b2b leads paid search

Get More B2B Leads with Paid Search

At a recent Sales Peer to Peer session hosted at Innovation Factory, Robert Clarke from Sensei Marketing gave a presentation on getting more B2B leads with paid search. My summary of the presentation outlines tips for developing better Google ads, reasons for using landing pages, and why you need to focus on conversion.

 

Why Use Paid Search

Paid search refers to the ads you see in the results of a Google search. Since they appear in response to a direct search, these ads ensure people actively searching for your business engage with you, and not your competitors. Conversion rates for these ads can be from 4% to 12 % versus rates under 1% typically seen in other forms of online advertising. You can begin setting up a Google AdWords account and then research keywords and search strings you would like to advertise on. You set how much you are willing to ‘bid’ on the placement of your ad. That bid, multiplied by your quality score determines the ranking of your ad, and whether it will be placed on the first page of a Google search.
 

Tips for Paid Search Lead Gen

A Google ad typically consists of a title, a link, two to three lines of descriptive text, and other optional information such as your seller rating, Google followers, and further section titles. For maximum effect, be sure that your ad is:
 

Relevant

When setting up your advertising campaign, you have the choice of which search strings your ads will be posted on. If someone is searching for pet insurance, your ad for auto, home and commercial insurance probably won’t be very engaging for the searcher. Geographic relevance is another key driver since people are often searching for a local solution when it comes to trades work or entertainment.
 

Specific

Remember who you are targeting. You’re throwing your money away if you’re simply aiming to get clicks when they are not targeted at a customer that is looking for your solution. You can also tailor your ad when it comes to mobile, as people are more likely to be looking for a quicker answer or a phone number on mobile.
 

Trustworthy

Trust and credibility can be created through listing customer success, outlining customer testimonials or industry acknowledgements, and listing Google followers and Google star ratings.
 

Compelling

Just like in other forms of advertising, you want copy that engages the reader and stands out. Be sure to clarify the problem you are solving as wells as accentuating your positives. A compelling call to action can include a reward such as a free trial, and should clearly outline some of the value proposition which will resonate with your reader. For instance, when someone searches “sell your car” and the ad tells them “We come to your home or office and will give you a quote in 2 hours” it can be solving a real problem.
 

The Right Temperature

When everyone knows the product you’re selling, you’re on the hot side of the thermometer. Your call to action can quickly direct them to make a purchase or get a quote. If no one has heard of the product or service you’re selling, you’re on the cold side of the thermometer, and you may need to soften your call to action, starting with an invitation to follow a blog, subscribe to an email, or download a white paper.
 

Why use Landing Pages:

You did all that work for your potential client or buyer to click. Don’t lose them by simply sending them to your homepage. Set up a specific landing page, defining a narrow path to following your call to action by:
 

Removing Distractions

In comparison to your homepage where your reader can jump off in ten directions, the landing page should remove all distractions and help your buyer take the next logical step on the buyer’s journey. One way this can be done by removing navigation options.
 

Offering Clarity

The landing page should give a concise overview of the product offering, explaining the benefits, and not be ‘busy’ with too much text.
 

Forcing A Decision

A good landing page has a singular call to action, which forces a decision. That could be anything from an email sign up to getting a quote depending on how you have gauged the temperature of your buyer.
 

Testing

It’s quite easy to set up A/B testing for landing pages. In the first stage of a campaign, buyers can be directed to two different pages. Once you have a large enough sample size you can choose to continue your campaign with the page that had a higher conversion rate.
 

Focus on Conversion

Conversion is simply getting people to do what you want them to do. Many sites waste over 75% of their traffic due to lack of “sales-ability.” This is important because doubling your site’s conversion rate has the same impact as doubling its traffic. Making a few tweaks to increase conversion can be much more affordable than having to increase your ad budget. To do this you should start first with identifying your conversion goals, whether it’s a purchase, or email sign up, and then use tools like Google Analytics to understand where traffic is coming from, where they are landing and where they are leaving. From there, consider every page as a landing page and be sure it is buyer focused, and there is a call to action and next steps available to the buyer. Key elements on landing pages should include a headline, a brief description of the offering, at least one supporting image, with supporting elements including testimonials or security badges. Most importantly, a form should be included to capture information, with as few boxes to fill in as possible. A final tip: use focus and direction on your landing page. This can include arrows pointing to your sign-up form, or if there are people on the page, having their attention focused towards the form.
 

Concluding Thoughts

If you have made the choice to use pay per click ads, make sure your money is well spent by following the tips outlined above. If you are looking for further insights on developing your sales and marketing strategies have a look at some of our VA Partners white papers, or contact us directly.
 

Get More B2B Leads with Paid Search