1.Long Tail Keywords
Long Tail keywords are usually over 3 words long, highly specific with less search volume. Long tail keywords are truly a goldmine. Chances are that if you look at the majority of traffic coming from your website, its going to be from long tail keywords and any reputable Google Adwords Management Service will know this!
The benefit of these keywords is that often, the buyer is further on in the buying cycle as they are now researching specifics. For example:
Self catering holidays in Greece Vs holidays Greece.
Because the long tail keyword is more specific, there is also less competition meaning your CPC (Cost Per Click) is going to be lower than “Holidays Greece”. Couple this with a highly targeted advert and landing page you’ve got a much higher chance of a conversion too.
2.Be specific
Broad Match keywords have their uses but by using modifiers or more specific match types can drive down your CPC. For example:
cheap holidays Greece – Broad match terms show for related searches such as “cheap holidays”, “holidays Greece” and “holidays”
+cheap +holidays+ in Greece – This uses a broad match modifier so the ads will only show for searches that include the words “cheap”, “holidays” and “Greece”.
“cheap holidays Greece” – This is a Phrase Match and will only show ads that include “cheap holidays Greece” in that order. For example: “cheap holidays Greece all inclusive” or “best cheap holidays Greece”.
[cheap holidays Greece] = This is an Exact match and will only show ads that exactly match “Cheap Holidays Greece” and nothing else.
The downside to exact matching is that you miss out on similar searches that could convert but it if you develop a comprehensive keyword list with exact or phrase matches for example, along with very relevant ads and landing pages for each term your CPC could be significantly less than simply relying on broad matches.
There are of course exceptions to every rule, but the point is, don’t just broad match everything, use the different match types and keep your adverts and landing pages highly relevant – you’ll drive down CPC’s and increase conversions as a result.
3.Focus on Conversions
Having a low CPC is great but it conversions are the true measure of success. Your objective should be to get the maximum number of conversions for the minimum cost – sounds obvious right?
I manage a number of Adwords accounts and a surprisingly high number of them have no possible way of understanding what terms resulted in a conversion – simply because they hadn’t set up conversion tracking.
Conversion tracking itself will save you money, it will allow you to understand which terms you are paying for generate you business and if they do that profitably. It will also allow you to understand which terms don’t pay.
Saving you a fortune could be as simple as just turning off some bad performing keywords that never convert. I had exactly this issue earlier on this week. A client that over the period of several years spent thousands on keywords that didn’t convert once.
Without conversion tracking – you simply don’t know.
4.Get a Google Adwords Consultant to manage your account.
I’m not kidding here, Adwords Management is cheap when you consider that you have a Certified Professional running your Adwords campaign. A good Adwords Management company will save you a fortune and make you more money that you could probably do yourself. Their fee won’t even register considering the benefit they will bring.
Just like an accountant – you could do your own accounts, but pay an accountant and they’ll save you a fortune – the same applies to Adwords Management Companies.
