Getting Targeted Clicks with “Negative” Pay Per Click Marketing

Using “negative” keywords in your PPC campaign is necessary to detract people who are using a keyword you’re advertising with, but highly unlikely to want what you’re offering.  For example, they may be searching for “Free MP3″ and you’re advertising a new “MP3 Player - same keyword, different market.

 But did you know that you can also use these kinds of negative keywords to more finely target your specific audience?  For example, if you’re promoting an upcoming marketing seminar, you might write an ad that reads:

 Hot Marketing Seminars
The best web marketing program seminars
now happening in your area! Save big when
you register online.
www.example.com

What does this ad tell you?

·        This is a great web marketing seminar

·        It’s (possibly) local

·        I’ll save money by registering online.

That’s not a terrible ad, but it also isn’t truly geared toward the type of person you want to attract.  You’re having to rely on your landing page to do all the selling for you - and even then, it can’t be everything to everyone. 

 When you get a click on the ad above, you’re getting an un-targeted, “just browsing” response from someone who may or may not fit your target buyer profile.  They could find out, for example:

·        The seminar is geared toward entrepreneurs - not corporations.

·        It’s held only in major cities, not in your area

·        It’s too expensive - even if they register online.

·        There’s no calendar of events on who is speaking, when, and what their topic is.

A better ad would be more straightforward, to-the-point and directly speak to the person who is qualified to make that high-ticket item purchase. 

For example:

New York City Marketing Seminar
Entrepreneurs!  Come hear web marketer
John Doe, Nov.1st. $1,995 per person.
Save $60 by registering online
www.example.com

 If I read that ad and:

·        Owned my own business

·        Lived (or wouldn’t mind traveling) to NYC

·        Had the money to spend and

·        Followed John Doe’s work - subscribed to his blog, bought his products, etc.

This kind of ad would be a sure-fire hit.  Of course, whenever I present this strategy to internet marketers and business owners, I always get the following question, so I’m going to answer it right now.

 Wouldn’t I Be Cutting Out Other People and Getting Lower Clickthroughs?

 And the answer is - YES, you would. But watch your conversion rate (that’s the number that truly matters).  By super-targeting and super-qualifying your clickthroughs, you’ll see your conversions hit the roof.

By reading your ad alone you’ve already told only the visitors that “matter” in the sales process (the decision-makers) that you’ve got something to offer them that will truly be worth their attention.

 But your work isn’t done!  Now it’s up to your landing page to pick up from there - and that will be the focus of tomorrow’s post.  Give this method a try and see what kind of conversions you get — you might be surprised at what you learn!

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