Whether you are using search engine optimization techniques, performing content marketing, running social media marketing campaigns, etc., driving traffic to the website is one of the key goals of online marketing. However, with changing consumer buying behaviors and updates in search engine algorithms, online advertisers must focus on running paid campaigns in sync with the marketing trends. To maximize the return on ad spend, it's crucial to have a plan & strategy that focuses on increasing paid traffic to the landing page and converting the visitors into customers. In this blog, we will discuss the essential steps that advertisers need to dwell upon to attract quality paid traffic that enhances the conversion rate while avoiding clicks that do not lead to conversions.
Steps to attract paid traffic that converts
1. Launch effective landing pages - The essential point in attracting the paid traffic that converts is to launch effective landing pages. When you run paid ad campaigns to grab users' attention to your paid ad, the focus is on creating effective headlines, ad copies, ad descriptions, etc. Once the user clicks on the paid ad, then all the buying activities take place on the landing page. These pages act as the first point of contact to convey messages to the target audience.
Landing pages are essential for any form of online marketing, like email marketing, content marketing, etc. Running paid ad campaigns is vital to ensure that the users have an idea of your business offerings. It helps build brand awareness so that more users know about your brand name, which helps to increase website traffic. You need to focus on customer retention strategies to ensure that these users take the desired action; it is vital to optimize the landing page.
When optimizing the landing page, it is essential that you provide the users with the final URL of the page. It helps reduce the users buying time and also increases the chances of them taking the desired action. For larger websites, you focus on SEO pagination so that search engines & users do not have to navigate through different sections on the website to take the intended action. Similarly, in your paid search strategy, it is vital to optimize landing pages. Users take 0.05 seconds to form an opinion about the website. So, it is quite vital to focus on luring their attention into making clicks on the paid campaigns. Whether you are running e-commerce PPC ads, video ads, display ads, search ads, responsive search ads, etc., your landing pages must lure the users into taking the desired action. You can describe offers & discounts on the landing page in detail to create urgency among the users to take the desired action.
To improve the landing page performance, you need to optimize website images, include videos, etc. When working on website optimization in strategic marketing to improve the landing page performance, you must conduct an SEO audit and prepare an SEO report that highlights the performance of the landing page. You can avail of offshore SEO services so that the virtual assistants from an offshore digital marketing company work on optimizing the landing page, like website content, resolving SEO errors, fixing redirect issues(301 & 302 redirects), etc.
2. Eye-catching ad copies - The next essential point that you need to focus on to attract paid traffic that converts from visitor to customer is to write eye-catching ad copies. When the ad appears on the online platforms for the keywords or search terms entered by the user, the ad copies also appear. These ad copies provide information about the ad, informing the users about the features, offers & discounts, etc., that they will get after clicking on the ad.
You must ensure that your ad copies are engaging and have complete information about your ads that engage the users' interest in them. Most of the essential details about your ad must be mentioned in your ad copy, like the ad description, discounts, etc. The more engaging the ad copy, the better the impression share for your ads. Engaging headlines, ad descriptions and call-to-action increases the chances of users clicking on the ad.
You may be running any ad format like responsive search ads, text ads, engaging video ads, running display ads, performance max campaigns, etc. You must focus on utilizing the ad space to its maximum. When you utilize the full space, you can provide maximum details of your product description to users. As in SEO campaigns, it is essential to avoid SEO myths when writing meta descriptions, title tags, etc. and not exceed the character limit so that your page ranks higher on the SERPs for the keywords or search terms entered. In the same way, it is vital to write the ad copies within the defined limit. To get the work done by SEO professionals, it is best to outsource content marketing services and hire content specialists to get the work done. In the same way, you can avail of white label PPC services and ensure that the PPC consultants write the best ad copies for your paid ad campaigns. Some of the points that you can focus on to write the ad copies are listed below:
a. Focus on the user's objective.
b. Have unique content.
c. Keyword-rich display URLs.
d. Highlight the benefits.
3. Write perfect headlines - The next essential point you must focus on to attract the paid traffic that converts is to write perfect headlines. When you work on creating ad groups, ad copies, ad descriptions, etc., the essential point that is concentrated upon is conducting keyword research. In the same way, you need to leverage these keywords into your marketing strategy when writing headlines.
