How to Choose a Paid Search Company
Choosing the right paid search agency is no small decision, considering what's at stake for your business. The playing field is pretty crowded, so it may take a little effort to find a partner who meets your marketing needs and is trustworthy. Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision when selecting a paid search company.
Clearly understand what you need before you begin your search. In addition to an idea of your company's goals, needs and budget, it's a good idea to determine concrete metrics, such as return on investment (ROI) and average order value (AOV) , which are the benchmarks to measure the success of your campaigns. Without these metrics, your paid search company will not have a target on which to focus when optimizing your campaigns.
Consider the agency's size. Larger paid search companies may be able to provide more resources to work on your campaign. However, you'll want to ask whether you'll deal with the same people on a continuous basis. If having a more personalized level of service is important to you, you might consider a smaller agency. They often have dedicated account team members who will learn your business and customize their approach. It's good to look for a firm that is large enough to handle your work, but small enough to remain accessible and give you the face-time you need.
Look for a firm that operates transparently. Unlike most other search engine marketing techniques, paid search is unique because you can easily see the results of your campaign and keep track of your return on investment. Ask whether or not the firm will provide you with the ability to see how your keywords are performing, to keep track of the money you're spending and to gauge the campaign's overall performance against your metrics. Make sure you understand what steps your paid search company is taking to improve your program performance and why. In short, make sure you know what you're getting for your money.
Make sure your paid search company uses white hat methods. While no longer commonly used, black hat paid search methods-such as domain squatting, affiliate abuse and bait-and-switch techniques-can damage your search rankings because Google can penalize you. A paid search firm should use strategies that are reputable and above board. If a paid search company promises guaranteed results, keep in mind that no one can truly guarantee the outcome of a paid search program, because of variables out of their control, such as changes in search engine algorithms and competitive landscape.
Look at the agency's track record with its customers. Speaking to some of a firm's current customers will give you a good idea of the experiences and results you can expect. You also can ask the firm what percentage of their clients opts to renew their agreements to get a good idea of overall customer satisfaction.
Working hard and working smart shouldn't be an either/or proposition. Sure, it's possible to change the bids on your keywords every hour by using an automated bid management system, but it's usually not necessary and may indicate exaggerated efforts or a heavy reliance on technology. Look for a paid search company that uses technology to complement its manual efforts. For example, high-velocity, high-cost keywords need close monitoring by humans, while long tail, soft conversion points with lower CPCs may be optimized using automated rules-based bid management technology.
Look for a company that takes a "big picture" approach when structuring a paid search campaign. Choosing the right keywords is definitely important to the success of a paid search campaign, but keywords alone will not guarantee its success. Look for a paid search company that goes beyond the keywords and focuses on the entire conversion process. This includes ensuring your campaigns are properly structured based on keyword and performance, systematically testing ad copy and landing pages and keeping your campaigns fresh by including new products and promotions.
Make sure your paid search company is fast, fluid and flexible. The search engines change their algorithms hundreds of times each year, which means the rules for ranking are constantly changing as well. You want an agency that can adapt quickly to these shifts and ensure that your marketing efforts stay relevant. Be sure your paid search company will keep you informed about their search strategy and look to you for market guidance and communication about ongoing challenges and changes in your business strategy.
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PPC Blog Entries
MediaPost.com writes- “Google Prompts Didit To Acquire Inceptor For PLA/Feed Support “
By now, many of you have heard that Inceptor was acquired by Didit. The last few days at Inceptor have been filled with excitement as we get to know Kevin Lee and Dave Pasternack, founders of Didit. In case you missed any of the recent days news here is a tweet from Kevin …read more
Didit Acquires Inceptor
NEW YORK, August 22, 2012 – Did-it.com, LLC (DBA Didit) today announced that it has acquired the assets of Inceptor, …read more