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Deciding whether to outsource your marketing or do it yourself can be difficult. Should you pay for someone else to run ads for you, or should you just do it in-house? What kinds of services do you even need?
There may be thousands of questions running through your mind about PPC advertising in particular. Let us help you out by explaining exactly when you should make the jump and start outsourcing.
There are a number of reasons why businesses may choose to do their PPC in-house, such as cost, the stage of the business or wanting to have complete control over their campaigns.
Here are some of the key reasons you might be averse to outsourcing:
Many companies choose to do PPC themselves because they believe it costs too much for a quality service. Perhaps they have a low budget or are just starting out in the business world.
If you don’t have the money or you are a new business it is a better idea not to hire an expensive agency for PPC management services. You can still get the same results for less money if you opt for a consultant instead.
Perhaps you are the type of person who prefers to have complete control over every aspect of marketing. By doing everything in-house, you can decide how your paid campaigns are run and where your money is being spent. Also, there will be no last-minute delays because you are in charge of getting your ads up and running and are not relying on a third party.
If you choose to pay for PPC management services, you are likely to be asked for detailed and potentially sensitive information about your products or services. This is so a consultant or agency can market your offerings better.
This could potentially open your company up to confidential information leaks. By avoiding using any external services, you can better protect your company. However, no one is entirely safe from cybercrime, and there are ways to minimise the risks involved – such as working with a trusted provider with robust security systems in place.
No one knows your business and the vision you have for it better than you. Doing PPC in-house makes it easier to bring a campaign back on track if it starts to veer off course, as you have full control over the project.
The problem with hiring an agency is that they are never going to be as invested in your vision as you, and this only starts to compound if they are managing multiple clients at a time.
On the other hand, there are many reasons why a company may choose to outsource, such as:
Paying for PPC management services can give you the upper hand and help to elevate your campaigns to the next level.
The main reason for this is that these agencies and consultants specialise in running successful campaigns and have a proven track record for doing so.
Not every business has the time to continue running their own campaigns and may benefit from getting a third party to do it for them.
This essentially leaves them with extra time in which they can focus on hitting other important business targets.
By outsourcing your PPC, you take out the guess-work. High-quality agencies and consultants have access to valuable tools that you would otherwise be unable to access.
This means that they can collect data and generate reports. Every piece of new data can then be used to increase the effectiveness of your campaigns.
Despite the reasons why you may opt to do your PPC in-house, there comes a point where every business is no longer in a position to continue on the same path as time and resources start to become limited.
The golden rule when deciding to outsource is making sure that the monthly management fee never exceeds 40% of the total business ad spend.
For example, if you are looking for an agency to run your PPC and they charge you a monthly management cost of £500, you should be budgeting at least £1250 for your total ad spend.
If you are not able to budget this much, then it is probably a better idea to start looking at other options. This could be using a consultancy rather than a larger agency.
Depending on the type of PPC management service you are looking for, your time commitment and your total budgeted ad spend, you may be looking for a different type of service.
The two most common PPC methods are full ad management and those that offer a monthly check-in.
This is a service that is often provided by large agencies at a higher cost.
The agency usually takes full control over your ad spend with a large team of professionals that continually optimise your campaigns.
This service is typically provided by small-to-medium sized consultants and is usually cheaper than full management.
This option can vary greatly and could either be provided in the form of a monthly call with reports and analysis or even on-site depending on the commitment of the consultant.
Creating the perfect ad that converts requires lots of time and rigorous tests.
Paid ads can be an excellent way to engage with your audience and encourage them to pay for your product or service. However, if done wrong and without the proper knowledge, you can waste a lot of effort and time.
As a digital consultancy with 15 years of marketing experience and a focus on paid ads, conversion rate optimisation and more, we have helped many companies achieve their goals.
If you need help with creating and setting up your PPC in a way that maximises your returns, contact us today.
There are many ways to promote your business online, but the method we will discuss here involves Google Display ads.
As the largest search engine in the world, with over 92.62% market share in June 2019 and a whopping 63,000 searches a second, it’s no wonder companies are turning to Google to promote their services.
Google Display is a platform that allows companies to pay to create an ad that targets specific prospects. With Google Display ads, you can use different targeting options to strategically show your message to millions of viewers.
These ads are then displayed on a vast range of websites, including blogs, news pages and other Google sites including Gmail and YouTube.
There are many reasons why you might decide to use Google Display ads to promote your business. By following the best practice for Google Display ads in this guide, you could reap the following benefits:
1) Build brand awareness
Google Display ads target visitors on different websites who are unlikely to know you exist. This is because you are targeting visitors on sites that are relevant to their search history.
Putting your ads on different sites will boost your visibility. It also increases the likelihood that a single person will see or hear about you multiple times. As a result, people are more likely to buy from you since they are familiar with you and your brand.
2) Create powerful visual ads
Rather than leveraging standard written content, Google Display ads tend to be visual graphics or animations, which studies have shown to be far more engaging.
If you couple the visual element with the correct placement on a relevant site, you will likely see an increase in click-through rates and conversions from these ads.