The first thing that the users see after the search results appear for the users' search query is the headlines. So, it is quite vital that you write headlines that entice the users to click on the ad. For businesses that have their target goals to build brand awareness, lead generation, etc., it is quite essential to write engaging headlines. The more engaging the headlines, the better are the chances of the user clicking on the ad. Some of the points that you can focus on to write perfect headlines are written below.
a. Keyword research - You need to conduct PPC keyword research and prepare a keyword list that can be used when writing headlines.
b. Focus on unique selling point - You need to focus on touching the unique selling point so that the chances of the users clicking on the ad enhances. As you focus on audience segmentation, demographic targeting, etc., so that the relevant ads appear to the users at the right time. In the same way, you need to focus on ad personalization and concentrate on unique selling points so that the users feel that the business thinks from the users' perspective. This increases the chances of clicks on the ad.
c. Use simple language - You need to use simple language to ensure that the users easily get hold of your message. When the users easily understand your target message, the chances of them taking the desired action on the landing page scales.
d. Include numbers or statistics - To write perfect headlines, you need to include numbers or statistics that are easily displayed to users. You can add discounts or offers that include numbers to be displayed to the users.
4. Add videos & images - The next essential point to attract paid traffic to your landing page is to include videos & images. When you run paid ad campaigns, you need to include videos & images so that the users easily know about the product or services being offered. You can also run video ads where brief information regarding the product or service offerings is provided.
On your landing page, you must optimize images and include videos so that the users have complete information regarding your business offerings. Videos are easy to convey messages to the users as the product offerings are presented to them in a video format. The videos include product or service offerings and the target audience gets to see what they would have in service after clicking on the ad. As in search engine optimization, you outsource video SEO services and ensure that the SEO professionals work on optimizing videos so that the users are presented with the best videos that have complete product descriptions. Similarly, you can focus on outsourcing video ads and engage users to click on your ads.
Moreso, with the increase in online marketing, there has been a rapid increase in social media marketing. An estimated 4.9 billion users are active on social media platforms in 2023. So, none of the advertisers today can miss out on the opportunity to run paid campaigns on social media platforms. Social networks are a place where like-minded people connect with each other. Like Facebook is used by friends & family, LinkedIn by job-seekers, corporates, C-level executives, etc. So, if they are satisfied with product or services, there is a high chance that they will promote it to their near & dear ones, which helps in peer-to-peer marketing. You can run paid ad campaigns on platforms like Facebook remarketing campaigns, Twitter Ads, etc. If it is hard for you to run paid ad campaigns on these platforms, you can outsource social media marketing services so that the experts can work on Facebook Ads optimization, LinkedIn Ads optimization, YouTube Ads optimization, etc., to maximize the advertising ROI. The experts help you run video ads and also include engaging videos on the landing page.
5. Use ad extensions - Another way you can attract paid traffic to the landing page is by using ad extensions. By using the extensions, you get more ad space for your PPC ads in which you can describe more about your products or services. You can provide crisp information about your business offerings that grabs users' attention into clicking on your ad.
When running SEO campaigns as you focus on adding relevant keywords in the title tags, meta tags, headlines, meta description, etc., to inform the search engines about the pages that you want to be displayed to the users' search queries. In the same way, when running PPC campaigns, you can add the appropriate ad extension to your ad to ensure that the users' interest is engaged with your ad. These extensions can be any of the following mentioned below.
a. Sitelink extensions.
b. Callout extensions.
c. Structured snippet extensions.
d. Call extensions.
e. Location extensions.
f. Image extensions.
g. Lead form extensions.
h. Promotion extensions.
6. Focus on page loading speed - To attract paid traffic that converts, you need to ensure that you have a good page loading speed so that the final URL is displayed to users in a quick time. When running SEO campaigns as you focus on having a good page loading so that when the visitors reach the website, they do not have to wait long for the page to open. In the same way, for your paid campaigns, you need to ensure that there is a good page loading speed.
As in search engine optimization, when you have a good page loading speed, the performance of essential SEO metrics is improved. These metrics can be the bounce rate of the website reducing, the user experience enhancing, time spent on the page increasing, etc. Similarly, with paid ad campaigns, when you have a good page loading speed, the users do not have to wait long for the relevant page to appear. With the increase in technology, advertisers need to have a plan & strategy to target impatient users, as today’s online users do not wish to wait long for relevant results.
To check page speed for your landing page, you can use the Google Page Speed Insights tool, which provides insights about the page loading speed. It is also essential that you optimize your website for mobile devices as the users leave a mobile site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. When you have a good page loading speed, the users' time on the page increases, which keeps them more engaged with the landing page increasing the chances of users taking the desired action.
7. A/b testing - When running paid ad campaigns, performing a/b testing for your PPC ads is essential. As paid search advertising requires an amount to be paid to online platforms for every click received on the ad, a/b testing helps to know the best ad version that attracts traffic to the landing page.
