Category Archives: PPC

Oct '20

The Premium PPC Guide for Veterinarians and Vet Clinics

What is PPC for Vets?

PPC for vets is pay per click advertising that targets pet owners needing nearby vet clinics and help for their animals. Strategically placed Google Ads can help veterinarians attract valuable customers through online advertising.

PPC’s Effectiveness for Veterinarians

While SEO and website design provide the most significant ROI for veterinarians, a PPC ad campaign can give pretty much any business a real shot in the arm. And even though this type of advertising has a broad reach, it still has to be tailored to the business’s individual needs. Targeting is where many business owners and marketers make mistakes with their PPC ad campaign and end up with a less than satisfying ROI (Return On Investment).

Low ROI is a particularly relevant pitfall for veterinarians and vet clinics. You have to realize that many PPC ad services are geared more towards selling products. These types of ads wouldn’t be of any use to you. Many PPC advertisers don’t take a custom approach to craft ads for their clients, either. Some of them even use cookie-cutter marketing platforms like BuilderAll so that they can churn out PPC ads quickly, with little to no regard for the ad’s effectiveness.

As a veterinarian, you have to get your ads out to people who require your services. It would help if you got people through your doors. So in the following post, we will be providing you with a crash course guide to PPC for vets specifically.

How do PPC Ads Work?

For the uninitiated, PPC stands for pay-per-click, and they work pretty much as the name suggests. You hire a company to create and run your ad on some online platform, and every time a consumer clicks on the ad, you pay a negotiated fee beforehand.

What are the Benefits of PPC?

You can set a firm budget of how much you want to spend on them
Ads can target your demographic specifically
They can result in 50% more conversions than organic marketing
They can provide you with valuable market research through strategic traffic tracking
The results are almost instantaneous

What Options Do Vets Have?

As a veterinarian, it’s essential to know all of your PPC ad platform options because some will be better suited to your business than others. Here are the features that most PPC services will offer you:

Social Media PPC – Social media PPC can be very useful for one critical reason: most PPC ads that run on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are native ads. They appear in the user’s story feed, and they don’t look like ads at all. They look like social media posts, so the users tend to check them out for longer. Before they know it, they are aware of a brand or service they’d never heard of before. Maybe it is for this reason that native social media PPC ads garner 18% more purchase intent than other ad forms.
Pay Per Call – Instead of sending people to a website, click-to-call ads automatically connect the user’s mobile device to a number of your choosing. The pros: click-to-call ads result in 4 times more conversions than website ads, they cater to mobile users (of which there is an ever-increasing amount) and fulfill the needs of pet owners in need of emergency care. The only con is that they are only accessible to people on mobile.
Search Engine Ads: This type of PPC ad appears when someone searches for a keyword that you choose beforehand. The pros: These ads show up at the top of a relevant SERP (Search Engine Results Page) even above organic results and target a specific geographical area. The cons: the keywords you want to rank your PPC ad for may be highly competitive and expensive.
PPC Display Ads: Display ads are the most generic types of PPC ads. And if you’re a veterinarian, you probably won’t be able to benefit much from them. Display ads can be virtually any image posted almost anywhere on a website, on a YouTube video, or a social media post.
Remarketing PPC Ads: Now, these can be especially beneficial PPC for vets. Remarketing ads are a type of display ad – in the sense that they appear in the places that display ads do. But they are specifically targeted to people who have recently searched for certain things or visited certain websites. For example, let’s say someone does a Google search for “flea medication for dogs.” In a remarketing PPC ad campaign, your vet clinic’s ad can show up on subsequent sites that person visits because they qualify as a lead for your business based on their search activity.

Targeting

Another great benefit of PPC for vets is that you can target your ads in various ways. Targeting helps you narrow down your audience so that your ads only show up for people who are most likely to visit a vet (at least that’s the goal). Reducing impressions also helps you save money on wasted clicks from people who clicked accidentally (and you still have to pay) or people who don’t intend to pay for veterinary services. The types of targeting options you should know about are:

Geographic Targeting – If you operate a vet clinic, you are most certainly running a local business. Geographic targeting will display your PPC ad only to people within a certain radius of your office.
Website Targeting – People looking at hunting rifles online probably wouldn’t click on a veterinary ad. Website targeting will display your ad only on relevant websites.
Demographic – This type of targeting allows your ad to reach people of a certain age, socioeconomic bracket, gender, etc.

Marketing and PPC Ads Services From Nolen Walker

Here at Nolen Walker, we offer veterinarian marketing and PPC ad services specifically beneficial to vets. What types of ads are most helpful to vets? Social media, Google ads, and remarketing ads tend to generate the best results for vets specifically. Get more business with our help today.

