Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising remains one of the most scalable and effective methods for generating leads and driving qualified traffic. Targeted ads are the bedrock of a PPC campaign, as they allow businesses to connect to users when they express intent using important platforms like Google Ads. However, the PPC landscape doesn’t sit still; it’s constantly evolving due to algorithm updates, increasing competition and changing user behaviour.

To achieve success, advertisers must understand common PPC issues and how to overcome such problems to reach conversion goals. This article will outline PPC managers and brands’ most common issues and provide solutions to overcome them, so your campaign performance isn’t impacted.

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What are Common PPC Issues?

There are many complexities to navigating a PPC campaign, but there are three main challenges that you need to address head-on. These are: adapting to platform changes, managing rising costs, and working within resource limitations.

 

Staying Ahead of Platform Changes

PPC platforms like Google Ads constantly evolve and adjust to the digital landscape because user behaviour changes. The introduction of new campaign types, like Performance Max, the push towards AI-driven automation and fundamental shifts in privacy policy change how these campaigns need to function.

 

How to Stay Ahead of Platform Changes

  • Dedicate time for professional development. Following official platform blogs (like Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising) and reputable industry publications can expand your knowledge, keep you aware of any changes that may be taking place, and help provide deadlines for when these changes will happen.
  • Test new platform changes in a controlled environment. A small part of your budget should be used to experiment with new bidding strategies and understand potential new campaign types. This will provide you with firsthand data that shows how the changes impact your specific accounts before committing to a full-scale rollout.
  • Don’t stray away from what works. Strong ad copy, compelling landing pages and a logical account structure will always be integral to campaign optimisation. Perfecting these elements and other basics, like ensuring that pages have an attractive call to action, can provide a stable foundation regardless of algorithmic shifts.

 

Greater Competition and Costs

Businesses’ understanding of the importance of PPC has led to market saturation due to increased competition. This has led to a higher average Cost-Per-Click (CPC) with greater budget pressure. Bidding higher isn’t always the correct solution. You must find a sustainable solution that won’t erode your Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).

 

How Can You Overcome PPC Competition and Costs?

  • Focus on quality. Improving your quality score is rewarded by platforms with lower CPCs and higher ad positions. Improving the quality of your work on the website by focusing on the landing page experience and expected click-through rate (CTR) will show platforms that your work is a high quality and deserves to be higher up the food chain.
  • Don’t focus on broad keywords. Instead, you should define your user with a focused, detailed profile using granular audience segmentation, which includes in-market audiences, affinity groups, and first-party data produced by remarketing lists. Creating a user profile and tailoring your campaign to them is more efficient than trying to cast a wide, expansive net.
  • Use niche and long-tail keywords that signal stronger user intent. Many head terms with high search volume are often the most competitive. Your way around this is to conduct thorough keyword research to identify long-tail variations that typically have lower competition and higher conversion rates.

 

Managing Resource Constraints

Many smaller-to-medium-sized businesses have resource constraints that are difficult to control. These limitations can lead to a restricted budget, a lack of time for daily campaign management or an experience or expertise gap that needs to be filled for a campaign to reach its full potential.

 

How Can You Overcome PPC Resource Constraints?

  • Focus on high-impact activities that provide the most significant results. These activities include negative keyword analysis, ad copy testing, performance reporting, and conversion tracking. Use the 80/20 principle to determine the best course of action.
  • Use automated rules and scripts to handle routine tasks, such as bid adjustments for specific times of day or pausing low-performing keywords. By managing your time like this effectively, you can free up space for more strategic work and ensure your strategy is as effective as possible.
  • If your team lacks the expertise or experience for specific tasks, strategic partnerships, like partnering with a PPC agency, can be an effective solution in the long term. These agencies can provide you with advanced tools, proven strategies and specialised expertise in the PPC space to achieve professional, long-lasting results.

 

Turn PPC Issues into PPC Opportunities

These common PPC issues can be overcome with strategic targeting, utilising automation and adapting to the fast-paced world of PPC by ensuring your workforce is as efficient as possible. Ultimately, working out high-priority tasks and finding relevant, specific and long-tail keywords can give you an edge in campaigns that competitors may not have thought of.

 

Unsure where to begin or have further questions? Our experienced and agile agency has been running PPC campaigns for years, so we can help give your work the competitive edge it deserves. We can help you align your PPC strategy to ensure you get the maximum bang for your buck. Get in touch and watch as your PPC campaigns flourish!