In PPC advertising, the skills and knowledge of ad buyers directly affects campaign success and return on investment.
So what separates the good ad buyers from the truly world-class?
The journey from beginner to ad buying expert is paved with trial, error, and invaluable lessons.
This article delves into personal experiences and industry knowledge, offering a comprehensive guide to mastering the art of ad buying.
1. Invest your own money in ads
The first and most profound lesson in ad buying comes from spending money. The direct correlation between personal investment and the urgency to learn is undeniable.
First-hand experience lays a solid foundation for understanding the intricacies of ad buying.
When your own finances are at stake, you’re driven to analyze, adjust and optimize your ads to get the most profitable results in the shortest possible time.
Nothing will teach you how to maximize what’s possible faster than spending your own money and making a profit by buying ads.
If you manage ad budgets on behalf of someone else, keep campaigns for your own project next to an ad budget that’s important to you. Your ability to produce results will increase exponentially.
Testing in Google Ads is so easy today that you can take it for granted. You can test ad copy, bid strategies, and campaign structures. The ability to run A/B experiments is virtually endless.
The danger of testing is when you run a lot of tests but don’t learn from the tests. For example, finding a winner and moving on to the next idea to “beat control”.
True mastery comes from forming hypotheses, testing them thoroughly, and developing a real understanding of AI, user behavior, and best practices.
Dig deeper into the “why” behind every success or failure and let that knowledge inform your strategies on every project.
Dig deeper: A/B testing mistakes PPC marketers make and how to fix them
3. Understand the nuances of the sector
As an expert, you’ll understand that ad buying isn’t one-size-fits-all. Strategies that succeed in one industry may fail in another.
For example, a structured intent-based campaign may perform well for retail, but a themed structure may be best for finance.
Recognizing and adapting to these differences is essential. Whether it’s deciding to launch a YouTube campaign for conversions or which call to action to use for retargeting, each industry demands a customized approach.
Be aware of nuances and build on past successes while remaining flexible and innovative.
4. Master CRO and funnel dynamics
Buying ads is only half the battle. A well-optimized website and funnel can significantly affect the results of your advertising campaigns.
As a professional ad buyer, it’s essential to understand the principles of conversion rate optimization (CRO) and the mechanics of successful funnels. By diving into these areas, you can ensure your ad buy maximizes returns, reducing the likelihood of overspending.
The more you can expose yourself to what works well, the better you can influence the make-or-break elements of your ad buys. And the better you can diagnose problems with conversion rates if they occur.
Deeper: Increase Search Conversions: 5 Behavioral Strategies to Try
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5. Build and engage with your community
What’s the best way to get exposure to CRO winners and success funnels? Join communities where people share and learn what’s working in their businesses.
No ad buyer is an island. Making new friends with fellow marketers, entrepreneurs and other ad buyers can give you new insights and new perspectives.
This is best done by attending workshops, joining conferences and participating in brainstorms. The investment of time and money pays big dividends.
Build your network as a support system and resource for collaborative learning and innovation.
6. Look beyond ads for inspiration
World-class ad buyers draw inspiration and learn from a variety of sources.
Observing nature and analyzing different industries and everyday experiences can provide insight into consumer behavior and new marketing strategies.
Take a statistics class to learn about Bayes’ theorem. Apply this to your ad testing and purchasing decisions.
Walk into a casino and notice how everything from the carpet to the lack of windows is intentionally designed to keep people in the building. Use this information and start thinking differently about traffic or how to combat the ways ad platforms can set you up to lose money.
Nature is an ideal place for optimization inspiration. In nature, there are ecosystems that support life and they are all vital.
This is true, although no individual contributor needs to be perfectly optimized. You just need everyone to be healthy to have a thriving environment. Conversely, if one area is suffering, everything is suffering.
Open your mind to the world and apply these diverse perspectives to your ad buying approach. Remember that innovation often comes from the most unexpected places.
Dig deeper: 5 essential PPC skills every agency professional should have
7. Develop your mind
As an ad buyer, you have opportunities to push yourself each month to come up with solutions to advance your performance.
It can be difficult to produce something impactful every month, year after year.
When you discipline yourself to do this every month, rain or shine, over the years, your ability to produce new and untried ideas will become easier and easier. Just like lifting heavy weights with consistency. Your muscle gets stronger.
Push yourself to find solutions to advance the accounts each month, especially when it’s difficult and you think there is no answer.
Likewise, push yourself to tackle complex analytics. Doing hard things over and over makes them easier, and eventually you’ll get really good at it. You might even find it funny in the end.
8. Embrace continuous improvement
As you work to become a world-class ad buyer, never label yourself as bad at something. For example, “I’m not good at writing ads” or “I’m not good at running display campaigns.”
It’s important to understand that while everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, not being good at something is usually because you haven’t done it enough times.
Instead of using labels of inadequacy, adopt a growth mindset and view every inadequacy as a learning opportunity. If you find certain aspects of ad buying difficult, remember that proficiency comes with practice. Continuous improvement is the hallmark of a world-class ad buyer.
Dig deeper: 3 core skills that will help you advance your SEM career
Invest, test, optimize, connect and build as a PPC ad buyer
Becoming a world-class ad buyer requires dedication, continuous learning, and a willingness to experiment. By incorporating these valuable tips into your approach, you can develop the skills and knowledge needed to consistently deliver exceptional results.
Your growth is limitless and your potential is only limited by the limits you set for yourself. Decide to start your journey today and transform your ad buying skills to be extraordinary.
The views expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.
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