A Click-Through-Rate (CTR) plays an important role in the running of a successful AdWords campaign.
Some people say that CTR varies from sector to sector and that is certainly true but there are always things that you can do to achieve better results.
I am going to share the top 4 ways of boosting your CTR performance.
Structure Your Account Correctly
I have seen numerous accounts with awful structuring. People create one campaign, then get around 20 - 100 keywords and stick them all in the same place and then wonder why the results that they have been receiving are no good.
Well the simplest of reasons is that having loads of logically unrelated keywords in the same place with a generic advert it is bound to cause problems for the simple reason that you cannot capture all of them in the space of 95 characters which is the allowed limit for a Google text ad.
What you need to do in order to increase your performance is separate keywords in logical groups of no more than 25 keywords; this will then allow you to create ads that are truly relevant to the keywords and key phrases selected.
Choose the correct keywords
Never use keywords that only have one word or a broad meaning - ever.
Let's illustrate this with a practical example:
If you sell designer coats you might think that having the keyword "coats" might be a good idea. Well it is not because a person typing this can have 1001 things on his mind.
For example 5,883 people searched for dog coats last month and your ad WILL show for this search unless you use the "exact" matching option. But even then they could have anything in mind and since you're paying for each click - you should make sure those clicks come from people who want exactly what you have to offer.
A better keyword would be: "designer coats"
An even better keyword would be: "Calvin Klein designer coats"
Or, to hit the nail on the head: "buy Calvin Klein designer coats"
I think the last keyword will perform best because a) It is a much more specific term and it will filter out users that are not interested in the products that you have to offer such as users who will be looking for ski coats, fur coats and even dog coats! b) Having the term buy in the keyword means that you will capture searchers who know what they want and are ready to commit by buying what you have to offer.
Use Your Keywords In Your Ad Title
This is certainly one of the most important techniques and it's no secret. Even Google encourages this.
It's important because Google rewards ads that are using keywords in the title by making them bold, which immediately makes your ads stand out from the crowd. The second important factor is that when a user sees exactly what he has just typed his brain automatically associates it with being the exact answer to their question, so they are much more likely to read and click on your ad
Negative Keywords
Negative keywords act as filters in AdWords - they help to filter out prospects that are interested in what you have to offer and others that are searching for something else entirely different.
Imagine you have the keyword "web design" and a user searches for the term "web design templates". If you don't have "templates" as a negative keyword, your ad could show but you don't provide this service. The negative keyword will prevent your adverts from showing for such searches.
This important technique will not only improve your CTR by not showing adverts to prospects who are not interested in you services but also it will save you a lot of money, because even if the ad appears on the incorrect search it is bound to get clicked on by some people.
There are many other tricks that can be employed in order to improve CTR but these are a few basics which can help boost your campaigns' performance.
Copyright 2007 Alexander Georgiev | Google AdWords Professional | Advertise PPC
Related Articles
Google Adwords - A "Has Been"?
By: Dylan Loh | 14/05/2006 | Advertising
Many advertisers are suffering from huge advertising costs, potential click fraud and little to no return on investment. But on the other hand, there are a small percentage of people who use Adwords profitably, so much so that this is their sole source of income.
Why Is It Good When More Advertisers Are Competing With You On Google Adwords, Forcing Costs Up And Saturating The Niche?
By: Dylan Loh | 14/05/2006 | Advertising
There are tons of advertisers out there utilizing and over utilizing it even when they should not. So what's the deal? Do you continue to use Adwords? You read on.
Top 5 Mistakes Of The Frustrated AdWords Advertiser
By: Steve Iser | 12/07/2006 | Communication
Many frustrated Internet Marketers have abandoned their conquest into Google Ad Words after being robbed left, right and center due to their inability to run a successful campaign.
Discover how you can, with 3 simplest of tips, boost your Adwords click through rates and ultimately income!
By: Dylan Loh | 23/05/2006 | Advertising
By no means are these 3 steps the end. It is only the tip of the tip of the iceberg. For you to use adwords successfully, you must continually improve, change, test and refine methods. Listed below are the briefest of tips that can get you started on Adwords.
Rescue your Adwords campaign now! Apply these 3 little know "life saving" techniques
By: Dylan Loh | 23/05/2006 | Advertising
Truth to be told, I have been very frustrated with Adwords. There are always the constant problems with sudden stoppages of ads, potential click fraud, high costs and yet I love them so very much!
By: | 31/12/1969 |
Pay Per Click Management
By: Farhad Divecha | 30/10/2006 | SEO
Pay per click management services make the difference between profit and loss. Increase traffic, reduce cost per click and boost return on PPC campaigns.
Choosing A Search Marketing Company
By: Ben Norman | 22/09/2007 | Internet
In the world of Internet marketing and sales, the key to being successful is being seen. A major way to get your site seen is through the use of a search marketing company specializing in this type of campaign management.
Search engine marketing, or SEM as it is known colloquially, has...
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
Power,have we met?
By: musicismyhothotsex | 20-11-2007
Power1.It's probably a coincidence but did you ever frequent saywhatyouwant.net or USM.If so,nice to see you again!If not,my apologies :-)
What's the best search engine ?
By: gonzo800 | 19-11-2007
What's the best search engine ?
Web Mashups
By: Prasath | 19-11-2007
Any good websites that teach mashups from ground up?
Schools
By: skylaplus2 | 18-11-2007
I have my school on myspace but you can't find me under it when searching. How do I fix it
What would be the best way to advertize a new GUITAR ACCESSORY?
By: shlomogtr | 18-11-2007
What would be the best way to advertize a new guitar accessory over the web at a minimum cost?
How can i get Tali Yaron Eldar's phone number?
By: eoirlev | 18-11-2007
how can i get Tali Yaron Eldar's phone number?
Q&A Powered by:
More from Alexander Georgiev
4 Worst Mistakes in Google Adwords
By: Alexander Georgiev | 08/06/2007 | Online Promotion
This article looks at the most common mistakes that can hamper your progress with google adwords. The writer of the article is a Google AdWords Qualified Individual and has seen numerous accounts. Here are the top 4 problems that are most oftenly seen.
Advertising 
