Travelling back from a meeting this morning, passing Manchester Airport, I had the usual “how the hell do those things stay in the air” thoughts which I’m sure we’ve all dwelled upon for at least one moment. My thoughts quickly turned back to the weird and wonderful ways of Google Adwords and then I reflected… (yes, all this did happen whilst I was still keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the road!) those planes in the sky… all they’re doing is transporting customers from a hub to their destination…. see where I’m going now? A destination which suits a particular purpose. Whether that’s R&R or a business meeting – they know what the end result SHOULD be.
…and here’s how the analogy between flying a plane and managing a Google Adwords account pans out…
What happen’s, or at least you HOPE happens, before a plane takes off? You’ve got to be sure that your Pilot and his/her assistants know exactly where they’re heading, have the necessary tools in place to ensure the journey is as smooth as possible… and that there’s enough fuel in the tank to ensure the journey is completed.
The customers? They’re just wanting to get to a new destination which suits their needs (whether business or pleasure) by the simplest method available… whether that’s the Search Engine or the Airport.
Okay… still with me?
Before any Adwords campaign manager launches a new PPC campaign they have to have a firm understanding of exactly what the campaign’s requirements are;
- the necessary ROI in order to label the campaign a success
- research into the search habits of your audience
- captivating advertising to ensure high Click Through (CTR)
- the optimisation of each landing page
- the required allocation of budget
Each of these aspects is pivotal in creating a successful campaign. Just as a Commercial Pilot makes all the necessary pre-flight checks – there’s no point in even touching the throttle until each and every aspect of the flightpath is detailed and prepared.
Great. So now we have all of the finer detail (pre-flight) mapped and ready.
Off we head towards the runway… the campaign launch
It’s time to hit the throttle.
We’ve received the thumbs up from the Financial controllers… time to launch the Adwords campaign. Now, to be travelling at 33,000ft you’re well aware that the journey skywards takes every ounce of thrust and power to soar to our intended altitude. Likewise, in order for an Adwords campaign to deliver results we have to ensure that our bids are realistically set to deliver quality positions where our Ads are seen and within mouse-pointed distance of our intended audience.
To get to this stage, we’re not looking at 10% power on the throttle. A 10p bid on a term where competitors are bidding £1.00-£2.00 isn’t going to get your campaign off the ground. We’re never reach our intended destinations by minimising spend during the ‘settling’ period for a PPC campaign.
Fantastic. We’re reached our intended altitude… lets just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Wouldn’t that be just great?
Just like inside the engine rooms of our commercial airliner, constant tweaks and adjustments are made to ensure our flight is going to reach it’s destination on time and in safe and working order. The pilot at this stage focus’ their attention on delivering a smooth ride for all on board. He has access to a full range of analytics to keep help him make the necessary adjustments to the flightpath.
At the same time, Air Traffic Control are fulfilling their role making sure that each and every skybound plane is holding it’s correct path. Needless to say, just like the movements of your competitors within the Adwords positions, you have to keep a vigilant eye on those around you. Popping your campaign onto “autopilot” isn’t an option. There are constant shifts taking place within the Adwords world – expect a little bit of turbulence knocking you out of position or bumping you outside of your intended path.
The success of your Adwords campaign is built around your ability to direct your advertising message to a core audience without deviating away from your original destination. Keep an eye out for those “broad match” terms which can quickly take your campaign away from it’s targets.
Never expect a nice quiet ride with Adwords. There are always others wanting to reach the same destinations – the last thing you want is to be bumped off course.
Finally, it’s time to fasten those seatbelts… we’re heading towards descent.
You’re the pilot, you don’t want your passengers to land at any old destination. You must deliver pinpoint accuracy to ensure your entrusted audience reaches the exact destination as stipulated on the ticket (your ad). Don’t try and fob them off with a “oh, I know you were fancied visiting x, but how about checking out y first” scenario. Furthermore, don’t just drop them off at the end of the runway. Make sure you direct your plane to the appropriate arrivals gate. Your customers will thank you for it.
While the journey’s taking place new and exciting inventions are taking place behind the scenes. Similarly, the Adwords interface and the PPC market are developing new and fascinating ways to help you get your clients to their intended destinations in the most cost-effective manner available. Always keep an eye out for ways to improve your customer’s journey. The increase in revenues will be sure sign that they are thanking you for it.