Feb '20

Breaking Down The New Google Partner Requirements

Google is an ever-changing beast, one that consistently makes updates to various things to ensure that it is functioning optimally. One such change has occurred in the Google Partner requirements.

With a new Google Partners program launching this year, that could mean changes for current partner companies. And in order to maintain their partner status with Google, they have to make those changes that will go into effect in June 2020.

Currently, Google is sending emails to their partner companies in order to help them determine whether they will maintain partner status under the new Google Partner requirements.

Breaking Down the Email

The Google Partner program, as stated above, is sending out emails to current partners to let them know what their current status is and what it will be as of June 2020 if those Google Partner requirements are not met.

This includes a few different things. The first is performance. This is based on revenue growth and retention of client’s that a company sees as well as the growth in overall revenue and the number of advertisers that the company gets.

Meeting Google Partner requirements also means hitting a certain spending threshold. This means spending at least $20,000 on Google Ads within a 90-day period, whereas old Google Partner requirements stated that the number should be at least $10,000.

Google Ads requires certifications to be achieved as well. This is broken down in a bit more detail through links provided in the email, but these are the Google Partner requirements that must be met in order to retain partner status in June 2020. It is safe to say that these certifications apply to display, video, search, and shopping.

What Comes with the New Requirements?

So, what exactly does a company get for meeting the Google Partner requirements? With a steep uptick in the requirements necessary, especially from a Google Ads standpoint, it is helpful to know what is entailed in maintaining partner status.

Companies that meet the new set of Google Partner requirements will get access to a couple of new features and program benefits.

The first is a new partner badge. This includes more advanced requirements, more transparency, and even more guidance than ever on the actions that you need to take to earn that badge. That badge can mean greater potential traffic and even more eyeballs on your service or product.

There are also new status and product capabilities categories that are meant to help your company stand out. This is achieved by showcasing areas of proficiency in your company and providing more exclusivity in the market.

There are also more benefits that have not been elaborated on but claim to help business needs and the ability to drive overall customer success.

Understanding the New Requirements

A further, deeper understanding of the Google Partner requirements can help those looking to maintain their partner status or perhaps allow a new addition to the group. Without that understanding, it can seem confusing as to what needs to be done.

The first thing is hitting the aforementioned spending threshold. In previous incarnations of the Google Partner requirements, this meant spending $10,000 in a 90-day span across all clients under your manager account.

This number has gone up to $20,000 in that same 90-day span. This is not an insignificant jump up in cost and it could have a dramatic impact on certain consultants’ ability to qualify for that partner status.

Next up is that more users will now need to get certified in order to meet those Google Partner requirements. Having just one user Google Ads certified will no longer meet the cut. Agencies will need to have half of its users at the very least who have admin or standard access to the manager account and pass relevant certification tests. This applies for display, search, shopping, and video.

This could be a huge change for mid-sized agencies and under. Google has added some further certifications and a detailed help page to clarify what needs to be done and by when.

Optimization Score Evaluations

From now on, agencies are going to have to pay closer attention to the recommendations tab. In order to determine whether an agency is meeting the Google Partner requirements, Google says that it will start evaluating the optimization score in your manager account that is currently located over on the recommendations tab.

Google has suggested that agencies use this tab to review any current recommendations in order to “see the actions you can take to improve your performance.”

It may be more transparent than anything else that Google is emphasizing its own machine-learning generated recommendations. Since Google already evaluates client accounts in order to determine which agencies are meeting Google Partner requirements, it isn’t that big of a change.

What Lies Ahead for Google Partners?

It is no secret that maintaining partner status with Google is an important benchmark for businesses of all sizes. But for the small- to mid-sized businesses, that partner badge can make a world of difference. Being able to meet the new Google Partner requirements could mean a substantial shift in the way that marketing dollars are spent by these companies.

Google, sensing the shift, is trying to make that partnership more valuable with certifications and badges that will benefit the companies in the long run.

Still, as they do with their frequent search algorithm updates, it is a wonder how long these Google Partner requirements last before a new set is ushered in with completely different guidelines. If nothing else, Google certainly keeps users on their toes with the plethora of changes that come down the pike on a yearly basis.

Keeping current partner status means taking these new Google Partner requirements into account and determining if meeting them is completely feasible. The focus on optimization score as well as the recommendations are fascinating and it will be worth keeping an eye on those changes to see what impact they will have in the long term for businesses of all sizes.

Oct '19

How to Get Maximum ROI From Your PPC Management Service

Pay per click campaigns offer incredible opportunities to supplement your organic search traffic. Not only do they provide fairly consistent returns (in the form of leads), they typically come with thorough reporting measures. Thanks to the very dedicated refinement of PPC management platforms, such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads, it’s easy to track and tune your paid search strategy.

