That’s a common question from prospective clients and I get it. I want to be #1 on Google too! When you’re investing money in a CPC (cost per click) campaign, you want your ad to immediately get the attention of web searchers.
However, there are three things I tell people to keep in mind when thinking about ranking – your “CBC” – content, budget, and competition.
- Content: How is the content on your web-site? Is your landing page relevant to the ad? When searchers click on your ad, make sure your website delivers the results promised in the ad copy
- Budget: You have to spend some money. I’ve seen people spend 20 cents and others spend $20+ on a keyword in their AdWords campaign. When you’re in a competitive market, a few cents per word could make it tough to rank. When I’m working on a campaign, we’ll start low and watch it for a few days to determine adjustments for each word.
- Competition: What is your desired keyword? Are you trying to be first for “coffee” or “pizza”? If so, you have a lot of competition. I don’t need to convince you there are a lot of businesses in those two spaces. As you focus on targeted, niche keywords, you’ll have less competition. As you become focused with your preferred search terms, you’ll have lower clicks but they will be from a more relevant audience.
There’s more to it than just these three items. If you’re new to AdWords this is a good place to start. Remember your CBC for your CPC.
