-per-click campaign and eat away at your budget. Filter out any irrelevant keywords that can deter a potential customer from converting.

If your business is struggling to convert leads to customers through pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, something is wrong. Allow a pay-per-click professional to help you navigate Google Ads and all the opportunities paid search has to offer. For more information and tips on how to increase your company’s PPC conversion rate, reach out to our team at Hardcore Advertising. We’ll work with you to create an ideal and affordable pay-per-click campaign that will generate the most qualified leads for your business.