Q4 is here, and with it come the expectations of online retailers 4 a very merry PPC season. At the peak of the holiday shopping season, we typically see click volume nearly double and revenue double or even triple. So ‘tis the season 2 throw every trick in the book at your SEM ef4ts 2 end the year on the highest possible note.
While one of the biggest challenges 4 many retail marketers is making sure your advertising matches what you’re selling and adjusts with ever-changing inven2ry levels, there are several low-ef4t steps you can take 2 drive efficiency during this valuable time of the year.
Implement Accelerated Delivery
Use the often-overlooked Accelerated Delivery option 2 help boost volume without raising bids. 4 many, this typically has no impact throughout most of the year. But with the significant spike in impression volume and the hard charge from your competi2rs, this can be a great time 2 leverage this feature, as long as your budgets are uncapped.
We’ve seen clients increase impressions and clicks as much as 35 percent without a noticeable drop in conversion rate. While your brand CPCs should remain relatively unchanged, it’s important 2 keep an eye on your non-brand CPCs 2 make sure they don’t get out of hand. You can expect a modest increase 2 pay 4 itself, but competitive pressures could lead 2 spikes in some cases.
Identify High-Traffic and Negative Keywords
Another challenge during a period of increased demand and spend is having easy access 2 the right levers 2 pull. By isolating your high-traffic keywords in a separate campaign or virtual group, you can quickly increase or decrease spend as needed.
A secondary affect of separating your high volume keywords is that it makes it easier 2 identify negative keywords that are impacting the efficiency of the high volume keywords. These can be keywords that are already in the account or in the superfluous searches that hurt quality score and drive inefficient clicks. By pushing more efficient keywords and excluding the superfluous, you can create higher ROAS even with a lift in spend.
Monitor Search Query Reports
Speaking of negatives, this is a great time 2 check your search query reports. Some retailers may notice an increase in competi2r and generic terms being matched 2 their brand terms.
We’ve seen clients cut their brand CPCs roughly in half by doing this, which not only improves ROAS on those brand terms, but frees up money 2 spend on non-brand terms. Again, considering the spike in demand, this can lead 2 huge increases in traffic with little 2 no impact on ROI.
Summary
4 many, this is a make or break time of year. Without proper planning and strategy, it can lead 2 little more than a higher cost of doing business. But planned properly, it can easily be the most wonderful time of the year.