PPC Best Practices
Search Best Practice
Our Best Practices
This Search Best Practice Checklist has been put together to provide a comprehensive list of optimization and account management tips which you should follow to drive the best possible results from your clients campaigns.
The page is split into the 4 major sections that influence search campaign performance:
Each section has a list of best practices which can positively impact the results of your search campaigns.
Keywords
Title | Level | Best Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Beginner | Structure account(s) to mirror site |
| Coverage-Brand | Include brand terms | |
| Coverage | Cover all products | |
| Coverage | Include relevant negatives | |
| Creative | Deep link to relevant landing pages | |
| Creative | Relate the creative to the keywords | |
| Seasonality | Have annual seasonal plan | |
| Seasonality | Have seasonal keywords and creatives ready, | |
| Structure | Intermediate | Delete duplicate keywords |
| Structure | Separate campaigns for converting keywords | |
| Structure | Separate campaign for top volume drivers | |
| Coverage – Brand | Include brand misspellings | |
| Coverage | Use generic keywords to drive awareness | |
| Coverage | Use generic keywords to boost conversions | |
| Coverage | Understand queries matched by keywords | |
| Coverage | Keep reviewing kw set to capture new queries | |
| Coverage | Keep reviewing kw set to filter unwanted clicks/queries | |
| Coverage | Match keywords to search queries to enable targeted ad text | |
| Coverage | Use product specific keywords to drive conversions | |
| Structure | Advanced | Create testing environment for new keywords |
| Structure Automation | Flag keywords which are performing well and restructure if necessary | |
| Coverage – Brand | Include brand territory terms | |
| Coverage – Automation | Pull data from logs and automatically populate existing campaigns with relevant keywords. | |
| Seasonality Automation | Flag queries which spike. Add keywords/incorporate them following year |
Adtext
Title | Level | Best Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Creative | Beginner | Include special offers in ad text |
| Creative | Test brands in ad text | |
| Creative | Test DKI/static in ad text | |
| Creative | Test CTAs in ad text | |
| Creative | Deep link to relevant landing pages | |
| Creative | Match online and offline messaging | |
| Creative | Deep link to relevant landing pages | |
| Creative | Relate the creative to the keywords | |
| Seasonality | Have annual seasonal plan | |
| Seasonality | Have seasonal keywords and creatives ready, | |
| Creative | Intermediate | Include delivery details in ad text |
| Creative | Test offline messaging in ad text | |
| Creative | Test prices in ad text | |
| Creative | Test no. of products in ad text | |
| Creative | Include Third-Party Awards where possible | |
| Creative | Test capatilisation variations | |
| Creative | Keep trialling different creatives, |
Bids
Best Practice | Level |
|---|---|
| Have annual seasonal plan | Beginner |
| Separate campaigns for converting keywords | Intermediate |
| Separate campaign for top volume drivers | |
| Set CPC’s to appear in the most profitable position | |
| Be prepared to raise CPCs during seasonal peaks | |
| Create testing environment for new keywords | Advanced |
| Flag keywords which are performing well and restructure if necessary | |
| Keep up with ROI figures and alter CPCs accordingly |
Budgets
| Search/Content | Title | Level | Best Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search & Content | Seasonality | Beginner | Have annual seasonal plan |
| Search | Structure | Intermediate | Separate campaigns for converting keywords |
| Search | Structure | Separate campaign for top volume drivers | |
| Search | Bidding and Budgeting | Budget for maximum return | |
| Search | Bidding and Budgeting | Raise your budget caps to take advantage of positive ROI | |
| Search | Structure | Advanced | Create testing environment for new keywords |
| Search | Structure Automation | Flag keywords which are performing well and restructure if necessary | |
| Search | Bidding and Budget Automation | Automate daily budget reports | |
| Search and Content | Seasonality | Keep up with seasonal trends and one off events that may lead to traffic spikes |
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