Post on 12-Feb-2017
Generating a worthwhile return on paid advertising
investmentsWhich channels to use and
where to spend budgets of any size (PPC)
I need to invest in online advertising
Which channel should I use?
Cheapest?
Coolest?
Most professional?Loudest? *How not
to choose!
– Focus on you and your customer:
– What is your product/service?
– Who is your audience?
Choosing the correct channels
Do potential customers know that they want your product / service?
Rule #1 - Choose channels based on customer intent
The online advertising gradient
Users are actively looking for your product / service
Users are not actively looking for your product / service
The online advertising gradient
Are people searching for my product / service?
Do I need to get in front of the right people, before I show them my offering?
Would the right people be interested in my product / service if they knew about it?
The online advertising gradient
Are people searching for my product / service?
Do I need to get in front of the right people, before I show them my offering?
Would the right people be interested in my product / service if they knew about it?
Action-focused messaging
Content-focused messaging
Examples: Google vs Facebook
Be found on...
If you’re an accountancy firm?
If you’re launching an exciting new product?Be found on...
Be found on...
If you’re selling ‘needed’ household appliances?
Be found on...
If you’re selling a ‘new’ household appliance?
If you’re a talented digital marketing agency selling in-demand services?
Be found on...
If you’re a talented digital marketing agency speaking at an event?Be found on...
Rule #1 summary: Choose channels based on the likely customer intent
– Use the gradient as a guideline, not a hard and fast rule.
– Think critically about what you’re offering. How would your potential customers be looking to find you?
– Remember to evaluate the suitability of the channels themselves. Is your audience likely to be here? Does it fit with your brand?
– Adapt your messaging to suit your position on the gradient
You’ve chosen your channels. Now what?
Rule #2 - Apply media spend on a priority basis
*My favourite!
Apply media spend on a priority basis: 3 principles
Segmentation
Reporting
Restructuring
– What tools do you have at your disposal for targeting the right customers?
2 main targets– Keyword targeting– Location targeting
– Natural conclusion: let’s target users looking for “your service”, and make sure those users are located in your area
Example #1: A local service-based company chooses Google AdWords
– Within these targeting layers, there are several combinations
Segmentation is crucial
“photographer in nottingham” “photographer” “photographer
in nottingham” “photographer”
Segmentation is crucial
eg. Searching for “photographer in nottingham”, and GEO-located in Nottingham
eg. Searching for “photographer”, and GEO-located in Nottingham
– The key is to segment these into separate campaigns, so that budget (media spend) can be applied on a priority basis.
How does segmentation by priority help?
Smallest group, but highest conversion rate
– Advertisers with limited budgets can restrict spent to only the highest performing
– Advertisers with unlimited budgets can maximise impression share for highest performing, but have room to grow
– What tools do you have at your disposal for targeting the right customers?
– Audience targeting
– Natural conclusion: let’s target users that are most likely to be interested in my product. But how do you find that out?
Example #2: A fashion retailer chooses Facebook advertising
Interests– Business/Industry– Entertainment– Family/Relationships– Fitness/Wellness– Food & Drink– Hobbies & Activities– Shopping & Fashion– Sports & Outdoors– Technology
Demographics– Location– Age– Gender– Languages– Relationship– Education– Work– Financial– Generation– Parents– Life Events
Exciting or scary? Facebook targeting is very powerful
Behaviours– Automotive– B2B– Charity– Digital Activity– Expats– Financial– Job Role– Media– Mobile– Purchasing– Travel– Events
Connections– Friends– Relationships– Relations to
pages– Relations to apps
Remarketing– Where have you
been?
Source: http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2016/06/27/facebook-ad-targeting-options-infographic
High-end women’s fashion retailer
Demographics: – Gender– Age– Location– Income
Interests: – Specific Magazines– Celebrities– Other Brands
Applying audience targeting
Local wedding venue
Demographics: – Gender– Age– Location– Income
Relationship status: – ‘Engaged in past 3 months’
Applying audience targeting
Segmentation and testing
– Start with a broad audience, and gradually segment down into more niche groups.
– Layer targeting. Use “must also be interested in” to target highly specific users.
*TIP* - For early research, use audience insights to find common themes between the users in your email or remarketing lists!
Applying audience targeting
Rule #2 summary - Apply media spend on a priority basis
– Segmentation is crucial.
– Begin with the targeting methods most likely to convert to a lead / sale.
– Always be on the lookout for differences in performance between targeting, which will allow you to focus on most profitable first, but with room to grow.
– Testing, testing, testing
Mirror, mirror on the wall…
Whose is the best online advertising of them all?
Rule #3Don’t be vain, do be visible
In the wild: Spotting signs of VANITY
“We’ll get you to #1 on Google AdWords…”
- Being #1 is more often than not a less profitable position to be in
- There are often 4 top
positions, no need to lead the race. Doing so leads to your bid being out of your control.
- We’re online - assume that potential customers shop around!
- Some anomalies - testing is key
VANITY
“We’ll get you 250,000 likes on Facebook...”
- Be wary of deciding any strategy based on the amount of likes it will generate.
- Likes are beneficial for generating reach & social proof, but campaigns should have an end goal which meets business objectives.
- ‘Buying’ likes will only be removed eventually.
- Best to put out good content to the right audience - if you’re doing so, likes will come naturally.
VANITY
“We’ll make sure your ads are EVERYWHERE! ” - Whilst it will annoy your
competitors and impress your peers, this kind of strategy is dangerous
- Where display advertising is used to generate brand awareness, layer targeting to ensure you’re in front of the right audience
VANITY
Think critically - if your paid visibility does not directly relate to ROI, don’t use it.
Being visible: Getting in front of the right audience
You’ve generated site traffic.What next?
Retargeting
How does Retargeting work?
Retargeting examples
Remarketing works– Remarketing works
– Remarketing works
– Remarketing works
Who is retargeting me? http://whoisretargeting.me/
It’s annoying: Be considerate, be helpful“It’s stalking me”- Include frequency caps where possible to stop users feeling
‘stalked’. “It’s unhelpful”- Show the right ad to the right person to the right landing page- Use dynamic retargeting to show products that users have been
looking at.
“It ruined the surprise!”- Judge suitability dependent on industry: (eg. engagement rings!)
Being helpful, being targetedHelpful = dynamic retargeting
Segmentation (again)Segment users based on how interested they were (don’t retarget to a user that spent <5 seconds on your site)
Rule #3 summary - Don’t be vain, but do be visible
– Any media spend should be applied with a target ROI.
– Dismiss any strategies that involve being seen, that do not directly relate to selling or promoting your product/service to the right people.
– Retargeting works. The more relevant your ad and landing page is to your audience, the more success you’ll have. Use dynamic retargeting to be hyper-relevant.
– Above all, be helpful!
3 Golden Rules#1 - Choose channels based on customer intent
#2 - Apply media spend on a priority basis
#3 - Don’t be vain, do be visible
HELLO@IMPRESSION.CO.UK
HELLO@IMPRESSION.CO.UK
THANK YOU
liam.wade@impression.co.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/wadeliam
@Digital_Liam
www.impression.co.uk