PPC, Landing Pages, Etc.

[Laustin1878]

I've adopted the methodology of keeping keyword pools on the smaller side and building out several Ad Groups per campaign. This has helped keep the topics of the campaigns more tightly focused, thus, improving the success of the campaign.

For subsequent landing pages, I've typically used the best fit page on the website. This aides in reducing costs, although, it's not the way I prefer to do it. I'd like to create custom landing pages to improve conversions and QS while keeping costs in line to show a satisfactory ROI. With the way these campaigns are set up, I usually have a minimum of 3 Ad Groups per campaign. One is usually a brand target while the others go after popular search terms and variations.

In order to maximize results, I feel each Ad Group should have their own custom landing page. With this comes increased workload and subsequently, asking for more money. I am drawing a blank on how to offer an improved PPC service that will help the business maximize the ad spend rather then devoting valuable dollars to design/programming. I do feel that it wouldn't necessarily be money poorly spent but the stakes are higher now that Sponsored Listings no longer appear on the right side of the page (obviously we strive for top positioning but...).

My specific questions:
- What AdWords structure have you adopted which has been a proven success? What made you change how you structured your campaigns prior to how you do it currently?
- How do you handle landing pages? One per campaign? One per ad group? More? How do you charge for custom landing pages?
- Do you find your clients are more receptive to a flat rate management cost or a % of the ad spend?
- Am I going about this the wrong way?

I've had satisfactory results for my own high standards and by the clients' regards. I want to provide the best service I can provide and keep all parties involved, happy.

 

[MarketingGiant]

I charge 30%. Budget must be over 2k. Keep each campaign as specific as possible. 1 Landing page per campaign. Make sure you focus on quality quality quality!

I think you should star reading Wordstream, I read their blog daily and I think it might help you out. I don't use any of their services but I think there a legit company that knows what they're doing. Set up Google Alerts for any PPC updates happening in the industry. This allows you to capitalize quickly. Start searching and google. I learned SEO/ SEM / Dev just by researching and watching others online. Make sure you track everything, I use GMT / GA. Make sure you test and keep testing.

 

[Eric Rohrback]

There's a lot you can do with PPC, but I think you're on the right track with how you're structuring campaigns - tightly focused is the key. Pay attention to bids, make sure you're not cannibalizing keywords by match type in different ad groups, and make sure the landing pages are appropriate. In the past I've split out one or two keywords into exact match ad groups, but only did that for keywords yielding high ROAS.

I've seen percentage and flat rate billing structures, but I guess you could also consider a CPA model. A CPA model will make you way more accountable for the performance, because you don't get paid unless you deliver. It's really dependent on what you're comfortable with, and what the potential client is comfortable with - IE, how you sell it. If you're doing flat rate or percentage, then you need to really lay out what you're doing month to month. You need workflow reporting, and really need to sell the value of the product. If you do a lead gen/CPA model, then it's all dependent on delivering good leads. As long as you're bringing them qualified leads, then it doesn't matter what you do. Completely up to you how you want to structure it.

 

[JoyHawkins]

We do a % of ad spend model and our minimum management fee per month is $199. So once they spend more than 2k a month our fee switches to 10% of ad spend.

For local businesses, we generally set up different campaigns and put all the keywords with city-names in them into one because these keywords convert better. Often the generic keywords without city-names convert less so we attribute less of a budget to them. Bright Local talks about this strategy here.