Acquire traffic using paid search

Similar to SEO, keywords will trigger your paid search results to appear when someone searches for a relevant word or phrase. However, the stakes are higher for paid keywords, since you are paying for this ad placement.

So, just as you did for SEO, make sure to create a list of keywords and longer, more specific long-tail keywords. You should have a mix of both branded and non-branded keywords, as well as negative keywords.

Let’s run through what each of these entails:

• Branded keywords
  They are cheaper, less competitive, and convert at a high rate. Plus, if you're in a competitive market and other brands know who you are, they may buy ads against your brand. Branded keywords ensure that your brand appears at the top of those searches instead of competitors. That said, if you're in a less competitive space, this tactic may not be as much of a value-add. Why? Branded keywords do not often drive new customers; rather, the majority of branded searches come from existing customers who know your brand already.
• Non-branded keywords
  They are often more competitive and more expensive to target since they are broader and can apply to many businesses. However, they can help you cast a wider net on the internet and find customers who would otherwise not know about your brand, but are in need of a specific product or service.
• Negative keywords
  ‍They are keywords that you will add to your search campaign as exclusionary, meaning your ads will not appear for these specific searches. This can save you money, since you will not show ads for irrelevant searches from people who will likely not shop for your product.

Keywords determine which prospective and existing customers see your ads. A great keyword or longtail keyword is created with the following in mind: who you're targeting, what problem they have, and how your offer solves it.

With regard to the actual written copy of your ad, you should follow these best practices:

• Be concise
  Let’s face it: people skim ads. Only include the most necessary content to get your message across. For search ads, your clickable headline is key and should be under 30 characters.
• Have a direct call-to-action (CTA)
  Every great ad has a clear CTA that causes someone to click and convert. Despite your ad's brevity, a great headline should inform the purpose of the ad, why someone should click, and where they'll end up. This CTA may also take the form of a button on a display ad or YouTube video. Start your CTA with an action-oriented verb (e.g., “Shop now,” “Learn more,” or “Sign up”) to spur action.
• Incorporate keywords
  As discussed above, keywords are paramount to your ad’s success. Make sure that your top keywords are woven into your ad copy, both in the description, headline, and even within links and pages that you direct viewers to.
• Add additional assets when applicable
  Include informational assets to add context to your ad at no additional cost; make it stand out in search results, and provide more links. Assets often increase clicks and are only displayed when Google thinks they'll improve performance. Common assets include:
  
  • Location (e.g., your business’ address or directions to your store)
  • Seller ratings (e.g., positive reviews listed next to your ad)
  • Site sub-links (e.g., links to best-selling product pages or your About page)
  • For non-search ads, use images and video to your advantage. Create eye-catching visuals that draw someone in, and short copy to provide necessary context.

Design your ads with mobile in mind. Your ad should be clear and easily accessible by viewers on their phones or other handheld devices since people are more often searching for your content there.

In order to build your ad for mobile, you must:

• Ensure the ad is built for the scroll
  Clear, punchy headlines hook the reader fast without taking up too much space for copy that would otherwise be cut out on a smaller screen. Use extensions, like site links, to link to other pages on your site that support the call to action in the headline and take up more real estate on the small screen to dominate the message.
• Check your landing page speed and design
  If your mobile site doesn’t load within 4 seconds or less, you’ll lose otherwise interested browsers. Attention spans are limited, and people are often on the go when searching on their phones. Moreover, your website should be designed for mobile and easy to navigate; plus, ensure that buttons, like those to add items to a cart or place an order, are visible and easy to use.
• Adjust bidding by device
  If you notice that mobile ads perform better at a lower cost per acquisition, increase your mobile bid adjustments (i.e., spend more on them vs. your desktop-only ads) to prioritize mobile users.
• Add closed captions to video ads
  If you create video ads, make sure to enable closed captions. This is not only an accessibility best practice but will also help you increase the visibility of your message for mobile users who may have their sound off while scrolling.

Do not forget to focus on landing page alignment. By that, we mean you must ensure that wherever you're sending traffic to (i.e., the link in your ad) matches the ad message and makes it easy to convert.

Be clear about where people will be sent to, so you do not waste money on viewers who thought they’d arrive elsewhere and then immediately leave the page after clicking. Remember: you pay per click, so make them count!

If you tease a unique discount or promotion in your ad, make sure that the page you send someone to follows through on that incentive right away, either within a form or on the page itself.

A common mistake for those running paid search strategies is having a “set it and forget it” mentality.

Do not simply set your ad campaigns live and call it a day. Rather, you must constantly monitor performance, test new ideas, and grow from your findings.

Best practices:

• Set clear targets
  Set goals for metrics like cost per acquisition (CPA), return on advertising spend (ROAS), and conversion rates. If you’re not sure where to start with Google Ads specifically, you can use their Benchmarks tool to compare your performance against industry standards. Otherwise, here is a breakdown of 2024 trends from Triple Whale.
• Launch small and iterate
  As you get started, set up small-scale campaigns that you monitor daily, letting data guide any changes you need to make. If something’s not working, fix it. When something performs well, increase your ad spend there or use that strategy across your next ad.
• Build in a feedback loop
  Use search insights to improve your offer, website, and even your organic SEO strategy. Monitor where dropoff occurs on your site after someone clicks an ad and which keywords drive the most traffic.