No doubt, this year will be remembered as a year when everyone was forced to adapt to a new normal – including PPC ...
No doubt, this year will be remembered as a year when everyone was forced to adapt to a new normal – including PPC trends in 2020.
For search engine marketers, it’s also about the disruptions that occurred on Paid Search channel. As people behaviours change due to the pandemic, so do search behaviours.
Prospective clients are less likely to convert through their Google Ads during the outbreak – especially for certain industries. Organisations are shifting their focus on organic search engine optimisation (SEO). This does not mean, however, that you should ignore PPC as a marketing channel.
Beyond the crisis, there are still major pay-per-click (PPC) trends in 2020 we can expect:
1. Fewer Conversions for Most Industries
One of the immediate impacts of the pandemic on PPC marketing is the overall decline in conversions for most industries that do not sell essential products and services.
As the situation is expected to prolong for months, conversion campaigns will most likely show poorer performance compared to last year.
That said, brands can instead focus on leveraging Paid Search to stay connected with their audiences and maintain brand awareness.
2. Even More Google Ads Automation
As it was last year, automation features on Google Ads platform will continue to be rolled out in 2020 in a big way.
Google’s machine learning algorithm and automation features are helping PPC marketers with campaign creation and management. These tools help accelerate growth at scale and to focus on account strategic planning and expansion.
These automated features include smart campaigns, smart shopping campaigns, Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) and an evolving list of automated bidding strategies.
Understanding how these features work is crucial. Users must understand how much marketers should automate, and automate workflows as part of their PPC strategy will be crucial this year in staying ahead of the competition.
3. Increase in Cost-per-Click (CPC)
Increased competition on Google Search in 2020 and organic listings falling further down the search engine results page (SERP) means that the cost per click of search ads will be higher. The ongoing pandemic aggravates this even more.
That said, PPC marketers should look at the bigger picture and respond based on where digital marketing should be focused during the downturn. It is necessarily to make adjustments to existing campaigns and minimise spends.
4. Video Ads are a Must
2020 is the year when PPC marketers can’t ignore video as part of their PPC strategy anymore. Video consumption on mobile continues to grow more than 100% each year.
The number is expected to rise especially this year, when many people are staying at home. Marketers can leverage YouTube video ads, for example, to improve brand awareness, engagement and loyalty, and even conversions.
Stay ahead and effective with your Google Ads campaigns. Keep up with the latest PPC trends to know which optimisations and actions you should do to meet your business objectives.
Not sure about your PPC marketing? Contact us for a PPC audit or if you want to start running Google Ads for your brand this year.