Exciting New PPC Tactics for 2020

Planning for PPC including budget, testing timeline and KPIs along with case studies and competitor information is easier than ever.

Anyone not familiar or comfortable using Pay Per Click is sure to have used phrases such as:

  • “No one searches on Bing.”
  • “Users don’t click banner ads.”
  • “When we ran Facebook ads, they didn’t work.”
  • “LinkedIn is very expensive.”

We’ve all heard similar responses when trying to help new PPC clients. A channel that could be the next best source of leads isn’t even tested because the CMO hesitates to try the unfamiliar.

New PPC motivations might include:

  • Running ads in a new channel. For instance, expanding into Microsoft Advertising when you’ve only run Google search.
  • Trying a new ad type (video, carousel ads, lead ads, etc.)
  • Incorporating a new audience (lookalikes, customer match, etc.)
  • Targeting a new geographic region

Sure, you may know why you want to try a particular tactic for a client. But how do you articulate that in a way that will convince them to be willing to try it out?

Establish base directions for testing

If your client is hesitant to test a new tactic, display a detailed plan including a budget, a timeframe and KPIs to help meet their concerns.

If concerned about wasting money, determine the minimum spend to achieve statistically significant results and ask if they’re willing to spend enough to determine whether or not the approach will work for them.

Of course, amounts will be different based on the industry and the types conversions you’re tracking but you should be able to determine a rough estimate based on overall cost per lead goals and previous experience with the type of campaign you’re pitching.

Next, set a fixed timeframe that will allow you to gather sufficient data. Take into account the average sales cycle, as well as any seasonal trends. You want to run long enough to give leads time to move through the funnel for a fair analysis, as well as to avoid any performance anomalies connected with a brief timeframe.

Finally, establish the KPIs (key performance indicators) you’ll utilize to measure success. These might include metrics such as cost per lead or ROAS.

Be realistic when presenting KPIs, mainly when a new channel involves a different strategy from current campaigns. For instance, you might be running search ads with the main goal of driving quote requests, while your new Quora campaign might focus instead on pushing whitepaper downloads. It would be unfair to critique the Quora campaign based on quote request metrics. You should set expectations based on the stage of the funnel and the goal for the user.

Present case studies

Providing confirmed examples from other businesses, predominantly in the same industry, can help make your case. For instance, a B2B software company may be unconvinced that Facebook is the right route to test. But showing them an example of how another software company increased qualified lead volume 25% through Facebook ads may be convincing.

Look at resources to find examples related to the industry, platform, or type of campaign you’re pitching:

Fair Marketing