Getting To Grips With PPC: West Sussex Businesses
This time last year, you may have noticed a change in how MOT centres in West Sussex were reaching their customers online. Digital ads seemed more relevant, and irrelevant ads seemed to disappear. The secret? Savvy use of negative keywords in PPC campaigns. By understanding what your potential customers aren’t searching for, businesses have been able to save money and focus their ads more effectively.
Let’s keep it simple. Negative keywords help you stop your ads from showing in certain searches. In a space like PPC, where every click can cost you, ensuring you’re only getting the clicks you want is crucial. Over the last year, this strategy has gained traction among West Sussex MOT centres, helping them optimise their PPC campaigns and grow their businesses.
Why Negative Keywords Matter
When people book an MOT, they’re looking for something specific. They might search for “MOT centre West Sussex” or “cheap MOT in Worthing.” But they’re probably not looking for “DIY car repairs” or “MOT exemptions for electric vehicles.” These irrelevant clicks can waste your budget. Negative keywords help you filter out these unwanted clicks.
Using Negative Keywords to Save Money
Money spent on irrelevant clicks gets you nowhere fast. By adding negative keywords, you prevent your ads from showing up where they shouldn’t. Let’s say you offer premium MOT services. You might want to add “cheap” as a negative keyword. This ensures that your ads don’t appear when someone is looking for budget options, saving you from unnecessary clicks.
You can even refine it further. Say you’re a Worthing-based MOT centre; you don’t want traffic meant for another location. Adding specific locations as negative keywords can help you focus on the areas where your services are actually relevant.
Focusing on Local Relevance
West Sussex is a diverse area with different needs in different places. Chichester, Worthing, and Horsham all attract different kinds of customers and vehicle types. Negative keywords can help you zone in on your target areas. You might want to add “East Sussex” as a negative keyword if you’re only operating in West Sussex, for example.
Local relevance increases the chances of converting clicks into actual bookings. If you’re focusing on your immediate vicinity, make it a priority in your negative keyword list. After all, customers looking for MOT services don’t want to travel unnecessarily.
The Process of Implementing Negative Keywords
Here’s a quick guide to getting you started with negative keywords:
- Identify what doesn’t work: Look at your search terms report to see which search queries are leading to clicks with no conversions.
- Build your list: Organise your findings into a list of negative keywords.
- Add to your campaign: Implement these keywords in your PPC campaign settings.
Regular upkeep of this list ensures your PPC campaign remains effective. Keep it dynamic, and continually refine your list based on ongoing data analysis. You’re aiming for precision here to maximise budget efficiency.
Using Tools and Analytics
Utilising tools like Google Ads’ Search Terms report is essential in your PPC toolkit. This gives you an overview of what people are searching for when they see your ad. From there, it’s a straightforward process to identify non-performing phrases.
- Check search reports regularly.
- Add new negative keywords as required.
- Monitor the performance changes.
Your PPC campaign shouldn’t be stagnant. Regularly updating your negative keywords list ensures it remains focused and cost-effective.
Keeping an Eye on Trends
Industry trends change frequently, as do customer behaviours. What might’ve been an effective keyword list six months ago may not be today. Being one step ahead helps you adapt to these shifts proactively.
If electric vehicles start impacting MOT needs in West Sussex, adjust your keyword strategy accordingly. This way, you maintain relevancy and ensure your budgets are spent wisely.
Tuning Your Campaign to Perfection
After implementing negative keywords, you should start seeing healthier click-through rates and lower costs. However, don’t stop here. Make this an ongoing part of your campaign management.
To build an effective strategy for the long term, consider working with professionals who specialise in PPC Management in West Sussex. Their expertise can refine your campaigns even further, ensuring you maximise returns on your expenditure.
