I was invited to give a 5 min lightening talk at one of Australia's largest tech startup meetups, Lean Startup Melbourne, on the topic of "Validating your Startup Idea using PPC". Here are my slides from the preso. It was a quick presentation so I didn't get to jump into all the different PPC channels but I covered Search Intent Targeting (Google Adwords) and Demographic Intent Targeting (Facebook Ads). I look at tips for keyword research, tools to use, ad copy guidelines and how to measure success!

1. How to validate an idea using PPC
A small amount of $$$ for idea validation
Ivan Lim
Head of Marketing - Tweaky
@ivanmelvin
ivan@tweaky.com

2. How to validate an idea using PPC
instead of blowing lots of $$$ on a bogus idea
A small amount of $$$ for idea validation
Ivan Lim
Head of Marketing - Tweaky
@ivanmelvin
ivan@tweaky.com

3. PPC testing is about getting in
front of potential customers
fast, presenting your idea and
looking for validation
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

4. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
What I’m going to cover
- Search Intent Targeting
- Demographic Targeting

5. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Let’s use an example

6. PPC for Startup Idea Validation

7. Search Intent Targeting
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

8. You are identifying
potential customers by
the searches they
make online
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

9. PPC for Startup Idea Validation

10. Step #1
Figure out what search
terms your solution
should appear in
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

11. https://adwords.google.com/o/KeywordTool
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

12. Example Keywords
Keywords :
- Peer to Peer Car Rental
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

13. Keywords :
- Peer to Peer Car Rental
Fail Factor
- Traffic numbers per month are too
small for testing
(210 searches in the US)
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Example Keywords

14. Keywords :
- Budget Car Rental
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Example Keywords

15. Fail Factor
- Budget is the name of a competitor
- Searches looking specifically for your
competitors will contaminate your
data integrity for testing
Keywords :
- Budget Car Rental
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Example Keywords

16. Keywords :
- Car Rental
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Example Keywords

17. Win Factor
- Big search traffic numbers means
you can test the market quickly
- But is highly competitive (expect to
pay $$$)
Keywords :
- Car Rental
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Example Keywords

18. Keywords :
- Last Minute Car Rental
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Example Keywords

19. Win Factor
- Greater specificity with strong traffic
numbers (1,300 a month)
- Great opportunity to test a segment
of your market
Keywords :
- Last Minute Car Rental
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Example Keywords

20. Other keyword tools
http://soovle.com/
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

21. Step #2
Setting up your Ads
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

22. PPC for Startup Idea Validation

23. PPC for Startup Idea Validation

24. Ad tips
- Straight to the point
- Specify 1 way that you’re different (e.g rent cars from neighbours not
expensive rental companies)
- Leverage location targeting
- Use separate landing pages to learn what benefit appeals the most
- Include target keywords in the ad text (Google highlights this and it
catches the eye)
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

25. Step #3
Measuring Success
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

26. How do you measure success?
- Strong Click Through Rates (CTR)
- Strong conversion rates on landing pages (e.g sign ups)
- Don’t be overly concerned with Cost Per Clicks (that is optimization)
you’re looking for traction
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

27. Demographic Targeting
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

28. You are identifying
potential customers by
who they are
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

29. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Facebook ads ROCK at
demographic targeting

30. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
I want to target... 20-26 years old males

31. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
who are single

32. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
live in America

33. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
love road trips... the activity

34. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
like these brands

35. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
#BOOMTOWN

36. Understand your audience intimately
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

37. PPC for Startup Idea Validation
- Use questions
- Try lots of images
- Always sell your unique
difference
- Aim for action, not show
and tell

38. Ad tips
- Test against different customer personas
- Do not be vague in your ads, be specific about your idea (each click
can mean some form of validation)
- Be relentless in finding new interests to target
- Forget about targeting broad interest categories. This is testing not
customer acquisition
- Watch for ad fatigue
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

39. How do you measure success?
- Strong Click Through Rates (CTR)
- Strong conversion rates on landing pages
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

40. So why use PPC for
idea validation?
PPC for Startup Idea Validation

41. So why use PPC for
idea validation?
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Fast Feedback Loop

42. So why use PPC for
idea validation?
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Little EffortFast Feedback Loop

43. So why use PPC for
idea validation?
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Little Effort
Measurable
Fast Feedback Loop

44. So why use PPC for
idea validation?
PPC for Startup Idea Validation
Fast Feedback Loop Little Effort
Measurable Targeted

45. How to validate an idea using PPC
instead of blowing lots of $$$ on a bogus idea
A small amount of $$$ for idea validation
Ivan Lim
Head of Marketing - Tweaky
@ivanmelvin
ivan@tweaky.com