Advanced SEM Strategiesfor BeginnersNik Pasic | December 2013

Nik PasicJust a guy who loves online.

Before We Begin...

This presentation will be available on .

If you’re not on it already, get on .

@NikPasic on twitter

We will not cover the basics but I will share resources.

When you start using SEM campaigns, you will initially be losing money!

https://twitter.com/oligardner/status/400098438454341633http://unbounce.com/ppc/poor-message-match/

Follow him, seriously.

Conversion Rate OptimizationCovered in my next presentation

What is SEM?Search Engine Marketing

Think of your website like a building

Design

SEO

Social

eDMSEMAnalytics

CRO UX

Timber

Steel

Concrete Marble

Glass PlasterBrick

A poor SEM manager

An incredible SEM manager

SEM is just a part of the picture

Be Incredible At Everything

http://moz.com/blog/mega-serp-a-visual-guide-to-google

Mega-SERP: A Visual Guide to Google

Follow him.

Them too.

By:@dr_pete

@moz

Ads

Search | Display Network | Remarketing | Product Listings Dynamic Remarketing | Various Google Beta Products

http://www.wordstream.com/articles/what-is-google-adwordshttp://www.portent.com/blog/ppc/wordstream-infographic-how-an-adwords-auction-works.htm

By the awesome guys at

Setting Up a CampaignTools You’ll Need

A Step by Step AdWords Guide by Google

http://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en//adwords/pdf/step_by_step.pdf

Teaches you to:

› Organize your account

› Pick the right keywords

› Write targeted ads

› Put it all together

Google AdWords Certification Program

https://adwords.google.com/professionals/

› Study Through Chapters

› Sit Exams (Optional)

› Up To Date (Renews)

› Multi-Platform Applicable

The Beginner’s Guide To Setting Up An AdWords Account by PPC Hero

http://www.ppchero.com/the-beginners-guide-to-setting-up-an-adwords-account/

Similar to AdWords Step by

Step

Guide by Google, but more

in-depth and with additional

tips.

Follow:› @PPCHero› @WordStream› @AlanMitchell› @CalculateMktg› @ThePPCBlog› @KateMorris› @NikPasic

Secrets to SEM SuccessWhat It’s Really All About

Always Remember...

A business which makes no money is just a hobby.

Conversion Funnel

What Should I Care About?

1. ROI/CLV2. Sales/Lead Value3. Number of Sales/Leads4. Unique Visitors5. Visits, Page Views, Time on Site (not bounce

rate)6. Clicks, CTR, CPC7. Cost9001. Impressions

9002. Impression Share

Business critical

Strong success indicators

Better than burning money

Fall back metrics when all else fails a.k.a. a failed campaign

SEM is about making money

Creating a CampaignMaking Your Life Easier

Budget and Timeline

› Define start and end dates for all

campaigns

› Define a Daily, Monthly and Annual

budget.

› In that order!

› Set Up Daily and monthly budget limits

For multiple accounts set up a Client Centre.

Pro Tip:

Stay In Control

›Track your performance and spend in

excel*

› Daily and monthly for internal purposes

› Report on quarters - weekly is

misleading

› Set up daily and monthly budget limits

› Accelerated Delivery Method + Budget

Limits

Have ‘Ongoing’ campaigns which you can use as a consistent benchmark.

Pro Tip:

› Ongoing Search – AU [D]

› Ongoing DN – AU [D/M]

› 2013 Search – US Cyber Monday [D/M]

› 2013 Remarketing – EU Christmas [M]

Define Your Keywords Audience

› Do not blanket scrape. Seriously. Stop it!› Many “experts” claim this to be the most efficient method but

it is simply not effective. It is the SEM equivalent of

automated link building and content farming.

› Think like your ideal customer would

› Keyword Research Tools suit SERPs, not users› These tools are useful once you’ve run out of ideas

› Do not split off mobile unless your site is

mobile-ready

›Target by Audience, Placement and Location as

well

Accelerated Delivery Method + Budget Limits = You’re In Control

Pro Tip:

Creating The Creative

›Custom build initial KWs, creative and CTA

› Use an excel template*

› Reverse engineer your campaign page

by page

› Always A/B test your ads: Use 2-4 at

least

› Beware of using business lingo for B2C.

› Test run Display and Search side by side

› Use Remarketing and Shopping if

applicable

A/B test everything! SEM, eDMs, landing pages, life.

Pro Tip:

Target Efficiently

› User your brand terms as much as possible

› Use single-keyword brand/key Ad Groups - Ultimate targeting!

› Use a combination of [exact match], “phrase match”, +broad +match +modifier, broad match and –negative keywords

› Use a -negative match of your brand in all your non-brand categories as your campaigns can compete with one another

https://support.google.com/adwords/answer/2497836?hl=en

Do not fear mistakes. They are our best learning tool. SEM is a long term money-making game.

Pro Tip:

Tracking

› Link your AdWords with Google Analytics

› Set up Goals and ensure revenue is

tracking

› Use tracking codes in every URL

https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033867?hl=en

Review and use the data otherwise don’t even bother with tracking.

Pro Tip:

Useful SEM Tools

› AdWords and GA segmentation and

filtering

› AdWords/Bing/Facebook Editor

› AdWords Opportunities Tab - Do this

manually

› AdWords Tools and Analysis Tab

CTAs can make or break your campaign. Use timeliness and expiration dates to your advantage!

Pro Tip:

Useful Excel Features*

› Pivot Tables

› VLookup

› Concatenate

› Length

› First and Last

Glance over each of your campaigns each morning, even if you don’t need to change a thing.

Pro Tip:

Competitive Intelligence

Don’t do it. Seriously. Keeping up with the

competition is a time-sink for any small to medium

sized business and is extremely overrated.

Unless you're the true market leader and are

absolutely capped in terms of your audience reach

you should be focusing on your own audience.

More than anything, stay curious!

Pro Tip:

Thank YouAny Questions?

Follow @nikpasic