Competing in today’s rapidly evolving eCommerce market can be a struggle. The average company doubles every dollar they put into pay-per-click campaigns. But what do you do if your PPC campaign isn’t bringing in sales? If you’re wondering, “what is one common cause of low click-through rates?” keep reading to learn more.
Low Impressions
Low impressions might be the most common PPC issue in online advertising. Basically, it means that the ads aren’t reaching anyone. If your ads don’t reach anyone, you can’t expect them to increase sales.
Other problems are easy to resolve, but this can take effort and time. You’ll need to pin down the source of the issue. Is your budget too low to cover your keywords? Are you targeting keywords with too low of a search volume?
A solid review of your ad campaign can help you pinpoint where it’s falling short and how you can connect with your audience.
Low Click-Through Rate
Your click-through rate (or CTR) is a percentage that explains how many people who see your ads click them. If this number is low, the good news is that you’re not paying for the ads. The bad news is that they’re still not making you a dime.
A common reason for a low CTR is low-quality content.
If you’re reaching the right audience but your ad isn’t appealing, your audience won’t be interested enough to click through. Quality ads have compelling images and colors, engaging content, and inspire viewers to learn more.
High Clicks, Low Conversions
There are a lot of reasons you could see a high CTR but low conversions. The biggest one is poor landing pages, but you can read more about that in the next section.
One common problem is with keywords matching related but not applicable searches. Imagine you’re selling vacuums. You use “quality vacuum” as one of your keywords, but it connects with customers searching for “quality vacuum repair services.”
Because of how Google Ads adapts, it could give consumers the idea that you offer vacuum repair services until they click through to your website.
Landing Pages That Do Not Convert
Landing pages that don’t convert might sound like a separate issue, but they can have a huge impact on your PPC campaign. A prime suspect is conflicting copy.
If your PPC ads promise one thing and your landing page promises something else, your potential customers will disappear. Consistent messaging is key to a successful eCommerce PPC campaign.
You should also check how the page loads, how it looks to potential customers, and other aesthetic and functional aspects that could ruin customers’ trust.
Ad Scheduling
One strange but true controlling factor in ad success is the time of day. Consumers have interesting and complicated shopping patterns. For example, did you know the average consumer is most likely to make unplanned purchases at the end of the day?
Depending on your product and audience, selecting the right time of day to advertise and make sales can be tricky. A professional or agency offering PPC services can optimize your PPC campaign to target the best audience at the right time.
Location Targeting
This section doesn’t apply to every campaign but is particularly important for location-focused options. If Brent’s company offers pest control services in Southern Arizona, he doesn’t need to advertise his services in Michigan or Texas.
If your business is local and focused on serving your area or community, take advantage of long-tail keywords that indicate your area. For Brent, this could look like “Southern Arizona Pest Control Services.”
Using Target Keywords That Do Not Have The Right Search Intent
It’s easy to find a keyword and think, “this is the one!” It could be low competition with high searches every month. Then you implement it, and it doesn’t take you anywhere. People see your ad, but they don’t click it.
If you’re reaching the wrong audience, the people who see your ads have little interest in your product or services. Your search terms might be too broad and have multiple meanings or intents you missed.
Professional PPC services can help you find and use the keywords that connect you with your audience.
Targeting Unnecessary Keywords
If your eCommerce PPC campaign strategy is too broad, you’re not going to get very far. Think about it this way. You don’t play darts by throwing dozens of darts at the wall and hoping one hits the board. You have three darts to score as many points as possible by hitting the best section of the board.
Focus your campaign on keywords that are highly relevant to your business.
Competitors Competing For Your Brands Keywords
Okay, so this isn’t technically an issue with your campaign. It’s actually a sign that your campaign is doing well.
If your competitors have started bidding on your branded keywords, like “Brent’s Pest Control,” they can undercut your sales by stealing your customers. If you own your branded keywords, the easiest way to solve this is to take it to Google. Since it’s a copyright infringement, you might be able to shut them down.
Taking On eCommerce PPC Yourself Without Experience
It’s the DIY era, and everything is possible. Just because it’s possible doesn’t mean it’s a good option. For example, I could do research and try to handle my house’s pest control problem, but I’m not a professional. I don’t understand the finer points of pest control, safety, and how to make sure it works the first time. I should hire Brent.
PPC campaigns have a lot of details and moving parts. This article has addressed a few, but to fully explain low click-through rates, it would need to be a lot longer. That’s why PPC services exist.
How eCommerce PPC Service Can Help You Convert More
“What is one common cause of low click-through rates?” is a hard question to answer. Your CTR can be affected by so many factors, including website quality and the time of day your audience sees your ads.
Are you ready to take your eCommerce PPC campaign to the next level? Contact us today!
