LESSON #73: PPC Traffic
In the previous lesson, we started talking about ways to get web traffic.
Today we’re going to look at PPC advertising, including Google AdWords…
(Watch this video…)
Main points:
IMPORTANT NOTE: Google has been majorly cracking down on advertisers that violate any of their rules. This includes some rules that seemingly were not previously enforced, and some rules that are only now being written and/or being brought to light. This includes promoting anything that they consider to be an unacceptable business model (ie. - anything they deem to be a get rich quick scheme), anything containing what they consider to be unsupported claims, and any page that they consider to be a “bridge” page. Google AdWords is still a great source of traffic, but be very careful to play by Google’s rules!
PPC = Pay Per Click
CPC = Cost Per Click
CPM = Cost Per 1000 Impressions
CTR = Click Through Rate
Google - http://adwords.google.com
Yahoo - http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com
Bing/MSN - http://adcenter.microsoft.com
Facebook - (log into your Facebook account)
Ask.com - http://sponsoredlistings.ask.com
AOL - http://advertising.aol.com/technology/sponsored-listings
7search - http://www.7search.com
Miva - http://www.miva.com
Bidvertiser - http://www.bidvertiser.com
Looksmart - http://www.looksmart.com
AdBrite - http://www.adbrite.com
pulse360 - http://www.pulse360.com
(See video for full demo of setting up a Campaign and an Ad Group in AdWords)
-No competition from other affiliates.
-Better chance of a good Quality Score.
-Higher profit margin = better chance of positive ROI.
1) Keyword research
2) Campaign Settings (bidding, budget, geo-targeting, etc.)
3) Ad copy
4) Landing pages
Google Keyword Tool (free): https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
(See video for demo of Google Keyword Tool)
Paid Keyword Tools:
PPC Bully
Keyword Elite
WordTracker
Keyword Spy
Wordze
Market Samurai
Things to consider when creating your initial keyword list:
-related keywords
-typos/misspellings
-variations with hyphens and spaces
-abbreviations
-singular and plural form
-adjectives people use when searching (best, cheap, cheapest, etc)
-website URL’s
-product names
-people’s names
See the video for details, but here are a few key points…
-You SHOULD use the Advanced settings for many of the options. Don’t inherently leave Google’s defaults.
-Ad Groups should be SMALL (2-10 keywords) and very tightly focused.
-Start with Exact Match or Phrase Match - NOT Broad Match.
-DO use negative keywords!
Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
Headline = Attention/Interest (include keyword if possible)
1st line of ad copy = Interest/Desire (Include benefit)
2nd line of ad copy = Desire/Action (Include call to action)
Website URL = Action (include keyword if possible, or catchy words)
#1) Your landing page must be relevant to your keyword.
-Optimize it like SEO.
-Put keyword in title and headline.
#2) Follow all of Google’s guidelines for landing pages!
http://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=46675
Recommended Resources to learn more and stay up-to-date:
GOOGLE
AdWords support
AdWords online classroom
AdWords support forum
Inside AdWords blog
Google Business channel on YouTube (tons of videos about AdWords)
Confidential Conversions - Video course teaching how to get cheap traffic on 2nd tier networks.
Perry Marshall - Mastermind Coaching Club for AdWords. Highly recommended if you plan on pursuing PPC as a traffic source!
Action steps:
1) Decide if you want to try PPC.
2) If yes, choose a network and set up a campaign (start with small test budget).
We’ll be looking at some advanced PPC techniques in the next lesson.
As always, you are welcome to post your questions and comments below
Have a great day!




Great tutorial Eric!
Wanted to touch upon this one thing:
#1) Your landing page must be relevant to your keyword.
-Optimize it like SEO.
-Put keyword in title and headline.
Another thing I’ve found to work REALLY well with quality scores is including a couple of graphics with the alt-text containing the keyword.
In terms of secondary networks, 7search and Ask have gotten the best results while Miva has been the worst performer (of course, it depends on the niche you’re in too - Miva is decent for optins and CPA, but useless for product sales).
Good tip, thanks
Hi Eric,
Thanks for the extremely in depth video on Paid Traffic and sources.
You covered more information than many paid products out there.