With that being said, many businesses simply don’t have the time or expertise necessary to run their own pay per click efforts. That’s where digital marketing companies often step in with PPC management services. These companies vary wildly in their results. Some provide substantial returns for their clients, while others seem largely ineffective (or downright shady). Since PPC represents a significant investment – many contractors spend over ten thousand dollars a month on PPC alone – it makes sense to take steps to maximize your ROI.

Google Ads is the Most Widely Used Platform for PPC Ads. Image Source: AdEspresso

Today, we’re going to cover three crucial steps in securing that maximum ROI:

Step #1: Create Accountability.
Step #2: Build Diversity.
Step #3: Review & Adapt.

Master these three steps, and you’ll be well on your way to stronger lead generation and greater revenues. Let’s get started!

Step #1: Create Accountability

Accountability serves as the foundation for any successful PPC management service, yet so many digital marketing companies seem to neglect this step. What does accountability look like in a pay per click strategy? Transparent reporting and billing. Before going anywhere near a paid search agency, businesses need to learn one time, money, and effort-saving rule:

Get your reports directly from Google, Facebook, or whoever runs your PPC ads!

Direct Billing

Direct Billing From Your Provider

Do not accept reporting through your PPC management company, or even a 3rd party service they recommend. It’s a common practice for PPC services to markup the cost per click of keywords, so they can pocket a larger portion of the budget provided to them. The only way to guarantee that your costing is accurate is to receive the report directly from the platform that runs the advertisements.

Monthly Contract

Choosing Month to Month

Another accountability-driving practice is month-to-month billing. While a company might be tempted to slack off in an annual contract, monthly services have powerful motivation to continually provide leads. If they don’t, you can simply switch to another PPC management company to run your campaigns!

No Bundles

Skip the Search Bundle

While closely tied to the direct billing suggestion we mentioned earlier, this particular guideline can also protect you from shady costing practices that so many PPC management companies seem to love. Specifically, digital marketers often use organic SEO/PPC bundles arranged in an annual contract. Instead of providing the portioned work and budget suggested in their itemized billing, these companies mostly neglect the other activities and invest almost all their funds into paid search ads.

With markups, this makes it very easy for PPC-focused companies to turn a high profit without providing a substantial return. If you want both SEO and PPC services, just make sure they’re billed separately!

Step #2: Build Diversity

In the finance sector, seasoned planners often recommend diversifying your investments by spreading across multiple industries and nationalities. This lowers risk and allows you to explore numerous markets. When it comes to PPC campaigns, diversity also plays a key role in finding the best bang for your buck!

Most contractors only have experience with Google Ads. While that platform certainly enjoys an earned reputation for consistency and customization, there are plenty of other sources to choose from. Facebook Ads, for instance, also provides substantial tinkering and testing capabilities for your advertising campaigns. You can even use your most popular content marketing resources and turn them into ads!

Facebook Offers Extensive User Data and Simplified PPC Management for Your Team. Image Source: Facebook Business

Seasoned PPC experts can easily run campaigns in multiple platforms, generating high-quality leads for your business. They also experiment with multiple types of paid advertising, including retargeting ads. Retargeted ads identify visitors leaving your website (or an opponent’s) and delivers an ad specifically targeted to their recent experience. These ingenious marketing devices usually enjoy a higher conversion rate than your standard Google Ad.

What sort of diversity does your PPC management company incorporate into their strategy? If they take a hardline “Google Ads or nothing” stance, it might be time to try out other companies!

Step #3: Review & Adapt

One of the hardest parts of managing your own advertising campaigns is knowing when to adjust your strategy. Some keywords simply don’t pan out, while others require tweaking for maximum success. When you partner with a PPC management team, that team must be able to adapt if they wish to secure a maximum return on your ad money.

What does an adaptable company look like?

A Keyword Research Tool for PPC Management

When One Keyword Phrase Doesn’t Pan Out, a Seasoned PPC Team Adapts. Image Source: Ubersuggest

When a capable search marketing company realizes that a particular strategy isn’t producing the leads they’d like one month, they change their approach. Inept companies simply make up excuses on why it’s the market’s fault. They may also try to make themselves look better with familiar lines, such as “These search results just take time.”

They don’t, by the way! PPC campaigns should start generating results within days (or weeks, at most), unless your company competes in a market with a longer sales cycle. If a PPC company tries to argue otherwise, they’re probably trying to buy time.

Shopping for PPC Management?

Accountability, diversity, and adaptability are crucial parts of pay per click campaigns. Without them, it’s easy to lose perspective, then spend money on campaigns that don’t real returns. Consistently hold to these steps, and you’ll be much more likely to find a winning PPC management team, or effectively managing your own!

