This document summarizes the top 10 paid search marketing mistakes as presented by Jon Lisbin and Frank Coyle of Point It. These mistakes include: 1) poor budget management, 2) focusing spend on keywords with zero conversions, 3) not testing ad copy, 4) not addressing high bounce rates, 5) failing to exploit the full sales funnel, 6) not using targeted landing pages, 7) incomplete conversion tracking, 8) not using negatives and site exclusions, 9) mismanaging keywords, and 10) not knowing when to end a poorly performing campaign. The document provides examples and recommendations for avoiding each mistake.

1. Top 10 Paid Search Marketing Mistakes
Jon Lisbin – Principal
Frank Coyle – President
Jun 17, 2009

2. Webinar Logistics
• Being recorded
• Email with link will be sent out later this
week
• Ask question throughout

3. About Point It
Presentation Agenda
• Launched in April 2002
• Seattle’s largest independent
search marketing firm
• PPC & SEO
• $30 MM in managed media, 2008
• 12 team members, 40+ yrs of
SEM experience
• Servicing clients across all
verticals and revenue models

4. Top 10 Mistakes
1. Poor budget management
2. Too many zero conversion keywords
3. Not testing ad copy
4. Not attacking the Bounce Rate
5. Failing to exploit the Sales Funnel
6. Not using landing pages
7. Incomplete conversion tracking
8. Negatives and site exclusion
9. Keyword mismanagement
10. Not knowing when to quit

5. Poor Campaign Budget Management
• Balancing the spend mix
• Hitting budget limits early in day
• Artificially constricting your budget

6. Zero Conversion Keywords
• 80-95% conversions come from 5% of keywords
• 10% of spend on zero converting KWs
• Run Placement Keyword Report & download to excel
• Sort by conversions
• Look for KWs with zero conversions
• Focus on 30-100 clicks or few clicks in last two months
• Upload to Adwords Editor and pause

7. Not Testing Ads and Ad copy
• Not watching competitions ads
• Working in vacuum
– Use AdgooRoo or SpyFu

8. Not Testing Ad Copy
• Standing out from the pack

9. Not Testing Ads and Ad copy

10. Not Testing Ads and Ad copy

11. Not Testing Ads and Ad copy

12. Not Testing Ads and Ad copy
• How to test ads
– Element at a time to find out what’s improving,
what’s a factor
– Rotate ads evenly

13. Not Testing Ads and Ad copy
• How to test ads
Overuse of KW insert

14. Not Testing Ads and Ad copy
• How to test ads
Overuse of KW insert

15. Not Attacking the Bounce Rate
• Separate PPC from Organic
• Individual landing pages
• Campaign
• Keyword
• Use the data to take action

16. Exploit the Sales Funnel
86% drop off !!!
80% drop off !!!

17. Not Using Landing Pages
• Sending all traffic to one page (home
page)
• Not making LP a high enough priority
• Viewing LP optimization as a “one off
event”
• Not Testing continuously
• Great example:
– http://www.businessplanpro.com/ppc/business_plans.
cfm

19. Incomplete Conversion Tracking
• Not tracking all the way to sale
(Salesforce)
• Treating all conversions as equal, not
giving value to conversion

20. Negatives, Site Exclusion
• Run a search query report to develop
negatives
• Google offers a lot of tools to help
• New interface offers transparency

21. New Google Adwords UI
Search Query Report

22. New Google Adwords UI
Network Tab

23. Placement Performance Report

24. Keywords
• Not using branded
• Ego Bidding
• Match types
• Letting the long tail get the best of you
– KWs run too long (long tail)
• Not using competitors KWs
– New Google trademark policy

25. Google’s New Trademark Policy
• Permits use of the trademark in ad text:
– Ads which use the term in a descriptive or generic
way, and not in reference to the trademark owner or
the goods or services corresponding to the trademark
term.
– Ads which use the trademark in a nominative manner
to refer to the trademark or its owner, specifically:
• Resale of the trademarked goods or services
• Sale of components, replacement parts or compatible
products corresponding to a trademark:
• Informational sites

26. Not Knowing When to Quit
Before Quitting, Ask:
• Standalone product or is there upsell/back end
– OK to breakeven on PPC if profitable on back end
• Are any KWs converting profitably?
• Optimize LP for higher conversion rate?
• Does lower position yield more profitable
conversion?

27. Q&A
jonl@pointit.com
frankc@pointit.com