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.
5 High-Impact Lead Generation Strategies for Local Businesses
By Brad Smith | Sep 17, 2019
With Amazon dominating e-commerce, and Wal-mart brick and mortar, it’s tough for small local businesses to compete. Brad Smith has advice for local lead generation strategies that are the easiest, most affordable, and most high-impact:
- Use targeted Facebook lead ads
- Create a localized lead magnet
- Run a local contest or giveaway
- Create a localized landing page
- Go offline
Your Comprehensive, Go-To Guide to Google Merchant Center
By Conor Bond | Sep 18, 2019
“Without a fully optimized Google Merchant Center account, your Google Shopping campaigns have no chance of functioning—let alone succeeding,” explains Conor Bond. He provides a thorough guide that covers all the basics you need to start thriving with Google Shopping ads. Topics include:
- What is the Google Merchant Center?
- What is the Google Merchant Center used for?
- What is a Google Merchant Center feed?
- How much does Google Merchant Center cost?
- How do I set up a Google Merchant Center account?
- How do I set up shipping in Google Merchant Center?
- What are Google Merchant Center promotions?
- What if my Google Merchant Center account gets suspended?
Top 3 Social Advertising Tips for the 2019 Holiday Season
By Zenia Johnson | Sep 18, 2019
How do you ensure your clients that you have a winning strategy lined up for this year’s holiday shopping season? Zenia Johnson suggests that you be prepared as soon as the Halloween products come off the shelves. Facebook’s data for 2017 and 2018 show that holiday shoppers started early in November looking for deals. You can use your historic first-party data or Facebook’s new Data Insight tools to see when your customers are starting to shop. Facebook’s Power of 5 automation tools are also showing promising results.
Social Marketing by Generation: How to Connect With the Audience You Want to Reach
By Nick Korynski | Sep 18, 2019
Kenshoo’s Social Channel Strategist, Nick Korynski, states that “Understanding how to speak the social media languages of each generation is imperative for marketers looking to connect via paid social marketing.” Boomers, Millenials, and Gen Z are all using social media. Boomers use Facebook and Pinterest, mostly for social interaction, and are most likely to share content. Gen X uses social media to follow brands and look for deals. Millennials prefer digital ads over traditional ads and expect them to be personalized. Gen Z doesn’t even grasp traditional ads because all they’ve known are digital, so user-generated content is a must.
3 Unconventional Ways to Use Automated Bidding
By Mike Matta | Sep 19, 2019
Mike Matta shares three creative, if not unconventional, automated bidding strategies to use across the funnel. He makes suggestions for Display Retargeting, RLSA, and top of funnel Display Ads. He also stresses the importance of testing new strategies!
The 4 Critical Steps to Landing Page Optimization
By Digital Marketer | Sep 19, 2019
Getting conversions on a landing page is one of the hardest exchange of information to get from a consumer. Optimizing your landing page for conversions is important. Digital Marketer shares these four steps to optimizing your landing pages:
- The Offer: focus on the headline and call to action
- Forms: seamless and user-friendly
- Build Trust: through design, relevant trust icons, authentic testimonials, clear privacy policies
- Visuals: guide the eye to priority places on your landing page
Search Ads 360 rolls out auction-time bidding for Google Search campaigns
By Ginny Marvin | Sep 19, 2019
Google Search Ads 360 has added auction-bidding for bids on Google Search. This brings the Smart Bidding capabilities offered in Google Ads to your Google Search campaigns so you can use Google’s machine learning to make real-time bids. Google reports that hundreds of advertisers participated in the beta and saw, on average, a conversion lift of 15 to 30% at the same or better ROI.
How to Leverage a Test and Learn Strategy to Optimize Your Holiday Email Campaigns
By Patricia Kendall | Sep 20, 2019
The holiday shopping season is a perfect opportunity to set up a test and leverage the data that you learn in your email marketing campaigns. She recommends:
1. Start with what you know about your customer
2. Create a test list
3. Next step is prioritization
4. Testing execution
5. Analyze your email campaign tests
Store visits now available for Google Ads smart bidding optimization
By Ginny Marvin | Sep 20, 2019
Smart bidding can now integrate foot traffic/store visits and online conversion actions for Google Ads smart bidding optimization. This will allow stores with physical locations the ability to optimize with and for foot traffic in addition to online conversions with smart bidding. Ginny Marvin provides details on how to set this new feature up in your account.
7 Surprisingly Effective Pop-up Advertising Strategies
By Brad Smith | Sep 23, 2019
Pop-ups don’t need to be annoying or intrusive when used correctly. Pop-ups are effective because they have a 100% viewing rate, offer value, and they are interacting with visitors that are engaged on your website. In addition to best practices, Brad Smith offers these suggestions to make the most of your pop-ups:
1. Hide the form on your landing page
2. Give a first-time buyer discount
3. Offer a content upgrade, ebook, or exclusive content
4. Advertise a free demo
5. Remind visitors of a limited time offer
6. Send them to a relevant, email-gated landing page
7. Combat shopping cart abandonment
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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