By the way Eric - would you kindly do one on the content network - I have a few paid products but each says slightly different tactics and I have not tested extensively as yet, but I do intend to -
Would be great to see your expert thoughts on the content network and how you would structure your keywords for the content network.
Thanks again
Thanks. Yes I will talk about the content network in the next lesson. Probably not as in depth as some of your paid courses, but I’ll try to hit some important points.
PPC is a losing game you have to have organic traffic first before you can even try PPC especially those starting out. Not many will tell the beginner the truth. “BUILD YOUR BRAND” before anything.
I disagree… And actually there were 72 lessons prior to this one. There’s a LOT of things I’ve told the beginners to do before this.
Oh I know Eric and I’ve learned a lot from you in fact you were on of the best teachers when I started online TWO YEARS AGO and I thank you a lot but after all this time and over 8 hours a day online I yet have to make a profit so I know a thing or two about marketing online. I have lost money in ppc why? because I jumped the gun did not make my brand first and that takes at least two years and i wish I knew this back when I started
Not necessarily CJ. You DO NEED TO TEST your pages before spending hundreds or thousands in PPC, but there’s absolutely no reason to spend a couple years building a brand first.
You only need a few good campaigns - SEO or PPC - and scale em up in a controlled manner to net a good $10k/month profit.
Another wonderful lesson Eric. Only problem I have with them is waiting so long between them! LOL!
I’d be interested in learning something about the content network, as well as using image ads in Adwords.
Take care now!
This lesson is a very good and extensive introduction to PPC. It’s good that you’ve emphasized that it’s a lot more profitable to drive PPC traffic to one’s website than any other. Even if PPC keeps changing, still the long term value to driving PPC traffic to one’s site remains. Thanks a lot!
Eric, when one thinks you have given us your best lessons in the previous one, you always come back with another awesome lesson. I am really interested in the content network so please do one for us.
As always thank you and God bless you and your family.
Wow Eric…this lesson could be an entire course on it’s own! 68 Minutes of solid free content…amazing lesson! I’m one of the people whos always been scared away by PPC and loosing a lot…I may start giving it a try now, but diffently slowly
PS: BTW…I took your advise from the last lesson and decided to have my site redesigned…also had a video squeeze made for Mikes new product as an affiliate. Hard to hear criticism but it worked out for the best(I think). Let me know what you think!
http://WebTrafficMassacre.com
http://Traffic-Zombies.com
Cool, I like it a LOT better!
Thanks Eric…I like it too! Thanks for the prior input
Great looking websites Gary and on time for Halloween no doubt. I agree that the changes should really increase conversions for you. On a side note, have you thought of creating entirely different themed landing pages for your product because the product can benefit anyone wanting traffic besides a specific niche ocult. For example a landing page with a targeting theme for “women” marketers from a statistics and research perspective.
I agree with Gary (Hello Gary), this can be a course in itself about adwords and keywords research.
It really is a powerful lesson.
Regards
Michey
Hey Eric, I’ve watched all 73 lessons so far and saving them all to re-watch like you suggested with the first lesson. If I had the words to express how much I value your teaching I probably could be a copy writer. Anyway, I’ve hooked at least one person up with your teachings hope you don’t mind.
I’m sort of like Susan though, it’s been awhile since the last lesson. I thought you wrote me off your list because I didn’t buy the last product you were promoting or something. Sure glad you didn’t! I was about to Google http://www.ericstips.com/tips/lesson73/ myself if you had.
Oh, and please don’t visit my site because it really vacuums! There’s no place to opt in yet, I only get around 1,000 visits a month and out of that only 100 or so stay for an hour reading my ramblings and only one sell that click bank is about to take from me because, I can’t meet their quota. That’s life on the Internet for a newbie. I can’t miss what I never really had anyway.
If you don’t mind I’d like to hang around and learn from you and then just maybe I can turn this blog into a money maker.
Eric my friend in my 51 years on this earth I’ve learned there are givers and there are takers and you are one of the givers! And I hope to be able to repay you for what you’ve taught me. Until then a sincere THANK YOU will have to do.
Thanks Christopher. I hope to have the 100 lessons done by the end of November. I would say sooner, but I also have two mission trips and two product launches planned during that timeframe.
haw lohg your titor take
huh?
