PPC (Pay-per-click) advertising is a highly effective way to drive targeted traffic to your website and boost your online presence. However, with the increased competition, staying ahead of your rivals can be challenging. That’s where a PPC competitive analysis comes in handy.
A PPC competitive analysis is researching and analyzing your competitors’ PPC advertising strategies to identify opportunities to improve your campaigns. A comprehensive analysis can uncover valuable insights into your competitors’ keywords, ad copy, landing pages, and overall advertising strategy. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to conduct a PPC competitive analysis.
Steps of How to Do a PPC Competitive Analysis
Here are some steps:
Identify Your Competitors
The first step in conducting a PPC competitive analysis is identifying your competitors. Start by searching for the keywords you’re targeting and take note of the businesses that appear in the top search results. Look for companies similar in size, scope, and industry to your business. You can also use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to help you identify your competitors.
Once you’ve identified your competitors, create a list of their websites, social media pages, and other online profiles. This list will be the foundation of your analysis.
Analyze Your Competitors’ Keywords
The next step is to analyze your competitors’ keywords. Start by using a keyword research tool like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to identify the keywords that your competitors are targeting. Look for keywords that your competitors are ranking high for but that you may not be targeting yet.
Once you’ve identified your competitors’ keywords, analyze their ad copy. Look for any patterns or trends in the keywords they use in their ad copy. Are they focusing on a specific product or service? Are they highlighting a unique selling point or value proposition?
By analyzing your competitors’ keywords and ad copy, you can identify gaps in your own keyword strategy and develop new ideas for ad copy.
Analyze Your Competitors’ Ad Copy
The ad copy is the text that appears in your competitors’ ads. Analyzing your competitors’ ad copy can help you identify what’s working and not in their campaigns.
Start by taking note of the ad copy that appears at the top of the search results page. These ads will likely be the most successful, so pay attention to the language, tone, and messaging.
Look for common themes in your competitors’ ad copy. Are they all highlighting a specific feature or benefit? Are they using similar language or tone? Are they using any emotional triggers in their ad copy?
By analyzing your competitors’ ad copy, you can identify opportunities to differentiate your ads and stand out.
Analyze Your Competitors’ Landing Pages
The landing page is the web page your competitors’ ads lead to. Analyzing your competitors’ landing pages can help you understand how they convert traffic into leads or sales.
Start by analyzing the design and layout of your competitors’ landing pages. Are they using clear and concise headlines? Is the layout easy to navigate? Are there any distracting elements or pop-ups?
Next, analyze the content of your competitors’ landing pages. Are they using images or videos to illustrate their products or services? Are they highlighting any social proof, such as customer reviews or testimonials? Are they using any urgency or scarcity tactics to encourage conversions?
By analyzing your competitors’ landing pages, you can identify opportunities to improve your own landing pages and increase your conversion rates.
Analyze Your Competitors’ Advertising Strategy
The final step is to analyze your competitors’ overall advertising strategy. This includes their ad scheduling, bidding strategy, and targeting options.
Start by analyzing your competitors’ ad scheduling. When are their ads appearing? Are they targeting specific times of the day or days of the week? Are they using ad scheduling to maximize their ROI?
Next, analyze your competitors’ bidding strategy. Are they using manual or automated bidding? Are they bidding on all keywords or only specific ones? Are they adjusting their bids based on the time of day or other factors?
Finally, analyze your competitors’ targeting options. Are they targeting specific geographic locations? Are they targeting specific devices, such as mobile or desktop? Are they using any custom audiences or remarketing tactics?
By analyzing your competitors’ advertising strategy, you can identify opportunities to improve your own campaigns and stay ahead of the competition.
Develop an Action Plan
Once you’ve completed your competitive analysis, it’s time to develop an action plan. Start by identifying the areas where your competitors are outperforming you. For example, they may be ranking higher for certain keywords or using more persuasive ad copy.
Next, identify the areas where you can improve. For example, you may need to refine your keyword strategy, improve your ad copy, or optimize your landing pages.
Finally, develop a plan of action to address these areas. This may include refining your keyword strategy, testing new ad copy, or redesigning your landing pages.
Monitor and Adjust Your Strategy
The final step in conducting a PPC competitive analysis is to monitor and adjust your strategy. PPC advertising is an ongoing process, and you’ll need to monitor your campaigns to ensure they perform well continually.
Use tools like Google Analytics or SEMrush to track your campaigns’ performance. Keep an eye on your click-through rates, conversion rates, and ROI. Use this data to adjust your bidding strategy, refine your keyword, and improve your ad copy.
Conclusion
Conducting a competitive PPC analysis is crucial in developing a successful PPC advertising strategy. By analyzing your competitors’ keywords, ad copy, landing pages, and overall advertising strategy, you can identify opportunities to improve your own campaigns and stay ahead of the competition. Remember, PPC advertising is an ongoing process, and you’ll need to continually monitor and adjust your strategy to ensure that it’s performing at its best.
Also Read: Why you should use google ads for videos
