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Welcome to Cultivative’s weekly roundup for all things PPC from around the web—everything you need to know right now about PPC!

At Cultivative, we’re all about making your life easier. We’ve gathered the top PPC news and innovations from around the web and getting it into your hands. Check out what we found this past week.

Your guide to Google Ads keyword terminology

By Chelsea So | May 8, 2023 | Search Engine Land

As PPC gets more complex, so does paid search terminology. Chelsea So compiles all of the keyword terminologies and match type functionality you need to improve your PPC targeting strategy. The better you match keywords to search queries, the better your quality scores, click-through rates, and conversion performance will be. 

Microsoft Advertising launches chat API to monetize AI chat

By Nicole Farley | May 8, 2023 | Search Engine Land

Microsoft Advertising announced a new chat API ad, allowing publishers, online services, and apps to deliver ads through chat. Sites and apps can customize their chat experience, choose ad formats that work best for them, and incorporate relevant ads for their audiences. The new chat API allows publishers to build their own chat experiences on sites and apps serving ads either from Microsoft or other companies.

How to Write Incredible Calls to Action (with Examples) 

By Kate Parish | May 8, 2023 | Marin One Blog

Kate Parish provides guidance on creating compelling and effective calls to action (CTAs). It emphasizes the importance of well-crafted CTAs in marketing campaigns and offers tips for optimizing them. Parish recommends the following: 

1. Understand the purpose of a CTA: A call to action is a prompt that encourages users to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading an app. It is crucial to clearly define the desired action and tailor the CTA accordingly.
2. Use action-oriented language: CTAs should be concise, clear, and persuasive. They should use strong action verbs and inspire a sense of urgency or excitement to prompt immediate action from the user.
3. Create a sense of value: Effective CTAs highlight the benefits or rewards users can expect by taking the desired action. By emphasizing the value they will gain, users are more likely to engage with the CTA.
4. Consider the placement and design: The positioning of a CTA on a webpage or within an email can significantly impact its effectiveness. Placing the CTA where it is easily noticeable and ensuring it stands out visually through color contrast, size, or surrounding whitespace can increase click-through rates.
5. Test and optimize: A/B testing different variations of CTAs can provide valuable insights into their performance. Testing different wording, designs, or placement can help determine which version drives the highest conversion rates.

How to Use Meta Messaging Ads for Quality Leads From Instagram and Facebook

By Anna Sonnenberg | May 9, 2023 | Social Media Examiner

Anna Sonnenberg explores the concept of meta-messaging ads and provides insights on using them to generate high-quality leads on Instagram and Facebook. The key points are as follows:

1. Understanding meta-messaging ads: Meta-messaging ads are designed to address the mindset and concerns of the audience, rather than directly promoting a product or service. They focus on engaging users by empathizing with their problems and offering solutions.
2. Identifying the target audience: It is crucial to identify the target audience’s pain points and motivations. By understanding their needs and desires, marketers can tailor the meta-messaging ads to resonate with their specific audience.
3. Crafting the ad copy: The article suggests using three key elements in the ad copy: interruption, engagement, and education. The interruption captures the audience’s attention, the engagement sparks curiosity, and the education provides valuable information to address their concerns.
4. Leveraging storytelling: Storytelling is a powerful tool for capturing and maintaining the audience’s attention. By incorporating narratives into the ad copy, marketers can create an emotional connection and increase the likelihood of generating quality leads.
5. Utilizing compelling visuals: Eye-catching visuals are essential for attracting attention on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Images or videos that align with the message of the ad and evoke emotions can significantly enhance its effectiveness.
6. Implementing lead generation tactics: To convert the engaged audience into quality leads, marketers can utilize lead generation tactics such as offering free resources, conducting surveys, or providing discounts in exchange for contact information.
7. Testing and optimizing: Continuous testing and optimization are necessary to improve the performance of meta-messaging ads. Marketers should experiment with different ad variations, monitor the results, and make data-driven adjustments to maximize lead quality and conversion rates.