Eric Hi,
A good lesson on PPC. However, although you mention ROI I think you could have given this more coverage earlier in the lesson.
I see many clients who have jumped into PPC without understanding the ROI for a product. If they calculated the ROI they would have realized PPC would never be profitable for them on that product.
In other words it is critical to look at the ROI before spendjng a single cent on PPC.
I created an online PPC bid management tool at http://www.webpageaddons.com/ppc-management.htm that will help determine if PPC will be profitable or not. You just have to enter some data and it will tell you if you should use PPC or not.
ROI might seem like a simple concept but in my experience people do not pay enough attention to it before they start a PPC campaign.
Great stuff Eric. I’ve been away from your Tips for a while, but it’s good to be back seeing your angle on things. Good stuff!
Thanks for the free lesson about PPC Advertising. Very informative tutorial! I am looking forward to the PPC tips for content network.
Thanks again Eric,
This is great stuff, as a budding marketer its always refreshing to visit your blog.
I learn something new everytime, I have dabbled in Adwords a few times and with some success in some campaigns and losses in others.
I will be going over what you have to say to make sure it sticks, from your teachings I can see how my landing pages can be better optimised… so many thanks.
Best regards as always.
Fraser T
(glad to see you made it back from the jungle)
Hi Eric,
I don’t know what to say, but I know you are God sent. I tried PPC, and within 30 minutes I was making some money. I made a mistake of going to make changes to my add copy and I ended up spoiling everything. I then say for the first time in my life that I have made money on the net. I called my family to have a look at what was happening and they were all baffled. When I always talked about making money on the internet, they did not believe me. Eric, come and see the excitement on their faces. After that issue, they have always encouraghed me to keep on keeping on.eric keep the videos coming. We’ll really be having a good time. I love U Eric.
You are spot on with your ppc advice Eric… It is something I’ve looked into a lot recently!
Thanks Eric-As mentioned previously, I spent a few $ 000 (read wasted) because I did the right things wrong. You have shown me the right way today. My main problem is my Landing/squeeze page. Back to the drawing board for me there. By the way, does Google view the chatpopbox1234
that I got through you as a POPUP?
I do not know how google views chat pops. My inclination is that they are probably OK, as long as the visitor can easily close it.
Thanks Eric,
Even though I had a vague idea of what PPC was all about you’ve really opened my eyes to the potential for my projects. Also, it really has helped broaden and underpin my SEO knowledge.
Also wanted to say what a great resource this whole series is. I regularly skip back and forth between earlier lessons as I encounter new challenges and want to recap. Thanks again!
A lot of great info and cleared up some ‘How To’
points I wasn’t sure about.
But with that said; coming up with a spare 10
bucks a month is hard enough. I sure can’t come
up with 10 or 20 A DAY on a ‘maybe’. I have this
bad habit -(I like to eat and pay the phone and
electric bills.)
How to sign up on ask.com? Can’t see any buttons.
This is the signup area: Ask.com Sponsored Listings
But you are right… it appears that perhaps they temporarily are not taking new advertisers.
It appears that this used to be the direct signup link: https://secure.sponsoredlistings.ask.com/sign_up/index
wow…great information..
how about if I run my anounce in display content.. it is good…
Leonel
Montreal, Canada…
Hi! Eric, only now I was able to watch from top to bottom. I don’t know anybody else who gives so deep and analytical info for free on adwords, not even the king - Marshall, who charges a fortune… So thanks a lot!
I am not really a big fan of adwords just because “things” change so quickly, (now we have Google Caffeine - which basically means action, so Social Media will be top of the list and very important). Do you think that adwords will remain in top with Caffeine as well? I doubt! Adwords already diminish in volume according with some marketers, I like to have your input about this. I don’t have a way to verify this affirmation.
So again thanks for giving us details about the value of keywords research.
Usually I use Google’s tool, Work tracker, and now I have Market Samurai but didn’t play enough with it yet! I am glad you mention them.
Thanks for an excellent lesson.
As usual Michaela
http://michaelacernescu.com
http://mobile-profit.com
I think Adwords is definitely here to stay and it’s going to keep growing because there are more and more businesses (new biz and existing offline biz) getting online. However, the rules of the game are really changing, and the type of PPC that has been taught by us Internet marketers may become obsolete.
