| Comparison shoppers are the mortal enemy of | | | | What about the dates? These cruises are only |
| pay-per-click (PPC) advertisers. When you're | | | | available on the dates of December 5-15. Your |
| paying each time someone clicks your AdWords | | | | site visitors may not be able to take a holiday |
| (or other PPC) ad, the last thing you want is a | | | | during that time. |
| person determined to visit every site to find the | | | | Does the visitor want to sail to the locations on |
| best price, the closest location or the most | | | | the itinerary? Maybe they've already been to |
| secure guarantee. But, with many categories of | | | | Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán and are |
| products or services, it's bound to happen. There | | | | looking for a cruise to Cabo San Lucas. |
| is a way to eliminate many of the lookers, | | | | Are there other factors that might force |
| however. | | | | shoppers to decline the offer and move to |
| When you qualify your AdWords leads, you can | | | | another site? If so, list them here. |
| reduce the click-through rate (CTR) of browsers | | | | Step Three |
| and help direct only those most interested in your | | | | Now, decide which bits of information you want |
| offer to your site. How is it done? By inserting | | | | to include in your AdWords ads. You'll want to |
| text that will purposely eliminate arbitrary visitors. | | | | test and track to see which combination of details |
| Qualifying Your PPC Leads | | | | bring the lowest click-through rates along with the |
| Purposely eliminating visitors sounds like an awful | | | | highest conversions. For example, your ad might |
| thing to do, doesn't it? Perhaps, until you consider | | | | read: |
| the fact that - once these visitors got to your | | | | Luxury Mexico Cruise 12/5 |
| site and found out the details of your offer - | | | | Tour tropical Cozumel, Puerto |
| they'd most likely leave anyway. | | | | Vallarta & more. Leave NYC. $2500pp |
| Why not save yourself a click (and the money | | | | That would give a lot of information that would |
| associated with that click!) and prevent the visitor | | | | keep unqualified visitors from clicking through to |
| from running up your monthly AdWords bill? This | | | | your site (and running up your AdWords bill). At |
| is exactly what Steve Jackson of Conversion | | | | the same time, the use of words like "luxury" and |
| Chronicles and I discussed awhile back. Since that | | | | "tropical" help the searcher visualize their |
| discussion, I've come up with a process that will | | | | wonderful vacation. |
| allow you to easily write pre-qualifying ads when | | | | Another example could be a special shipment of |
| you use these simple steps. | | | | microwave ovens. Let's go through the steps |
| Step One | | | | once again. |
| Outline the specifications of your offer. Be precise. | | | | Step One |
| List all the details of the offer, the price, length of | | | | The specifications include: convection/microwave |
| time, physical location, size, etc. For example, say | | | | combination, built-in with light and vent features, |
| you have luxury cruise packages available. You'd | | | | 1200 watts, white, $900, available on the Internet |
| want to list the details such as: packages depart | | | | only. |
| from New York City and go to several | | | | Step Two |
| destinations in Mexico including Cozumel, Puerto | | | | Any of these could be used to weed out visitors. |
| Vallarta and Mazatlán from December 5-15 | | | | Someone may not want the convection feature. |
| for a cost of $2500 per person. | | | | They want a countertop microwave rather than a |
| Step Two | | | | built-in model. Twelve-hundred watts may be |
| Go back and highlight anything that would be a | | | | more powerful (and larger) than the visitor needs. |
| deal breaker. This is a luxury cruise, so the cost | | | | Their kitchen may have stainless steel or black |
| of $2500 per person might be too much for | | | | appliances, not white. Lastly, $900 could be more |
| most people. Quite often, cruisers are looking for | | | | than they have budgeted for a microwave. |
| the best deal possible. | | | | Step Three |
| Also, the cruise only leaves from New York City. | | | | Again, you'll want to test and track to see which |
| The additional airfare cost might not be something | | | | tidbits of information work best to bring qualified |
| your site visitors want to add to the cost of their | | | | leads, reduce CTR and costs, and improve |
| trip. Or, it may be inconvenient to depart from | | | | conversions. |
| New York City. | | | | |