Hunting for your own PPC management team? The experts at Nolen Walker would love to handle your paid search activities. We provide a month-to-month service with reporting run directly through Google Ads. No sketchy click markups, just a simple flat fee!

See what an accountable marketing team feels like with Nolen Walker. Consult with an expert for free at (866) 356-8198.

Aug '17

PPC Analysis Tools

Pay Per Click Advertising is one of the most effective marketing strategies on the internet. With that said, the disparity in ROI between the top 25% of PPC campaigns, and the bottom 75% is alarming. Business owners should educated themselves on how to run an effective PPC campaign, and take advantage of PPC Analysis Tools that are available throughout the internet. Check out these PPC Analysis Tools:

1. AdWords Performance Grader

If you are looking for a simple evaluation of your AdWords campaign, you should consider AdWords Performance Grader. This software will quickly audit your AdWords campaign by simply entering your email address. The AdWords Performance Grader includes reviews of:

Account Activity: How recently your account has been altered

Click Through Rates: How many people are clicking on your ad compared to the amount who view it

Quality Scores: Google’s rating of your ad’s quality and relevance

Wasted Spend: A determination of inefficient spending for low quality clicks

AdWords Performance Grader is a free online tool available from WordStream

2. Google Search Engine

It may seem too simple, but the best way to determine who your competitors are is to search for your targeted keywords on Google. Make note of the top 3 results, and analyze the similarities, differences, and individual characteristics of each page. Some aspects to look for are:

Image Placement: Check out how many images are on each page, and where they are placed

Keyword Density: The amount of keywords on a page in relation to the amount of total words

Mobile Responsiveness: Can competitor sites be accessed via mobile? And present well?

URL Structure: Do the URLs make sense in terms of structure?

Google is a free search engine that can be accessed on all devices

3. Google Trends

Another free tool from the popular search engine, Google Trends is a website through which PPC advertisers can evaluate seasonal trends to best optimize their campaigns. Google Trends offers the following advantages:

Historical Data: Marketers know that the value of data increases, the longer it is measured, and with Google Trends you can measure data back from 2004 to present time

Keyword Similarity: Trends is great at grouping keywords with similar intent together, to give PPC advertisers alternate keyword ideas

Query Analysis: Google Trends can analyze a single search query or compare up to five of them

Relative Popularity: Unlike more traditional keyword research, Google Trends provides relative popularity to give PPC advertisers a more advanced look at keywords

Google Trends is a free tool that is available across all devices

4. SEMRush

If you want the most detailed research for your PPC campaign, consider investing in SEMRush. This tool provides an abundance of keyword data for all your marketing needs. Generate reports based on similar keywords, or exact match keywords. Some of the best metrics for SEMRush include:

Volume: A projection of how many users search for the keyword per month

CPC: The estimated cost per click of the keyword for a PPC campaign

Keyword Difficulty: An estimation of the difficulty to rank for a keyword

Competitive Density: A measurement of the amount of advertisers using a keyword in their ads

SEMRush is an online service that starts at $99 per month

5. SpyFu

If you are looking for more advanced competitor research, consider investing in SpyFu. This is software that can measure every trace of your competitor’s presence on Google. You can determine the very specifics of their keywords and advertisements. SpyFu is best used for:

Core Keywords: Discover the main keywords for your competitors

Keyword Disparity: Evaluate keywords that competitors rank for, but your company does not

Keyword Grouping: Unveil competitors keyword groupings for new ideas

SEO PPC Ratio: Determine which marketing strategy your competitors are using to generate leads

SpyFu is available to internet users starting at $33 per month

The #1 PPC Service

We hope you make use of these PPC Analysis Tools. If you require more help with your PPC marketing, Add Positions offers the best PPC Management on the internet with NO LONG TERM COMMITMENT! Call today.

Feb '15

What is PPC?

If you have looked into internet marketing for your company, you have likely heard of PPC. PPC campaigns refer to the results that show up on Google because of a paid for ad placement. These “ads” show up on the top of the results page and on the right hand side. They are called pay per click because you literally pay every time someone clicks on your ad.

Should I use PPC for my business?

So the question remains, is PPC a good internet marketing plan for your business? The answer is both yes and no. PPC costs can add up quickly, so long term it is not a good plan to rely on as your only form of internet marketing.

Investing in organic SEO is the best long term marketing plan. Organic results show up based on the merit of a proper web presence. These results do not cost you anything when someone clicks on them.

However, organic SEO takes time to build whereas PPC is immediate. We often recommend our clients begin with a PPC campaign to increase immediate visibility while we build their organic rankings.

If you are interested in employing a PPC campaign alongside proper organic SEO, give us a call. Our team will help you get the best return on your marketing dollar for both PPC and organic SEO.