Hi Eric,
Very nice tutorial!!! I’ve been chomping at the bit for this series. “Keywording”, for lack of a better term, is an area where I can be easily overwhelmed.
In your video you mentioned tightly grouping closely related key words, do you mean LSI (or latent semantic indexing)? I learned about this term a short time ago and am starting to believe it has a lot to do with people’s success.
Love to hear your thoughts…
-Dave
LSI is generally used more in the realm of SEO, but yes you could apply the principles of it to PPC as well.
I don’t worry too much about it because it’s confusing, LOL. This looks too much like algebra to me:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latent_semantic_indexing
Hi Eric,
Thanks for taking the time to reply, much appreciated.
I agree with your sentiments about LSI being confusing. My brain almost went into “hyper-shock” when I started looking at the concept. Glad to see it’s not too relevant on the grand scheme.
Best,
Dave
Hi Eric,
Thanks for this 68 min free video on Google Adwords.
When I started with PPC, the experienced really scared me that I didn’t touch PPC for months after that. This is because I could see the pike in traffic but no conversion. I really didn’t know what I was doing then and I didn’t have a mentor to overlook what I was doing.
I’ve learnt so much since then, mainly concentrating on SEO, I feel I could give Adwords another try as Google is offering me $100 credit to restart advertising with them.
I’m eagerly awaiting your next video.
Ben
The idea of giving Google my money for an Adwords campaign is not an easy thought when your finances are very limited. I think I need to let this soak in for a while.
Great information though.
Thanks
Eric, you are currently posting an article written by me on writingcash.com - I dont remember posting anything on that website and what’s more the given contact data is no longer correct since the website in question does exist anylonger. I’d appreciate if you delete the article in question.
The articles on that site were mainly posted by authors 5 years ago. Just let me know the exact URL and I can remove it, thanks.
Hi Eric,
I know this is way off topic but i am having some serious problems with your support desk regarding the trading pro system. Im asking for help and all i seem to be getting is an automated response, any chance of some help please.
Many thanks
Mike
hi Mike, Sorry about that. If you’re asking a question about trading, then you would probably receive a pre-written response, because my helpdesk staff is not qualified to answer questions about trading. In that case your best option IMO is to join the Daily Market Advantage, and then you can ask Dave (the trader) questions directly. If you have questions that are not related to trading, then please re-submit them to the helpdesk and reference this post, and I’ll be happy to answer those questions personally. Thanks!
Thank you Eric,
I was getting a bit worried for a while as i was not getting anywhere fast.The question is not trading related, it is about the training content. I have submitted another ticket and put in there a reference to this post.
Many thanks
Mike
Hello Eric,
I really lack words to appreciate you.This might be off from this particular lesson, but it is bothering me now.
I just need you advice; Before watching your sales video for word press socrates theme, I wanted to purchase and use Hypervre soft ware to create multiple adsence sites, but I am now inerested in socrates, hope I can use it to do the same thing as hypervre,i.e, creating multiple sites with multiple pages automatically.
Thanks a lot
Mike
I would definitely recommend WP/Socrates over HyperVRE at this point. The HyperVRE method is fairly dated. A WP blog with original content is a better approach. Socrates does not automatically generate content, like HyperVRE. But like I said, that’s a good thing.
Thanks for your reply. I don’t really like automatically generated content. I appreciate.
great video! I always enjoy your videos eric!
Why i’m really writing this comment, well i was hhoping that i would be able to talk to eric himself but I thinking i not going to be able to. i wanted to talk with him about an idea that i had. so, if i could talk to eric, that would be really great! please let me know if i could talk to eric.
thanks,
alexander john
Hi Alexander, I’m not offering any personal consulting right now. But feel free to submit your idea to my helpdesk, and I will probably get a chance to at least see it, though I do not have time to respond to all requests. Thanks!
Hello Eric,
Eric this might sound crazy and stupid but I really think your suppost to contact me. Now, I know you think I’m crazy right now or just not sure what I want but hear me out.
I’m 21 years old and I think I filled with great ideas. I have been thinking and praying for about 2 days about this and I think I’m suppost to help you and you are suppost to help me in some way. Now, you think I’m really crazy. Normaly I don’t really like to ask for help but for some reasion your name keeps poping up in my head like I suppost to contact you for some reasion.