3) Re-market to potential customers
Google Display ads allow you to re-market to customers that have previously shown an interest in your product or service. This refers to anyone that has visited your site or taken an incomplete action, such as abandoning a shopping cart.
With a re-marketing strategy in place, you can use Google Display ads to reach these people and nurture them into purchasing from you. By encouraging customers to return to your website, and by keeping them informed about your promotions, you are also helping to create loyalty and solidify their connection to your brand.
Now you know what Google Display ads are and why they’re valuable, here are some best practice tips to help you attract visitors.
1) Triple-check your work
You are representing your company, and even the slightest error you make will reflect badly on your brand. This means you should check for typos, grammar mistakes and image misalignments.
Always have a small team dedicated to checking, preferably with multiple stages, as this will help to eliminate human error.
2) Draw attention to your brand
The purpose of a Google Display ad is to attract attention while clearly displaying a branded message. As a visual marketing method, pulling visitors in using strong imagery should be your main goal.
You also want to reduce the barriers for the visitor understanding your key message and this means using striking high-quality images and easy to read fonts.
If you have used dull colours or an illegible font, the audience will not be drawn to your ad, and you risk losing their attention in the first few seconds.
3) Don’t cut corners
High quality should always be your top priority when creating ads, regardless of their size and scope. This means you should always use high-resolution images and brand elements that are clear enough to be read even at a smaller size (i.e. on a phone screen).
One thing to note, however, is that Google Display has a 150 KB file limit, so you should keep this in mind when choosing an image for your ad.
4) Keep it relevant
Everything on your ad needs to be representative of your brand and its voice. This means that the language you use, the colours, the style and font should relate to your brand image.
This diligence helps to ensure consistency in your ads and builds brand recognition and loyalty. Your customers need to be able to recognise your brand without prompt.
5) Include a clear call-to-action
There should be a clear call-to-action directing the person viewing your ad to the next step on their journey. This might be to contact you, subscribe to your feed or complete a purchase.
Without a clear path for people to follow, it is easy for them to ignore your ad. It also means that you miss the chance to redirect visitors towards the action you want them to take. Put simply, having a call-to-action increases conversions.
6) Use data to construct your ad
Research and collect data on your audience from your other channels and on related prospects. You need to watch out for the kind of language they use, the elements they respond to better and the components they liked or disliked about previous ads.
By including these elements into your design, you are able to help your audience relate to you better and encourage them to engage with you. People are more likely to interact with companies they feel understand them.
Using Google Display ads can be extremely effective in increasing customers and revenue. Failing to do it correctly can lead to a large amount of money lost for a mediocre return.
As a digital consultancy with 15 years of experience and a focus on paid search, conversion rate optimisation and more, we have helped many companies elevate their business to the next level.
If you need help and guidance with setting up your ads in a way that maximises returns, or if you need more in-depth Google Display ads best practice info, contact us today.
Many companies debate whether or not to work with a marketing agency.
This article explains some of the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing and will help you decide whether the decision is right for your business.
Working with a reputable agency can be a great business decision, especially if you don’t have the time and resources to manage your marketing in-house. However, it can also have some downsides.
1) High quality comes at a cost
The amount that you will be spending is dependant on the expertise and size of the marketing agency.
If you want good quality work, expect to be paying between £6,000 to £20,000 per month for a top agency.
2) Initial learning curve
When you start to work with an agency, the beginning will be slow. They may need extra time or guidance to learn about your company, its values and internal business processes.
The project could have a delayed start if the agency does not have much experience or knowledge about your field, or if you operate in a niche industry.
3) Issues with communication
Trying to have an open line of communication with the agency can pose a problem. With an in-house marketing team, you have the convenience of being able to walk in and have the conversation directly to discuss any problems.
With an agency, there is an inherent barrier if they are not working on-site, as you may have to schedule a phone call or Skype video call.
4) You may not be a priority
The typical marketing agency works with 15+ clients simultaneously and, therefore, cannot solely focus on the work they are doing for you.
Another of the agency’s clients could be paying more than you, resulting in them being prioritised. This shouldn’t be the case with a reputable marketing agency, but it may well be true for those who are new to the business or don’t have a proven track record managing big and small clients.
5) Detachment from your business
Since it is not their money they are spending, marketing agencies are more likely to experiment and push the boundaries of a project. While risk-taking can pay off big time if it’s done right, it could also tarnish your brand if done incorrectly.
It’s also worth noting that it’s not always possible for an agency to understand and be able to reproduce your vision exactly as you imagined it.
Many companies outsource their marketing work successfully, resulting in more qualified leads, higher sales and long-term relationships with clients or customers.
Here are some of the key advantages of working with a marketing agency:
1) Inspiration and a fresh perspective
In-house marketing teams are only working for one brand, which can be limiting. They may fall into the trap of producing the same kind of content over and over again, leading to stunted creativity.
The advantage of bringing a marketing agency into the mix is that they can provide you with fresh ideas and perspective.
2) Years of experience and varied expertise
Full-service marketing agencies tend to have a team with a wide variety of expertise and marketing backgrounds. These agencies are constantly updating their knowledge and keeping ahead of the trends.
