Did you know that most business-to-business (B2B) researchers and buyers use the internet to acquire information about possible purchases; according to a report by Google, it is 89%! With so many prospective clients starting their search on the internet, businesses of all sizes need to push their sites to the top of search engines as quickly as possible. Of course, Google Ads provides an immediate solution as SEO efforts begin to take hold, but Google Ads also poses a unique challenge with its own set of considerations.
As part of your inbound marketing strategy, you may choose to run Google Ads. For the most part, inbound marketing focuses on organic traffic, whereas PPC offers an opportunity for instant gratification while your other strategies build.
Larry Kim of WordStream says this about PPC and Inbound Marketing:
PPC is absolutely a part of inbound marketing by my standards. My definition of inbound revolves around being somewhere with the answer when someone is looking for it, NOT sticking an advert for a product or service in front of their faces. That absolutely includes PPC!
(Source: News Flash: PPC Is Inbound Marketing )
Combining SEO and PPC will comprise approximately 90 percent of clicks across the web, so it’s no wonder that businesses are taking advantage of Google Ads!
While running and developing a Google Ads campaign is relatively straightforward. There are still great opportunities for mistakes. You must avoid them if you want your inbound marketing campaign to be successful.
Here are the top five common mistakes businesses make with Google Ads:
1. They Aren’t Targeting Each Stage of the Buying Cycle
B2B buyers are like any other; they to go through a buying cycle that involves awareness, interest, additional information, shopping the market, and making a purchase. Because there are so many phases in the buying process, businesses must target each step separately. The most common mistake is crafting ad copy and then reusing it over and over. It's no surprise that businesses of all sizes choose to outsource their inbound marketing tactics to a professional firm!
2. Their Keywords Are Too Broad
Beginners in digital marketing make the error of using broad keywords in the misguided notion of trying to capture the most traffic possible. However, this causes your ads to get lost in the shuffle and fail to reach the intended audience. The more precise your keywords, the more targeted your audience, resulting in better and higher conversion rates.
3. They Forget About Content Marketing
If your business is investing in Google Ads, it’s important to continue investing in your content marketing. Many companies think that they can invest in one or the other, but both should be utilized to create a powerful synergy until organic content ranks on its own.
4. They Fail to Create Specific Landing Pages
When searchers come to your website through an ad, you shouldn’t direct them to your homepage. Instead, you should use a custom landing page that welcomes them based on the campaign you’re running. Specific landing pages will help improve your conversion rates or, at the least, help prospects through the sales funnel since they are targeting a particular need. B2B businesses that utilize landing pages often experience greater conversion rates and higher ROI.
5. They Overpay for Mobile Users
While getting mobile users is crucial, the fact is that mobile users engage differently on their mobile devices than they do on their desktops. You can increase awareness among mobile users, but getting them to act is usually more challenging.
Final Thoughts
Though it may appear straightforward at first, using Google Ads in your inbound marketing approach is fraught with danger. Instead of handling these factors on your own, partner with a qualified marketing agency to grow your business. Please contact us to see how we can help your business grow!