If you would like to hear me out and want to know what I’m thinking, then email me please. If you feel like you shouldn’t for any reasion, then by all means don’t. Let me know either way, I would really be thankful for that. I think I’m crazy for saying all this but I feel like I should for some reasion so, it’s up to you. You can do what you want with this comment and you can contact me if you want.
Thanks for your time agian,
Alexander John
Hi Alexander, thanks for the comment and for thinking of working with me. Due to my schedule I am not currently taking on any new JV projects. However, you are welcome to submit your idea in a ticket at my helpdesk and I will read it. I do not respond personally to all JV requests, but I do read them and I will keep it in mind if I have any openings in the future.
best-
Eric
PS- No I don’t think you’re crazy. It never hurts to ask in a situation like this.
[…] In the previous lesson, we started talking about PPC traffic. […]
I got banned by Google doing Adword campaigns. Be warned everybody, you can get banned for the smallest violation. I overlooked a reference to a quick rich scheme in a website reference which was not mine!
It’s really quite amazing. Fact that I paid all these gurus money to teach me something that I got for free from Eric’s Tips. I’ve been doing this now for about 6 months. Can’t say how fast I’m getting there but I was really getting nowhere…until now. New life..excited about the lesson and about to try all you’ve taught. PS: I should start reviewing you previous lesson. And spend money on your products rather then the so called greats like ChrisX.
I opened my adwords account, funded it, and created my first campaign. The account indicates that it is activated, and my campaign indicates that it is enabled, but my ad for the website does not show up from any of the keywords, (even when there are no other ads). In addition, each keyword indicates that it is eligible and is “showing ads right now.” I just can’t figure it out. Any insights
Thanks, Kuran
Sometimes it takes while before it really becomes active. If still no impressions after a few days, I would suggest contacting Adwords support and ask them. They might have silently flagged your account or ads silently without telling you why.
Wow, this has been some real information. You basically cover everything with this training series.
Thank You.
Its a good feeling to no that, on this planet earth, there are people like you Eric who have invested so much of their time and money to help others,not only the marketing intrepreneur of the future, but also the poor children of world.
This lesson defines you who you are in this business.You have been very careful to where we must pump out money,this one is a must if you real eager to lift up your business and not underestimate split testing. Thank you Eric I can’t think of any expect advise out there that can be so genuine and honestly presented so freely.I know a lot of your Guru Friends,they may be good,but they are no where near you in terms of delivering,I have come and gone,But what I find here is simple genuine and almost everything that internet marketers need.
When Gurus talk of over delivering, they don’t come close to you.
I know I’m sounding like a Guru already, so what! Isn’t that’s what I’m here for!
Thanks again for loads of tips and resources you provide
hi eric, I am a newbie and need your advice. Will it be safe to give someone my email address with password, my pay pal email address including my click bank account? That someone seems to be trustworthy but I just don’t know what to do and the long term effect in case I give him those info. Also I am a slow learner but I learned a lot from your tips. Thank you.
I’d be very careful about that. The only situation where I would recommend giving those passwords to someone is if you are hiring an employee, or outsourcing those tasks to a long-term contractor. In regard to Paypal, you can set up additional users with their own username/password, and you may restrict some of the things they can or cannot do in your account.
Eric,
Thanks for the videos.
You recommend 2 to 5 keywords per ad campaign (10 maximum) and then you organize the excel csv sheet into what seems to be hundreds of keywords. In lesson #74 you recommend software that can generate thousands (SpeedPPC). What am I missing? Wouldn’t submitting hundreds or thousands of keywords also cost one an extreme amount of money as visitors click thousands of keywords? Also wouldn’t google consider this as a “black-seo” keyword stuffing?
Google wants you to spend money with them, so they don’t mind lots of keywords as long as you are being relevant to their searchers.
In the old days of internet marketing, yes you could submit batches of thousands of keywords and pretty much be guaranteed to get tons of clicks and spend a lot of money, which was a good thing. Remember, if you’re spending money on PPC, you should be making more money as a result… usually doubling your money or better.
It’s still good to use thousands of keywords for maximum traffic, but you have to break them down into tiny ad groups, like you mentioned. Track everything, and get rid of the keywords that don’t result in sales/conversions.