7 important YouTube Ads lessons you need to learn

By Menachem Ani | May 9, 2023 | Search Engine Land

Assuming that what works on one digital marketing platform will work on another is a common mistake. YouTube, in particular, is not purely social or search-based, making it unique in its own way. It requires a deep understanding of the audience and their behavior on the platform. Here are seven important lessons to learn about YouTube Ads:

1. YouTube is not purely social like Facebook or Instagram. Users are typically in a different frame of mind, seeking entertainment or information, rather than making immediate purchases. YouTube Ads are more about creating awareness and feeding the sales funnel.
2. YouTube is not fully search-based either. While you can target people based on recent searches, their intent may have changed or expired by the time they watch your ad. Intent on YouTube is uncertain, so it’s better to view it as a consideration and awareness channel rather than conversion-focused.
3. Don’t neglect the organic side of YouTube. Strong organic presence through regular and Shorts videos can enhance the effectiveness of your ad campaigns. Engage with your audience, answer questions, partner with influencers, and provide valuable content to nurture the funnel.
4. Safeguard your brand by excluding certain content categories and creating audience exclusions based on qualifiers. Maintaining brand integrity is crucial on YouTube.
5. Don’t set your campaigns on autopilot. While Google’s automation can be beneficial, it’s essential to monitor and optimize your campaigns to ensure they reach the right audience. Additional information and adjustments can improve campaign performance.
6. Take advantage of the detailed data available in YouTube campaign analytics. It provides insights into placements, consumer audiences, demographics, and more. Use this data to make informed decisions about creative elements, placements, and budgets.
7. YouTube should have a role in your marketing media mix. It works best as part of a broader strategy, complementing other channels such as search, shopping, and paid social. Running ads solely on YouTube without a presence elsewhere may yield limited results.

Important LinkedIn Ads Features You May Have Missed

By Abby Woodcock | May 9, 2023 | Clix Marketing

Abby Woodcock discusses various key features available for advertising on LinkedIn. She emphasizes the significance of leveraging these features to optimize advertising campaigns on the platform. By utilizing these often overlooked features, advertisers can enhance their LinkedIn advertising strategies, optimize their campaigns, and achieve better results in terms of reach, engagement, lead generation, and conversions:

1. LinkedIn Dynamic Ads: Dynamic Ads on LinkedIn allow advertisers to personalize their campaigns by tailoring ad content to specific LinkedIn users, increasing engagement and relevance.
2. Lead Gen Forms: LinkedIn’s Lead Gen Forms feature simplifies the process of capturing leads by enabling users to submit their contact information with just a few clicks. This helps advertisers collect valuable data and generate leads more effectively.
3. Matched Audiences: Matched Audiences is a feature that enables advertisers to target specific audiences based on their website retargeting, email contact lists, or account data. It helps increase ad reach and relevance by targeting individuals who have already shown interest in a brand.
4. Conversion Tracking: LinkedIn’s Conversion Tracking feature allows advertisers to measure the impact of their ad campaigns by tracking the actions users take after interacting with an ad. This helps optimize campaigns and gauge their effectiveness.
5. LinkedIn Audience Network: The LinkedIn Audience Network extends advertisers’ reach beyond LinkedIn by displaying their ads on partner websites and apps. This feature helps expand the visibility of campaigns and reach a wider audience.
6. Video Ads: LinkedIn Video Ads allow advertisers to engage with their audience through compelling video content. Videos can be used to tell stories, showcase products or services, and create brand awareness.
7. Lookalike Audiences: Lookalike Audiences on LinkedIn enable advertisers to target users who share similar characteristics with their existing customer base. This feature helps reach new potential customers who are likely to be interested in a brand or its offerings.
8. A/B Testing: LinkedIn provides A/B testing capabilities, allowing advertisers to test different variations of their ads to determine the most effective content, targeting, and creative elements. This helps refine campaigns and improve their performance.

Paid, Owned & Earned Media: What Is The Difference?

By Kristopher Jones | May 10, 2023 | Search Engine Journal

Kristopher Jones discusses the concepts of paid, owned, and earned media and their significance in digital marketing strategies. He highlights the differences between these types of media and explains how businesses can leverage each to maximize their online presence and effectively reach their target audience. Jones emphasizes the importance of integrating these three types of media into a comprehensive marketing strategy. By combining paid, owned, and earned media effectively, businesses can optimize their online presence, build brand authority, and foster customer loyalty. 

• Paid media refers to advertising channels where businesses pay for visibility, such as search engine ads, display ads, or social media ads. It allows companies to target specific demographics and increase brand awareness by reaching a wider audience.
• Owned media includes the digital assets that businesses have control over, such as their website, blog, or social media profiles. This type of media enables companies to share content, engage with their audience, and establish their brand identity. It is an essential platform for building customer relationships and driving organic traffic.
• Earned media encompasses the organic exposure and mentions that a brand receives through word-of-mouth, shares, reviews, or media coverage. It is essentially the result of delivering exceptional products, services, or content that resonates with the audience. Earned media acts as social proof, boosts credibility, and can greatly impact a brand’s reputation.

We hope you learned something new you can apply to your PPC business strategy. Let us know in the comments below what you want to start implementing. As always, we are happy to be a resource for your paid advertising needs. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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