Getting Adwords to Work in a Low Traffic Industry

Fuel up and get some results for your low-traffic PPC accounts.

If you’re a PPC advertiser, you know that one of the biggest struggles can be working in a very low-traffic industry. It’s hard to get the results that you need when the search volume behind your keywords just isn’t there. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help boost your clicks and conversions.

Here are a few tips that I have found helpful for working in low AdWords traffic accounts:

1. Think Broad

In a high traffic account, going after broad keywords is not something we typically suggest. But in a low traffic account, sometimes going after broader keywords is what has to be done.

For example, if the keywords directly relevant to your business are “Tango Lessons”, “Tango Classes”, etc…you might have to think about going a little more general. You could go after keywords like “Dance Classes” “Social Dance Classes”, etc.

You have to be careful here. The last thing you want is to spend a lot of money on keywords that don’t convert.

To cover yourself, you should add negative keywords to limit searches you know aren’t relevant. Keep an eye on these more broad keywords and make sure that your ads are directly relevant to your business to try to avoid unwanted clicks. If the overall CPA gets too high, you might want to pause one of your broad keywords, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to try this strategy.

2. Get Creative

Sometimes when you’re working in a low traffic account, you have to get creative.

For example, one of my clients is only targeting a specific location and its 7 mile radius. This makes it very hard to find the traffic necessary for great results.

The client and I had a brainstorming session where we thought of new offers we could try. They’re a dance school who feels that their students can benefit from the stress relief from dancing, so they’re now hosting a “Stress Meditation Workshop” where they will talk about ways to relieve stress, and incorporate dancing into it.

People searching stress relief might not have ever thought that dancing could help relieve stress! This is where it benefits your business to get creative.

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It doesn’t always have to be something this big. You just have to think outside of what you’re currently doing and find new ways to engage people with your business.

For example, if you’re a gym that offers a discounted membership for new customers, try testing out a free 3 day pass offer. If you’re a law firm that offers free consultations, think about offering a free guide to walk someone through actions to take when filing a claim.

If you’re an e-commerce site that offers a 10% discount, try throwing in free shipping as well. Try to think outside of the box and get creative with your offer.

3. Utilize the Display Network

The display network can be a great tool to get your ads in front of more people. The Google Display Network is used by advertisers to reach people on thousands of websites and apps, from large, well-known sites to niche sites and audiences.

You can set your display campaign to place your ads against related websites and with specific targeting criteria where your target market is likely to be. This can be a useful tool to engage people with your brand and expose more people to your ads for a lower overall CPA.

When using the Display Network, always make sure you are consistently going in and checking up on your placements and adding in negative placements when you find that one of your ads is on an irrelevant site. This can help you avoid unwanted clicks.

4. Be Patient

It can be easy to get frustrated when you’re doing everything you can but aren’t seeing the immediate results you want. This is where you have to take a step back and realize that it’s gonna take time.

Even in a low traffic industry, you can get great results. It just might take a little longer than you want and require a bit more effort, but this is where patience has to come in. Give your account the time it needs to collect data before you throw in the towel and give up too early.

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These are just a few things that have helped me. Please feel free to reach out and let me know of any tips you have found useful to you in low traffic accounts!