2018 encapsulated what could have been a decade’s worth of changes and improvements in the world of PPC marketing. Google introduced major changes like AdWords being rebranded as Google Ads, Bing Ads shared their new targeting capabilities, reports, and other improvements, and LinkedIn finally released their profile targeting—which allows users to create tailored and relevant account-based marketing campaigns. We also saw Amazon make serious gains in popularity (watch out Google), and mobile search skyrocketed.
We anticipate 2019 to be even more explosive as automation, advertising alternatives, remarketing, and new ad extensions and features hit the market. To help marketers keep up with all these drastic changes, Search Engine Journal published helpful opinions from 28 digital experts on the 2019 PPC trends you can’t afford to miss. Read on for a handful of insights we gathered on how to run your PPC campaigns more effectively in 2019.
Bye-Bye Keywords
Since voice search and mobile inquiries are very different than normal web searches (and these mobile inquiries make up over 60% of all searches these days), keywords are becoming far less important to SEO and PPC. With so many people searching restaurants, gas stations, and shopping options “near me”, geographic and audience targeting are taking over the search world. In fact, research shows that Google is working towards developing geographic-centered programs to target users based on behavior—and relevance—or users whose online (whether this be desktop or mobile) search history has proven they are highly interested in the products or services you offer.
Targeting this advanced would evolve marketing into a highly personalized process, raising the stakes for PPC campaigns worldwide. As the success (or failure) of your PPC campaigns are entirely dependant on your targeted audience, it’s crucial that your campaigns connect deeply with your consumer base in order to gain their support.
Hello Social
Talk about pushy—this is exactly what social media has the power to do with your highly targeted content. As new research shows that Americans are spending up to “11 hours per day watching, reading, listening to or simply interacting with media,” using your social media as a propeller to launch your PPC campaign into the webverse is one of the smartest moves you can make in this upcoming year. Search Engine Land recommends creating marketing funnels that parallel your sales funnels to both streamline your processes—and to make users comfortable since they are walking through a familiar set of steps.
Make Your PPC and Social Work Together
Use social media to help track your traffic and interactions
The more you learn about your core consumer base, the more you can cater your PPC campaigns to maximize your results.
Manage your ROI by tracking everything
When you know how much traffic you get, the rate of your conversions, and which of your media pages are most successful, you can funnel your paid search dollars more effectively.
Consistency is key
People will notice if your Facebook page looks different than your website, which doesn’t match your brand. Build trust by being consistent. When your consumers trust your brand, your likes, shares, and PPC numbers will go up effortlessly.
Don’t Forget Your “Real” People
Although artificial intelligence may someday take over most customer service roles, your account and project managers still play a major role in the success of your PPC campaigns. Research shows that despite the readily accepted integration of technology into everyday life, consumers still prefer talking to/working with a real person than an automated program.
By constantly striving to create a healthy work environment, trusting your employees, and remembering to thank them for the hard work they put in, the customer-facing divisions of your company will be able to proudly put their best foot forward in the coming year.
Walk Your PPC Campaigns Into 2019
We hope these insights have helped increase your confidence in how to use your PPC campaigns more effectively in the coming year. For more useful advice, check out our awesome blog, where we regularly post thoughts on the latest and greatest topics in digital marketing. Or, if you want help with managing your PPC, contact us directly. We’d love to sit down with you and share ideas on the best ways to run your PPC campaigns.