Cost per conversion, also sometimes referred to as ‘cost per action’, describes the amount that you will end up paying for each sale of your app, each new subscriber or each time a visitor takes any action. This is actually a more important metric than cost per click because it allows you to work out precisely the value of your PPC campaign. There are some CPA networks that are based purely around cost per conversion. Here, the advertiser only pays when someone actually buys something from them or completes another pre-set action. Facebook actually offers a form of CPA, though not for sales. On the other hand, CPA can also be a simple metric in the dashboard for you to keep an eye on while you try to improve the profitability of your campaign – most including AdWords will show this. With that in mind, here are a few things you can do to improve your CPC:
Use Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are keywords that Google allows you to 'blacklist' meaning that anyone who includes them in their search term won't see your ads. For instance then, you could use the word 'free' as a negative keyword were you selling a bodybuilding ebook, and that way you would rule out any people who were actively avoiding trying to pay (as these would be wasted clicks). Doing keyword research won’t necessarily yield these results, so you’ll need to think creatively.
- Using PPC as Keyword Research
- Here’s an interesting idea: using PPC as keyword research.
Be Honest and Up-Front
Getting a high CTR on your ads (Click Through Rate) is not your most important ambition. Rather that honor would go to getting high quality traffic to click on your ads which will turn into a high CPC. In other words, you don't want lots of indiscriminate clicks, you just want lots of clicks from people who are willing to spend money. That's why it's a good idea to put your price right there in your advert - 'Ebook for $35!'. This way no one will click on your ads unless they're at least somewhat open to the idea of paying $35 for an ebook.
Create a Brilliant Landing Page
What's even more important is where your advertising points - and if you have a great landing page that can convert traffic and make your products sound like the best thing since sliced bread then you'll find that your advert is hugely more successful. Even once they've clicked and you have them interested, you only have a minute at best to turn them into buyers. Make it count!
