There are many ways to botch PPC campaigns – this is a complex marketing beast to tackle. We hope you’ve at least been acquainted and are in the process of honing your PPC skills. Here’s a list of areas to focus on to have the most successful 2017 and get those conversions.

Mobile

For the past two years, people have searched more from mobile devices over desktops. Much more. Hence, the growth in PPC advertising is driven almost entirely by mobile usage. Now more than ever, it’s essential to set up mobile optimization. You do this by a) setting up ‘click-to-call’ ads, allowing users to immediately contact you over the phone and b) optimize PPC landing pages for smartphones and tablets. Making landing pages responsive is essential for conversions. More on that later.

Target

Since 2015, Customer Match has allowed marketers to target customers with AdWords using emails directly in Google. Customer Match gives you the power to ensure your target audiences see your ads, wherever they are online, and on both their mobile devices and desktops. The caveat with Customer Match is that your campaigns will only be as good as your CRM list. Make sure it’s up to par, constantly update it, and segment your list into targeted audiences for the most control on who sees what.

Pinterest

In addition to trusty Facebook ads and others, don’t ignore Pinterest. Their newest feature allows for uploading promoted pins in bulk. You can reach consumers based on keywords, a feature not present on Facebook, and a broader audience. Since you have the opportunity to put forth higher quality, more targeted ads, take this to the max by utilizing call to action in every description, curating an arsenal of 5-10 keywords, start with high ad bids while they’re still cheap, and continuously test and optimize.

Keywords

Finding the right keywords can be a painstaking task, but it’s the most important aspect of PPC marketing. Pinpoint for the most popular and frequently searched in your niche, but also long-tail keywords, as they’re less competitive and cheaper. To be the most effective, also include negative keywords, preventing your ads from showing up on irrelevant searches. Don’t forget to refine your keywords as your PPC campaigns grow.

Landing Pages

Landing pages are an integral part of the process, but they can work against you. The components of a successful landing page are a strong call to action, simple and appealing design, easily clickable buttons, and specific information. In general, shorter often works better than longer, but experiment to see what works best for your brand. Don’t forget to include high quality images and copy that benefits the consumer.

With all of these tips, you can easily make a 2017 game plan. Don’t forget to track your success by finding your conversion rate – divide the total number of conversions (leads or sales) by the number of ad clicks you’re generating, then times by 100 for the percentage. Figure out what works, what doesn’t, and adapt accordingly.