Yay! Now, PPC traffic is making more sense to me! Greatly appreciate all the time you put into this and all your lesson.
Hey Eric,
I’ve appreciated the TONS of value you have brought through this series.
I’ve been using google adwords and I feel like I’ve had pretty good success, but I don’t know.
Currently, I have google ads pointing to a couple of squeeze pages offering a free video and template in exchange for their email in order to build my list. My conversion rate for the free offer is about 10%. Is this a good conversion rate for a free offer like that?
I’ll be selling down my funnel, and I’m assuming that will be the best indicator, but I was just wondering if 10% is a good conversion rate for a free offer.
P.S. Great tip going outside the U.S. first. I’ll be adjusting to go back to the U.S. but currently I have a CTR rate for some keywords around 50% and 20%. But my total overall is 8%. Thanks!
Hello Dain,
Solid conversion rates will always be a little different depending on the niche. It sounds like you’re having some successful campaigns, but you might want to shoot for another 5-10% by tweaking your page, ad, or offer!
We’ve seen conversions skyrocket at times from the slightest of changes!
Hey Micah,
Thanks for the advice. I’ve been doing some A/B testing through google to try and tweak some things. I became very surprised so far. I discovered video isn’t what people want to watch when they click on a google ad. At least how I have it set right now.
I’m going to continue using the A/B testing. improve those conversions
Thanks once again!
Hi Eric,
Good lesson as usual. I have a question though. Can i use Facebook PPC marketing to send traffic to a squeez page? Is it permissible?
Thanks
Yes you can, I talk about this a bit more in lesson #82
is there a subject index or table of contents for your lesson series?
Thanks, Bill
Hello Bill,
Unfortunately, there isn’t a table of contents or subject index at the moment.
You might want to visit the following link to see the latest lesson updates and revisit earlier lessons:
http://www.ericstips.com/tips/category/lessons/
Hey Eric
I am enjoying the tips. Also getting started with IPE.
Also love your testimony about Mission Trips. I support 2 children in 3rd world countries. Sure would like to speak to you personally sometime and talk. God is God! Thanks for sharing Him.
Jim
Eric,
What an amazing lesson. It’s great to come away from a lesson and feel as though I not only understand, but I also can takes the steps.
Nedra
Eric, AIDA is still with you following your interesting and lenthy vedeo and wrinting tips. No tricks here… but a lot of persuassion. This is internet marketing! Now i can see that i’ll be in training for ever. But all this info. is food for my brains. Even though you claim is not rocket science, I see that theres is a lot to digest. Thanks a lot for all these interesting information. Superb!
Now i am going to ask you a favor… please…. you or your bro. Misha, to help me get in touch with Naveed Instant Product Engine. Everytime i try to get in with his helpdesk they repond i that i got a wrong log in info. But you know what? I just cut it from his email and paste it on the site.
Sorry i am giving you guys this trouble! Please use my email go give me some instructions. Thanks!
Hello Aida,
It sounds like your computer just has the wrong login information saved in it’s memory cache. Please try clearing your cookies and web history, before entering the login information again.
Totally cool, cleared up my PPC mist!
thanks Eric!
regards
joe
PPC seems like a great way to create traffic, Eric. I don’t know though. A friend of mine tried ppc before and lost every cent without making a penny. I like your way of explaining though. I’ll try it when the time comes.
Thanks for another great lesson.
Mark
Eric, when will you discuss ways of tracking campaigns… what is pixel tracking, etc. How does one set that up if there’s no budget for hundreds of dollars a month… Can that be done inexpensively?
Hi Virginia, check out lesson #71 and lesson #57:
http://www.ericstips.com/tips/lesson71/
http://www.ericstips.com/tips/lesson57/
Pixel tracking is simply a method of tracking where a one-pixel (tiny) image is loaded on a thank-you page (or other target page). This little pixel tells the tracking software that your visitor indeed reached the page.
Yes it can be done inexpensively and free in some cases. Some affiliate program providers have built-in pixel tracking functionality, where you can essentially put your own pixel on the download page. Other vendors may be willing to add your pixel (or other tracking code) manually if you are sending them some good traffic. If you’re simply looking to track things on your own sites, it’s really easy. The product I recommend is Conversion Prophet.