As in search engine optimization, you perform a/b testing with title tags, meta description, etc., to know keyword ranking. You also focus on performing a/b testing with the essential SEO KPIs that matter the most to Google’s ranking algorithm. In the same way, you can perform a/b testing with your PPC ads to analyze which of the essential PPC metrics need to be focused on to improve the performance of the PPC campaign. You can outsource PPC reporting services so that the PPC experts perform campaign analysis, conduct PPC audit, etc. and provide you with a complete overview of your ads. A data-driven PPC report would help you know the essential changes that need to be done and plan the PPC strategy accordingly.
8. Audience & competitor research - The next essential step to attract paid traffic to your landing page is to perform audience & competitor research. In your online advertising strategy, it is vital to focus on audience research to know relevant users to your business offerings. There may be users that click on your paid ads, reach the landing page, navigate through different sections on the website and then leave the page without taking any desired action.
When running SEO campaigns, you focus on competition analysis so that you have an idea of what your competitors are targeting to rank websites on SERPs. In the same way, it is essential to perform competitor research for your paid ad campaigns to have an idea of what your competitors are focusing on for the paid ads. This may include concentrating on the essential pointers mentioned below:
a. Analyzing competitors' PPC strategy
b. Analyzing ad copy and landing pages
c. Identifying the target audience
d. Analyzing the budget
You can also use the Google Ads Auction Insight Report; you can have a clear report on your performance compared to competitors in the same auction. This can be keyword bidding, ad groups, reports on shopping campaigns, reports on performance max campaigns, etc. It would help you with bid adjustment, location targeting, etc., to increase the conversion rate.
Benefits of paid advertising
1. Performance of PPC metrics is measurable - The essential benefit of running paid ads is that the performance of vital PPC metrics can be tracked. Whether you are running Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, etc., or paid ad campaigns on social media platforms like Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, etc., tracking the performance of crucial PPC metrics that matter the most to your advertising goals is vital.
To track the performance of the essential metrics, you need to conduct a PPC audit to know which essential PPC KPIs need to be optimized. You need to avoid PPC mistakes to ensure that the performance of the paid ad increases. As there are myths in SEO, social media marketing myths, etc., you need to ensure to keep the PPC myths at bay and keep updating the ad so that the number of clicks on your ad increases which ultimately leads to increasing the conversion rate.
2. Bid adjustment - The next essential advantage of running PPC ads is that you can work on bid adjustments. There may be a higher conversion rate and increase in online sales at specific times, like when you run holiday ads during the festive season. Or, there may be situations like the global pandemic - Coronavirus, recession, etc., where the clicks on the ad reduce. It can be understood by the fact that the recession has had an adverse impact on US ad spending, UK ad spending, etc. So, to ensure that your ad budget does not get drained on irrelevant clicks, it is vital to work on bid adjustments to maximize the advertising ROI.
You can focus on keyword bidding and perform location targeting, ad scheduling, etc., to ensure that your ads appear to the right audience at the right time. There may be chances that you have to spend a bit higher on quality leads with high chances of taking the desired action. So, there is no harm in spending a bit higher on these leads and you need to offer them special discounts & offers and work on customer acquisition strategies. This would help retain the users with the brand in the long run.
3. Specific targeting - The next essential benefit of running paid ad campaigns is that you can perform specific targeting. This means you can conduct a PPC audit and analyze which audiences have a high chance of taking the desired action. You can then perform ad scheduling and target users at a time to have a higher conversion rate. With PPC ads, you can prepare a keyword list and add negative keywords to trigger your ads to irrelevant clicks.
4. Can compete even if search engine ranking is not high - With the PPC ads, your ads can compete even if your website's ranking on SERPs is not high. This happens because of the fact that you have to pay money to advertising platforms for every click received on the ad. So, if you have well-optimized ad copies, ad descriptions, etc., you have a higher ad rank & position. This is where running paid ad campaigns is crucial, as all-size businesses can compete for the keywords or search terms entered by the user.
Conclusion
When running paid ads on any online platform, like advertising on search engines like Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, or social media platforms like Facebook Ads, YouTube Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Instagram Ads, etc., the focus is on increasing the conversion rate. So, it is essential to target the users that have a high chance of taking the desired action. By implementing the above-mentioned strategies, you can drive quality traffic and ultimately increase the conversion rate. If you find running paid ad campaigns a tough task to perform, you can outsource PPC services so that the PPC consultants assist you with the best strategies to achieve desired advertising goals.
References:
• 6 Steps to attracting paid traffic that converts
• 3 Proven (and reliable) ways to convert paid traffic into profit