Nerdistan

I saw a new billboard while driving into work this morning. The
headline reads, “In Jail?” It then goes on and talks about how
this particular bail bondsman will bail you out of jail. It also
has the phone number and the name of the company. This billboard
got me thinking–if you’re actually in jail then would you
really be able to see this billboard and take advantage of their
services? Probably not. Whether it’s an ad on a billboard, a pay
per click ad on a search engine results page, or a listing in
the organic search results, you must tailor your message to the
person reading the ad. Otherwise, your conversions and ROI will
be less than stellar.

The bail bondsman who is advertising on this billboard got the
location right. The billboard in question is located on a major
interstate road within a mile of the local county jail. However,
there’s a big problem, in my opinion–they’re not appealing
directly to the person who is most likely to see the billboard.
Sure, their ideal customer is someone who is in jail. But, if
they’re actually sitting in a cell they’re most likely not going
to see the billboard. So, it would be better to appeal directly
to the people most likely to see the billboard, which might be a
relative of someone who is in jail. Perhaps “Is Your Son in
Jail? Call us and we’ll help bail him out” might be a better
message in this case.

What does the bail bondsman’s billboard ad have to do with
internet search engines? In both cases, the potential customer
has only a few seconds to read the message and make a decision.
If the ad is a pay per click (PPC) ad, then your potential
customer has performed a search and is looking for a product
that you sell. If you tailor your ad and speak directly to them,
there’s a better chance that they will click on your ad and
visit your web site. And they will be more likely to convert
into a customer or a lead if the landing page they get to after
they click also appeals to them and shows them exactly what
they’re looking for. Search engine listings in the organic or
“natural” search results have the same opportunity–make sure
your title tags and meta description tags appeal directly to
your target audience and you’ll enjoy more quality visitors and
better conversions. (In the organic search results, your title
tag is the headline in the search results and the meta
description tag is usually what “snippet” that’s provided
underneath the headline.)

Conversions and Conversion Rates

According to Anvil Media’s search engine glossary
(http://www.anvilmediainc.com/search-engine-marketing-glossary.ht
ml), the conversion rate is “The relationship between visitors
to a web site and actions considered to be a “conversion,” such
as a sale or request to receive more information. This metric is
often expressed as a percentage.” In the case of the billboard
ad, the “conversion” for the bail bondsman would probably be a
phone call or the combination of a phone call and them bonding
someone out of jail. In the case of a pay per click ad, the
“conversion” would most likely be a sale or request for more
information. In search engine marketing, we highly suggest that
advertisers set up what’s frequently called a “landing page”,
the page a user gets to after they click on a PPC ad. By
offering the user an action to take (a way to purchase the
product online or an online form to fill out), we can measure
the conversion rate and the effectiveness of the PPC ads. Many
online advertisers send visitors directly to the home page of
their website, which is a big mistake. By making the “landing
page” your home page, you’re most likely not going to offer the
visitor a direct action to take when they get there–and the
more they have to look around your site to find what they’re
looking for the less like they are to purchase something or make
an inquiry.

The Headline and Title of the Ad

When I use a search engine to find something, I usually have an
idea of what I’m looking for. If I’m looking to buy a telephone
headset, then I’m most likely going to search for “telephone
headsets”. I perform a little research to find the prices,
models, and compare the features. Once I’ve decided on which
telephone headset model I want to buy, I usually search for the
manufacturer and the model number. At that point, I’m ready to
buy–if I can find a decent price from what appears to be a
reliable merchant, I’ll buy it. So, I turn to my favorite search
engine and search for the manufacturer and the model number. I
usually glance at all the headlines. If I see a headline with
the exact manufacturer and the model number I’m looking for I’m
going to click on it. I generally won’t click on any ads that
simply have headlines that read “telephone headsets” or the
“name of the merchant”. Those headlines aren’t targeted, and I
don’t know if that merchant has the manufacturer and the model
number that I want to buy. As you can see from my actions, the
headline and the title of the ad is extremely important. It’s
what causes me to click on the ad and visit the merchant’s
website.

Description of the Ad

When it comes to looking at ads for telephone headsets, the
description that appears right below the headline is an
additional opportunity for the merchant to draw me into their
website. Descriptions that include words like “guaranteed best
price”, “free shipping”, and “in stock” will help entice me to
click.

Landing Page of the Ad

Landing pages, as I described earlier, are the web pages the
user gets to once they click on a pay per click ad. Once I click
on an ad (keep in mind I’m still looking for a telephone headset
and I’m not ready to buy a certain model), I expect to see
exactly what I’m looking for, the manufacturer and the model
number I searched for–the landing page should show what the
product and the price. It should also give me an opportunity to
buy the product. Obviously, a photo of the product as well as a
description is helpful as well, as it will assure me that the
merchant has exactly what I’m looking for.

Pay Per Click versus Organic Search Listings

Pay per click ads give us the opportunity to pick and choose the
keyword phrase as well as the exact headline, description, and
landing page URL. Organic search engine listings give us this
same opportunity, although we don’t have as much control over
the keywords we’re found for in the results. When optimizing
your web pages, it’s important to keep in mind that they title
tag is the headline–you need to include your keywords in the
headline, but you also need to appeal to your potential
customers. The meta description tag is used frequently in the
search results as well, so writing a unique description tag that
includes your keywords as well as an enticing message for
potential customers is important, as well. And, of course, your
page is also a landing page–if it’s a product page targeting a
specific product then it should also include some sort of action
for the visitor to take. While it’s not generally recommended to
constantly change the title and meta description tags of pages
that show up in the organic search results, changing and
tweaking the ad copy in your PPC ads is recommended. Set up a
good landing page and watch your conversion rates. If you’re not
getting the conversions you’re expecting, then change and tweak
your PPC ad copy.

Think of who your ideal customer is–and appeal directly to
them. The more targeted the message the better. In search
(especially through PPC ads), we have the luxury of picking the
keywords we’re found for–the more targeted the keywords the
cheaper they are. If you use targeted keywords you should make
sure you’re also using targeted ad copy–it will cost less and
increase your conversion rate. Just like the billboard ad of the
bail bondsman, appealing directly to your target audience will
help your chances of converting someone into a customer. Instead
of that “In Jail?” headline, perhaps a better headline might be,
“Are you going to Jail? Call us when you get there!”