🔍 2019's Top Stories in PPC Trends and How-Tos

Dec 31, 2019

Good morning search marketers, let's look back on paid search trends.

As we head into a new year, we are taking stock of the changes and trends of 2019 that will help shape marketing in 2020. Today, we focus on how-tos and trends in PPC with a selection of influential stories and a Pro Tip from the community.

Enjoy,

Ginny Marvin
Editor-In-Chief

1. What makes people click on search ads? by Ginny Marvin
There's a reason search ads resonate with users — even when they know they're ads.

2. A quick and dirty guide to winning with Gmail ads by Jacob Baadsgaard
In comparison with other ad placements, Gmail ads are less competitive and can help build brand awareness from within a potential customer's inbox.

3. Microsoft Advertising is no longer just chasing parity with Google Ads – it's building unique ads features by Ginny Marvin
3D ads and a host of ad extensions are among the features Microsoft Advertising is testing.

4. 11 tips for using Google Ads' new audiences like a pro by Matt Lawson
Learn how to reach your ideal customer with Google Ads' new audience types for Search ads.

5. The big picture from Google Marketing Live: With multi-channel campaigns, Google aims to own the funnel by Ginny Marvin
The company introduced new and expanded ad surfaces for campaigns that run across multiple channels, and Search becomes a spoke in the wheel.

6. We audited Google Ad recommendations: What we learned will surprise you by Steve Costanza
The analysis revealed adding sitelinks to ads and replacing trademark terms can help but optimization scores of ad copy might not. In the end, a human-led strategy is still critical for success.

7. How to use new Google Ads Combined Audiences by Ginny Marvin
Combine affinity, in-market, retargeting and other audiences to create personas for Search targeting.

Pro Tip Throwback

Stuffing your ad copy is a grave mistake

"After years of being betrayed by spammy search results, our brains have been trained to filter out keyword-stuffed ads as irrelevant," says Jacob Baadsgaard of Disruptive Advertising.

"In other words, if your ad copy looks generic, overly corporate or sales-heavy, your potential customers may skim past your ad without even realizing it—their brains will simply filter it out before they even have a chance to read it."

Learn more »

Create content your target audience actually wants

In the ebb and flow of content marketing trend analyses comes the return of the "content fatigue" narrative. We're told content marketing doesn't work as well as it used to, that it's redundant and that there's too much of it. But as long as we have the Internet, content is going to be the playing field for our sport. We need to focus on making better content. Not less, not more—just better. This guide from Sharpspring shows you how.

Read more »

Resource Spotlight

The Periodic Table of PPC

This brand new resource is aimed at helping marketers understand the factors involved in successful paid search efforts — whether you're a novice or long-time practitioner. The two tables and accompanying report with additional resources, focus on the growing number of campaign types, formats, copy options, bidding and targeting mechanisms as well as optimization and measurement levers. The tables also provide an at-a-glance view of the influence of automation and machine learning on paid search.

Learn more and download the full report »

Leftover 2019 budget? Put it to great use!

Register for SMX West before the year is over and join us February 19-20, 2020 in San Jose for a fabulous training and networking experience! Discover actionable tactics that can help you achieve your search marketing goals and connect with a thriving community of like-minded professionals. The experts at Search Engine Land have redesigned the agenda just for you, featuring 85+ unique sessions on SEO, SEM, and digital commerce marketing. Sharpen your skills, broaden your horizons, and prepare for what's next: Register for SMX today!

Register now »