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Putting Quality Before Quantity In Your Online Ad Spend

08/07/2013 | Chris Richard

Something we often see when reviewing Google Analytics and AdWords with client is over over-spending and waste in Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising budgets.

There is a popular misconception that AdWords gets good results simply because "it's Google". AdWords can be an extremely useful method to target new traffic, visitors and bookings leads - when used properly; or a black-hole for your marketing budgets when it's not. Unfortunately not all PPC traffic is good traffic ...

It gets even more interesting when we get to look at Google Analytics for you at the same time; highlighting where quality traffic comes from - not least your own brandname in organic searches, which often seems to get overlooked. We offer a Web Presence Audit which picks up on all these points and more - it may turn out that some spend would be better placed improving aspects of your website, and/or landing pages, or optimising other channels like email-marketing rather than just spending on PPC.

In PPC campaigns we often see:

  • poor quality results for metrics like time on site, pages visited and bounce rate
  • low conversion rates in Google Analytics Goals
  • low booking values
  • traffic from 'irrelevant' countries
  • daily budget set and left to run without management
  • low 'new visitor' rates (this sometimes looks like a sign of competitors wasting your budget...)
  • what seems like a lack of tight control on targeting or results

None of these need happens since AdWords (and other PPC channels) offer many tools to measure and identify quality campaigns. You still need to a clear strategy though. We believe the best results will come from targetting quality over quantity ... and unfortunately that's something which doesn't happen just by throwing money at AdWords and hoping for the best!

If you're concerned, or think your ad spend could be up for review, we'd be happy to offer you an expert, technical, opinion (or even a second opinion to challenge the current status quo).

We look forward to helping save those pennies (or is it pounds?) per click!

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