PPC Keyword Research

Keyword research is a vital part to both SEO and PPC, and while there are many similarities, there are also some inherent differences. SEO keyword research typically concentrates on finding the less competitive terms that are highly targeted and generate a good number of monthly searches. In contrast, PPC keyword research still requires the finding of targeted keywords but a lot of effort needs to be placed in looking for less expensive keywords. The tools and software that one can use to assist in the research will vary depending on what you intend to use the keywords for.

Choosing The Right Keywords For The Right Reason

Deciding on the appropriate keywords will depend on the reason for your advertising campaign. In most cases, you will want to lower the cost per click, increase conversion rates, and maximise the number of visitors to your site. However, there are certain circumstances where exposure is the more important aspect. Website branding and product exposure are two such examples.

Competitiveness

Research how competitive a keyword is. Competition, in the case of PPC, is the number of pages or websites that are bidding on a given keyword. While the top position will provide you with the most visitors, it can be much more cost effective to place lower and pay less per click. Some of the less competitive keywords might have high bid prices for the top positions, but considerably lower for less prominent positions.

The more generic a keyword, the more competition there is likely to be for places. As these generic keywords usually provide lower conversion rates, it is best to target more specific keywords. As the marketing industry has learned more about PPC and conversion rates, there has been a lean towards less generic keywords. However, they still provide the better results and higher ROI in most cases.

Targeted Keywords

Targeted keywords usually provide a site with more active visitors. General keywords attract people with a passing or general interest, and this means fewer conversions for your products or service. Targeted keywords are usually less competitive, which also means that the eventual click price will be lower. This adds up to less cost and more revenue, or an increase in your return on investment.

Two and three or more word key phrases have proven to be the most likely phrases for people looking to make a purchase. These will generate less interest but also fewer bids, fewer competitors, and greater sales.

Cost

The cost per click is a vitally important factor in a PPC campaign. Hopefully you should already have a good idea of your average spend and average profit per visitor. At the very least you should have some projected figures to help forecast the results. Use this figure in order to determine the highest price you are willing to pay per click. You should always keep track of results for your advertising, allowing you to alter this figure accordingly in the near future.

Seasonality And Other Trends

Some products and services sell better at certain times of the day, week, month, and year. Networks like Google Adwords enable you to compare figures throughout these periods in order to ensure that you are still maximising your PPC research. Look for seasonal keywords because these can be very cost effective, but always be sure to disable or pause a seasonal advertising campaign when it proves to be non profitable.

Projected Traffic Levels

Return on investment and bottom line profit are obviously important but so to are other factors. Consider whether there is any limit to the number of customers or visitors you can receive. If you are attempting to increase brand exposure then generic keywords, although usually expensive, will typically garner the largest amounts of traffic. Very specific keywords may only produce a small amount of traffic, but with many campaigns targeted to these keywords, the figures will add up.

Different Networks, Different Research

When conducting your keyword research, you should ensure that you are researching the appropriate PPC network. Google Adwords And the Yahoo Publisher Network, for instance, have very different traffic levels, bid prices, and even conversion rates. If in any doubt, set up experimental but cost effective campaigns in order to properly track results before committing to any major campaigns.

Keyword Research Software And Tools

There are software applications and tools available that can help with PPC keyword research. These tools display data such as the competitiveness of a term and projected traffic. The PPC networks themselves also offer useful tools to help with your keyword research. Take advantage of these tools in order to maximise the profit potential from your campaign.

PPC Keyword Research Importance

PPC, or Pay Per Click, advertising is popular and effective. Monitored properly, a PPC campaign is easy to track so that you can keep a constant check on spends, conversion rates, profit, and return on investment. Keyword research is a hugely important facet of a PPC campaign and it is imperative that it is done properly in order to ensure the greatest possible results.