Optimizing Google PPC Mobile Ads

Mobile search is exploding and growing exponentially this year.  More people are plugging into smart phones than ever before, and it won’t be long before they become the standard in cellular technology.  If you’re running ad campaigns for your business, especially if it’s local, you should be utilizing all the ad media you can.  This includes mobile ads.

If you’ve got your ear to the industry buzz, you know that Google recently launches their new smart phone called Nexus One.  They also acquired the mobile display company AdMob in late 2009.  It’s pretty obvious that 2010 is gearing up to be smart-phone specific.  Mobile advertising is ready to take off.

If you’re a current Adwords advertiser with Google, you can design and target ads that are more relevant and directed toward the mobile-enabled audience.  It requires a minimal effort and can be done within your existing account(s).  Even though Google is providing you with the customers, you still need to optimize your ads as well as your sites to make the most of your campaign.

Mobile ads require a different kind of optimization and custom landing pages in order to be effective.  With mobile users, they don’t have time to waste on slow loading pages or ads that take time to read.  You have mere seconds to make your pitch before they move right along.

Here are some of the best ways to optimize your Google PPC mobile ads for this year.

• Create mobile-specific Ads – using your existing ads in Google Adwords, adapt them for the word “Mobile”.  These are the ads you are going to use specifically in the new mobile targeting options.

• Verify your Keywords – In late 2009, Google added a mobile research keyword tool into their existing Google Adwords keyword tool.  It’s accessable to logged-in adwords users and should be used to test your current keywords and make adjustments as necessary to your mobile campaign.

• Lower your Bidding – Because mobile advertising is still in its infancy, you don’t have to worry about paying PC-level CPC pricing.  It’s less competitive for now, so get in while you can and get it cheap.  Lower your bids by approximately 25% across the board and go from there.

• Optimize your Ads – Most users will be reviewing your ads on a 2-4″ screen.  Your ads should have minimal copy that is a clear call to action without all the extra fluff.  Less, not more, is the key.

• Geo-targeting Ads – as of 2009, approximately 30% of all mobile searches were geo-specific.  This is expected to more than double in 2010.  This should be exploited by appending geo-modifiers to all your ads when you’re able to do so.

• Click-to-Call – CTC is still in its beta phase for mobile ads.  This system works by showing the telephone number next to a mobile ad.  Users can directly select the number and immediately contact the business.  If a user calls through from the ad, then Google bills you for that call through.  It works just like PPC.

• Optimize your landing pages – This one is huge.  It does you now good to pay for advertising when a mobile user can’t see and/or navigate your website.  Landing pages for a mobile device are a special, exotic breed of website.  For best results, consider the following suggestions.
  • Optimize the pages in straight HTML and limit the page size, that means no flash or dynamic elements.
  • Create clear text that is short and punch, and make your check out process as simple as possible.  Speed is essential.
  • Your business phone number should be front and center.  Make it easy to use for people who have “tap to call” functionality on their cell phone.
  • Get rid of images unless they are necessary; present your data in clear brief lines.  Bold and italicize relevant content.
  • If you’re not sure of the best method to optimize a page, then use a mobile landing page design tool like Zestads.  It will help you design a mobile-friendly site from top to bottom.
• Test your site – You can design for hours an end and think your site is perfect, but you won’t know until someone actually sees it.  Test your pages using testipone.com and Opera’s mini-simulator.  If you’re not pleased with what you see, then it’s pretty likely someone surfing it will be turned off as well.  Continue to work on it until it feels right.   Don’t be afraid to ask for other opinions.  You may be too close to the project and need other eyes to see.

Running a new ad campaign isn’t as challenging as you think.  Now is the best time to do it, so your ads will be in place and your cost per keyword is far lower.  As the competition begins to catch wind and roll into town, expect things to get hairy.

Here’s to dominating mobile search in 2010!

Related posts:

1. Adwords for Mobile Tech – Pay Per Call?
2. Staying off the Google Radar
3. Google Vs. Facebook – Who are you building for?
4. 5 Easy Tips to Punch-up your SEO

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