In my last post we discussed how to churn and burn: generating as many leads/conversions as possible, and sorting them out in the sales process (the chain restaurant theory). Now, we’ll review the alternative approach to lead generation which does not focus on quantity, but the quality of highly-targeted, qualified leads in lesser numbers: slow and steady – the high-class night club approach where only a select few may enter.
Again, let’s start with the building blocks of your campaign: your keywords. Your keywords should apply to individuals who aren’t in the discovery phase of their research cycle. Your keywords need to be geared towards those who already know what they want (your product and/or service) and they know the terminology of your targeted keywords. If your company specializes in round ceramic widgets, then your keywords should focus on your niche of the widget market (I’ll be doing a later post that analyzes the various lengths and specificity of keywords).
You have your keyword list that will appeal directly to your target audience, and now you need to consider the next in step in your keywords’ level of specificity: match type. If your keywords are paired down to the essentials then you may be able to use broad match in Google and advanced match in Yahoo. If you need to sharpen your sights on your audience even further then you’ll want to use exact match in Google, standard match in Yahoo.
However, be sure not to put a strangle hold on your keywords! If your targeted keywords, set to exact and standard match, are not generating enough traffic, you may want consider loosening the reigns slightly by testing a blend of match types (broad & exact match).
You’ve determined the optimal keyword configuration – now, you need to take the next step and speak directly to your audience. Your ad text needs to serve as the bouncer to your landing page. Use the phrases and terminology that your core audience will recognize. If the general public doesn’t understand or aren’t attracted to your ads, then they won’t click on them – which is exactly what you want. One parallel between both lead generation methods is to make sure that you highlight your core benefits & features, and any promises you make in your PPC ad text, and these need to be followed through on your landing page.
You can take your exclusivity another step by specifically stating who you want to click on your ad. Placing phrases with “Only…” or “No…” can qualify your clicks even further, for example: “Small Businesses Only,” or “Bulk Orders Only.”
Once users click your ad and hit your landing page they should already be qualified, if you’ve followed these steps. The landing page is another chance to address your core audience, and weed out those who don’t belong. On your landing page be sure to follow-up on any benefits, features, and promises, you may have highlighted in your ad. Be specific to your core audience’s needs and, again, if you need to make yourself clear about who you’re looking for, you should say this in your text.
All of this will culminate in lower clicks, and possibly fewer conversions. However, when pairing down the breadth of your campaign, and targeting your core audience, you should see your click-through rate increase, your cost-per-conversion should drop – and the conversions you generate will be as qualified as possible when they arrive at your doorstep.
