The Content Network is a beneficial form of displaying PPC adverts. Some advertisers are hesitant to display ads on the Content Network as they are associated with a much lower click through rate (CTR) when compared to Search Campaigns.

However, if you set up these campaigns correctly they can be highly beneficial to your overall campaigns and can drive valuable leads, sales and traffic to your website. The Content Network reaches over 70% of unique visitors around the world, including users speaking 20 languages across 100 countries. Combining this with the Search Network will allow your ads to reach four out of five unique internet users on earth!

Credit: Capture Queen

I have discovered the benefits of using Content Campaigns in conjunction with my Search Campaigns. Through trial and error, as well as tips I’ve picked up from blogs and Adwords I’ve learnt to optimise Content Campaigns successfully. To help others out, I’ve compiled an all in one guide to getting the best out of your Content Campaigns.

Top Tip #1
Users on the Content Network have a different mindset to those on the Search Network, so you need to keep that in mind when considering your keywords, ad text and general campaign structure.

Top Tip #2
Create separate Content and Search Campaigns so you can optimise them separately, target different audiences and use keywords to strengthen the overall theme of your ad group.

Top Tip #3
Create a manageable and targeted keyword list of about 15-30 keywords. This is so that you can create tightly themed ad groups (see tip #4) - as ads are displayed on websites relevant to each theme of your ad group.

Top Tip #4
Use tightly themed ad groups AND use duplicated keywords for appropriate ad groups. This means use a general keyword (such as car hire if you’re a car hire company) across all your ad groups so you create a car theme (this however is not recommended in Search Campaigns). This will allow your ads to be shown on all websites relevant to those themes.

Top Tip #5
Measure Content performance at the ad group level.  This will give you a better idea of what strategies to use to improve performance.

Top Tip #6
Build a comprehensive set of negative keywords. The more negative keywords you have in your ad groups the less likely your ads will appear on irrelevant websites.  Include multiple negative keywords on topics you would like to avoid.

Top Tip #7
Think about the type of users browsing a web page and write adverts to attract their attention. It is important that your ad text relates to the web page it’s appearing on. So you should test multiple creative’s to find out which performs the best.

Top Tip #8
Include call to action phrases in your ad text, such as “register now” or “get a free quote”. This will set expectations for the user who is about to visit your site. A call to action should be what you consider a conversion.

Top Tip #9
Highlight special offers in your ad text. This can help you stand out from competitors and show off your best deals. Ads with prices included in them have often shown a higher ROI on the Content Network.

Top Tip #10
Link adverts to customised landing pages that are related to your ad text. So if you’re offering a special deal, ensure that the adverts take users to the special deal page. Make sure that pages are easy to navigate around.

Top Tip #11
Use placement report to track and measure performance. These reports show you which websites your adverts are being displayed on. Use the site exclusion tool to exclude sites you don’t want your ads to appear on. 

Remember, don’t base your performance on CTR when analysing statistics, as Content Campaigns naturally have a lower CTR.  Rather measure performance by conversions, and wait for enough data to accumulate.

Look out for my next post if you are interested in how to analyse Placement Reports.