This means that these agencies can help you fill in any skill gaps or perform tasks that one person alone may not know how to do. Depending on the size of the agency you work with, they may even have whole departments with expertise in differing fields of marketing.
Those who work for an agency already have a good relationship and can work well with each other; they already understand each other’s strengths, weaknesses and workflows, so they tend to be able to perform tasks efficiently.
3) Relatively low cost
Hiring a marketing agency is often cheaper than recruiting full-time staff. The cost of hiring a key marketing member in-house can sometimes equal the cost of an entire outsourced team.
Besides having to pay a high salary for a whole in-house team of marketers, there is also the hidden cost of having to advertise for a candidate, interview and train them. Outsourcing to a marketing agency is much more cost-effective.
4) Saves precious time
Saving money is important for any business, but saving time is another priority. By hiring an agency to do the marketing for you, there is no long-term commitment like there is when you hire a new team member.
This means you can scale up in your own time and focus your attention on growing your business, forming valuable corporate relationships and expanding on your vision.
5) Good work ethic
Marketing agencies have a reputation to uphold. Therefore, an established agency is likely to produce consistently high-standard work. They will also be looking to retain you as a customer and will typically do everything in their power to provide you with a quality service.
After all, a happy customer is one that is likely to give them a good review and may also refer them to other potential customers.
Now you know the advantages and disadvantages of working with a marketing agency, here are two important questions you should ask before choosing to work with one.
1) How many clients can they handle at once?
The answer to this question will provide you with great insight into where the agency’s priorities lie and how far they spread their resources.
It also gives you an indication of how much time the agency will allocate to your business. This provides insight into the quality of work they could be producing for you.
2) Who are their previous clients?
Look at some of the agency’s past work or the companies they have previously worked for. This will give you an understanding of whether they are familiar with your industry or not.
This is especially important if you are in a relatively unknown field or where in-depth knowledge and expertise is required.
If you are looking to generate traffic and grow your business, we would love to help. As a digital consultancy with 15 years of experience and a focus on paid search, conversion rate optimisation and more, we have helped many companies elevate their business to the next level.
To find out more, please contact us today.
Are you wondering how to turn your traffic into paying customers? Did you know that different types of lead funnels are required depending on the type of product or service you offer?
Many companies make the mistake of using a one-size-fits-all approach when there are hundreds of different lead funnels that they could use to achieve different goals.
Let’s take a closer look at choosing the most optimal lead funnel for your business.
Similar to a regular kitchen funnel, a lead funnel acts as a tool for leads or potential customers to go through. The aim is to turn interested visitors and prospects into long-term paying customers.
Not every visitor that goes through your funnel will end up buying from you, and people drop off at different stages of the funnel. As a marketer, your job is to test and tweak your funnel with minor changes to increase your conversion rate.
The main reasons why leads fall out of the funnel include a lack of interest, needs not being fully met or not being able to relate to your brand.
All business models require different funnels that are built in differing ways.
Here are three simple funnels that you can use to generate leads:
This funnel aims to entice viewers to take the desired action in exchange for value. There are many different types of lead magnets that you can offer, including checklists, PDF reports, free e-books or a short course. It’s up to you to choose the right lead magnet that resonates with your audience.
The most common order for this type of funnel is: lead magnet landing page into an opt-in page into a download page. Here is a small explanation of these stages.
Lead magnet – The aim is to draw visitors into signing up to your mailing list. Then, you can nurture them with communications, offers and discounts. The benefits should always be clearly outlined on your lead magnet pages and have a call-to-action button in clear view.
Opt-in page – This should have a clear section where the visitors can add their contact details so that they can receive their freebie. It should at least include their name and email address. The best practice here is to ask for as little as possible so that you do not scare them away.
Download page – This is the final page that visitors will see before they can download and receive their free gift. On this page, it is important to thank them so you set a positive first impression and ask them to check their email for further information.
Key tips to remember:
With this type of funnel, you create a short quiz. This gives you information on your leads, allowing you to market to them better. It also helps you to qualify them with micro-commitments. Filling out surveys requires a small amount of time and effort.
The most common order for this type of funnel is: opt-in page into the survey page into a results page. Here is a small explanation of these stages.
Key tips to remember:
This type of funnel is focused around a live event that you host, whether that be a live demonstration or a summit. A prospect can only view this event once they have verified their attendance. It helps to build trust because you can use this opportunity to demonstrate authority and address any questions or reservations your audience may have.
The most common order for this type of funnel is: opt-in page into a webinar page and then into a checkout page. Here is a small explanation of these stages.
Key tips to remember:
The best way to follow up with your lead funnel is to send three emails after they have opted into your email list. This helps to nurture them and keep your company at the forefront of their mind.
There are three email stages you send in order.
Building the perfect lead funnel that complements your business model is difficult. You need the understanding of what makes customers tick and the time to tweak your funnel to increase conversion rates.
Highly optimised lead funnels can be an excellent tool that provide you with an endless stream of revenue. However, without the knowledge, you can spend precious time shooting in the dark.
As a digital consultancy with 15 years of marketing experience and a focus on conversion rate optimisation, we have helped many companies achieve their goals.
If you need help with creating and setting up your funnel in a way that maximises returns, contact us today.
