When Sun Tzu said ‘know yourself, know your enemy’, he had absolutely no way of knowing just how relevant this would be to the world of PPC centuries later.
Sounds dramatic? Sure. But it’s true: getting to know your enemies (AKA your competitors) can make a massive impact on the success of your own PPC campaign.
Studying your rivals’ activities and choices might sound difficult, but it’s actually a little easier than you may think. Let’s take a look at a few key ideas.
What makes their ad copy sing?
Creating ad copy for your PPC campaign is easy. Creating good copy that makes an impact on searchers is another matter altogether.
What tone of voice should you use? How do you engage your prospects? What can you say to compel them to click through?
Studying your competitors’ PPC ads will help you get a flavor for what to do and what not to do. Look at your most and least successful rivals’ ads for a comprehensive insight.
Let’s be clear, though: we’re not talking about straight-up stealing ideas here. Instead, we’re saying you should find inspiration in the best examples of ad copy in your niche and emulate them.
Finding the keyword gems you might have missed
Identifying the strongest keywords for your PPC campaign takes time and effort, not to mention the money to bid on them.
Still, how do you know you’ve used the most effective ones? Is it possible you might have missed some great keywords that your competitors are taking advantage of at your expense?
It’s vital to look into your competitors’ keywords and see whether they’re incorporating any gems that give them an edge. There are tools online that can help you do this, and our team of Orange County digital marketing experts will use the most competitive keywords to boost your visibility.
Special offers and seasonal ads
You should never leave your PPC ads untouched for long. Incorporating fresh, time-sensitive special offers and seasonal ads into your campaign makes them more enticing to searchers.
Pay attention to how your main competitors do this. Do they roll out a few different Christmas ads in the run up to the season of goodwill? How about in summer?
Special offers are a terrific way to add appeal to your ads, giving you a chance to use power keywords like ‘save’, ‘free’ and ‘bargain’. Look at the language and sitelinks they use, and study how they embrace the power of statistics and figures.
Looking to learn more about how you can compete with the biggest brands in your niche? Trust Nett Solutions PPC’s Orange County digital marketing team to help you achieve your goals!
