Branding v. Conversions

When you are running a paid search campaign, it is important to define anything that can be broken down. Make sure to break your keywords down into buckets and to be aware of what type of strategy you want to implement.

I was reading an article in today in the print version of Website Magazine. The article was titled “Developing the Right PPC Bidding Strategy” and I’ll share with you a few of key components, which I deeply agree with.

There are basically three paid search strategies that you should be aware of: Branding, Conversion and Sales Cycle. Sales Cycle is simply a combination of the first two, so we’ll discuss those.

A branding strategy would include gaining as much exposure in your market as possible by bidding on a large number of keywords (general and long-tail). It’s important not to rely on conversions when using this strategy, rather getting your name out there and embedding into the heads of potential targets. This strategy is ideal for new companies and web sites.

The second strategy is focused on conversion and would likely pertain to an established company or web site. Using this strategy in your paid search campaign involves bidding long-tail keywords that are proven to give you a solid ROI.

Of course, you can always run a campaign that integrates both strategies, but it’s vital to be aware of what type of campaign you’re running.