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Kelsey ILM Coverage: Local PPC Targeting
By Teri Foley | November 29, 2007
Today’s Kelsey Group panel presenting best practices for PPC targeting confirmed what those of us in the industry working with advertisers have probably already discovered.
Today it takes more to spend less when it comes to doing PPC targeting accurately.
For example, the average search query on engines today is 4.5 words compared to just two words two years ago. Brad Geddes from LocalLaunch says advertisers should be utilizing more specific, less searched keywords that generally happen to be less expensive.
So which keywords will generate the most calls per unit of budget? There are some simple things that the advertiser and those companies helping them with PPC advertising can do.
- Match the PPC ad copy to the landing page
- Geddes’ group finds that ZIP codes are being used more frequently now in search terms – utilize new trends in search behavior
- Know the nicknames and slang people use for the geography in their hometowns as this is how they search: “commercial plumber tri-cities;” “French restaurants on The Mile, Chicago,” etc.
- Compare keyword volume by location. “Tattoo parlors in Atlanta” may have a much smaller search volume than “tattoo parlors in Miami.”
- Start with aggressive bids. Starting high and then working down in bid price over the course of the month or length of campaign will have a positive impact on an ad’s quality score.
The trickiest part is to get an advertiser to think outside the box. Geddes’ suggestion of using more specific, less searched keywords can go against the ego portion of PPC advertising. That SMB owner wants to see his ad when he goes to Google and types in “plumber Seattle.” But so does every other plumber…which means that keyword phrase is more expensive and means he’ll be faced with more competition. Isn’t the person searching for “gas water heater repair 98103” likely to be a great lead for him if he’s thinking outside his box and bidding on the less searched, but more specific keywords that pertain to his area of expertise? Load a campaign with those types of keyword buys and that plumber could see a lot more relevant clicks, and ultimately conversions, at a much lower PPC campaign cost overall.
Topics: Local Advertisers, Local Search, PPClick, Advertising |