Is Your PPC Campaign Up-to-Date?

Listen to Google, and your pay-per-click strategy is to set it and forget it. Computer modeling changes your bid strategy. Bids update automatically. Pay your bill each month, and you have nothing else on your to-do list.

But just as COVID-19 has changed the office you work in, the virus has shifted the digital climate. It's critical to ensure that your ads are accurate and resonant in the current environment.

For example, you run a brick-and-mortar store that relies heavily on walk-in traffic. Your ads encourage people to stop by, shop around, and take advantage of a deal.

Did COVID-19 close down your shop? Can anyone come to visit you? If not, you're wasting ad money.

And here's a common (more egregious) example. Does your ad copy reflect the world your customers live in right now? Your ads could contain out-of-date terms such as:

• Long commutes

• Avoid the crowds

• Skip the long lines

• Join us for coffee

• Meet a friend for drinks

Even your bid strategy could be out of date. If all of your competitors held their ads back, and you're still spending at peak rates for remaining customers, you could be wasting money.

I don't recommend turning off all ads. It's not clear how long the pandemic will change the marketing landscape, and deleting all your hard work means starting from scratch when you rejoin your competitors.

But set aside time each week to:

• Assess performance. Is one ad beating out the others you're running? Can you attribute success to a solid strategy, or is someone sharing your ad as a shaming example? (It happens.)

• Scan your lures. Do you offer discounts or enticements people can put to use right now? Or are you baiting clients with things (like in-person coupons) they can't use?

• Check your CTAs. Are you enticing people to do things they can accomplish right now? Or are you encouraging them to do things (like visiting your shop) that aren't allowed? Are you pointing people to an active phone number?

• Double-check your links. This is a big problem for people with a poor relationship with IT. Make sure all ads point to pages that work, not something pulled down due to COVID-19 service changes.

• Accept your spend. Ensure you're getting decent ROI. How many purchases are tied to your ads? Are you spending more than you should?

Everyone has a busy schedule and plenty of tasks. We're all using our homes for sleeping, eating, doing yoga, raising kids, holding school lessons, and working. But these few steps aren't optional. In this environment, they're critical.

And remember: Freelancers (like me) are essential stopgaps when deadlines loom and you don't have time. Reach out if I can help.