Let us begin by saying that this article cannot possibly aim to cover all elements of PPC Management on the Content Network in one swoop. However, what this article does promise to do is change preconceived ideas about the Content (Display) Network that seem to hang over the heads of many PPC Managers and PPC Advertisers utilizing the power of online marketing today.
Too many PPC professionals and novices alike seem to think that Content Network PPC is both a waste of time and money. This is not true. The problem is that very few people make the effort to explore the use of the Content Network. It is because of this that there is an unwarranted stigma attached to PPC on the Content Network in general.
Today, via this article, Webrageous Studios aims to disperse these false ideas and show just how effective the Content Network can be in terms of successful PPC Management in just a few simple steps.
The First Step to Using the Content Network
The first thing to do is to create your new Content Network campaign, bearing in mind that the approach will be different as the Content Network does function differently to that of the Search Network in many ways.
You will most certainly have to consider using different budgets for Search and Content campaigns. In the most simplest of forms, it is a good idea to begin with a budget of $50 per day on the Content Network. Start with this budget or with a budget that is 10% of your Search Network budget, whichever is less, and monitor its progress. If you hit your daily budget on the Content Network early on, then simply go to the settings page and reduce your bid percentage by about 10% each day until either:
a) you are not hitting your daily budget or
b) your cost per conversion or return on investment goal is reached.
In terms of preparing advertising text and developing keywords for a Content Network campaign, it is possible to clone a successful Search Network campaign entirely. You can copy and paste an entire Search Network campaign in order to create a new Content Network campaign with a few clicks of the mouse using the Google AdWords Editor.
Be Creative with Multi Media Advertisements on the Content Network
What will be different between the Search and Content Network campaigns, however, is the fact that you can begin to be a little more creative through the use of multi-media advertisements. Instead of only making use of text, you can begin to use banners, images and video to promote your business, website or services.
This added creative element of the Content Network can really lend itself towards the promotion of specific types of websites and businesses in particular. For instance, if you are promoting photography or film services or if you are a budding musician and trying to promote your work, the Content Network and the use of all the multi-media advertisement options available is perhaps in some ways a better way of promoting your work than the Search Network could ever be.
Selecting Keywords for the Content Network
One final difference between generating an effective PPC management campaign for the Search Network compared to the Content Network is the difference between keyword choice.
Why?
Because the Content Network system in Google AdWords, for example, processes keywords into groups, categories or themes rather than focusing on the keywords on a word search level. Breadth and theme is important so that the keywords match the general feel and content of a related website where your advertisement may be shown.
This is not to say that the keywords you have already selected for your Search Network campaign are redundant. In fact, far from it. A lot of the time, the keywords from a Search Network campaign can be transfered to a Content Network campaign without much adjustment. However, do think a little more holistically when refining your keyword list for a Content Network campaign. Think about your keywords as a theme or category that websites could fall into.
On a basic level, you should now be able to set up and manage a Content Network campaign with a little insight into the subject to help you on your way. However, as previously explained, it is impossible for this one article to cover everything in detail regarding the PPC Management of a campaign within the Content Network. For this reason, below are a number of links to further articles which explain more about the features of a successful Content Network campaign in more depth:
Placement Reports
Highly Unique Targeting for Individual Campaigns
Branding Campaigns
