PPC marketing continued to grow throughout 2018. There were some massive changes, including AdWords rebranding to Google Ads and the new interface that came along with it. Bing Ads also saw significant changes with new features that targeted ad capabilities, reporting, and more. LinkedIn even began profile targeting with ads. Amazon became a potential challenge to Google, with many investments in advertising going to Amazon instead of Google.
The question exists, then, about what 2019 has in store for PPC marketing. Two trends are on the minds of all advertisers – audience and automation. People want an appropriate focus while minimizing time input to manage and analyze ads. Read on to learn ten of the biggest trends that experts think PPC will experience in 2019.
1. Ads will focus on audiences instead of keywords.
Keywords are currently a focus throughout advertising, especially in PPC. However, 2019 could be the year that advertisers focus more on context and people and less on singular usage terms. In reality, keywords will still probably be used in ads; but the way you use them will be increasingly important.
Audience data will inform advertisers how and where to use keywords to jump in importance. Advertisers will need to create detailed strategy for various types of audiences. These layers of knowledge will develop paid search strategy.
Relevant ads should seem personalized for specific audiences. People want to see their topics in the form of keywords, but also modifiers that indicate location, time, and importance. Audiences and keywords will actually work together to create successful PPC.
2. Use a combination of automation and human intelligence.
Secondly, experts agree that automation is already being used by successful ad campaigns. Google wants ads to be useful for everyone. Automation makes it possible for businesses to successfully use ‘smart’ features highlighted on Google and Bing. Google is expected to further improve automation features that are built-in.
In particular, Google wants advertisers to utilize automated bidding strategies in PPC campaigns. This can be done by using more data points as part of bidding strategies. Expect more and more advertisers to use these automated strategies in 2019.
PPC experts who best utilize Google automation will overcome the competition. Ads should use Google’s responsive features to target audiences. Manual campaign management is quickly fading away as these automated features become more useful for things like bid management, keyword variables, and more.
3. Diversify PPC spending.
Thirdly, in 2019, experts suspect that diversifying PPC spending will be increasingly important. Amazon became a big spend in 2018, with Sponsored Product Ads and other ad formats guiding successful PPC strategies. However, venues are expected to increase in importance in 2019.
Ads on Bing, Facebook, Pinterest, and more will gain importance in a successful ad campaign. Bing Ads is currently testing local inventory ads that will display stock availability in nearby stores. This gives searchers immediate information about local businesses, all of which targets online audiences. Facebook, Pinterest, and others have improved their advertising platforms and will continue to provide interesting venues.
4. Recognize the role of PPC marketers and account managers.
Although PPC campaigns are becoming more automated, PPC marketers and account managers are still necessary. Those who are running campaigns can increasingly use the data provided by Google and others to create campaigns that are successful. The marketers who use this information effectively will excel.
Experts also encourage account managers to adapt their skills to match the PPC campaigns of the future. Managers should optimize skill sets that analyze the market and develop cross channel strategies. They should also have an understanding of competitors in the market. PPC marketers should use automation for things like bidding, ad testing, and query mining while they continue to analyze the market and competitors.
5. Embrace cross-channel advertising.
Many companies are beginning to take advantage of marketing across channels and on various platforms. It has also been beneficial to invest in advertising across devices as well. However, reporting continues to be a challenge across channels. The solution for most advertisers is to continuously make adjustments based on performance in each channel.
In 2019, savvy advertisers are expected to provide experiences for consumers. By creating a personalized experience across devices and platforms, consumers will remain engaged. A search is part of a journey, and the advertiser should recognize their part to play in that endeavor.
6. Spend time on ad copy.
The messages that consumers see will remain important in 2019. It’s important to present a cohesive message to searchers who are seeing ads. Strategic marketers will need to create deliberate ad copy that engages consumers, usually involving multiple headlines or versions that are geared to specific audiences.
7. Utilize videos in marketing strategy.
An important consideration is to use videos in a social strategy and throughout search engine result pages (SERPs). It can cost a few cents per view for videos; however, the benefits of an increased interaction are obvious. Even if marketers do not want to use videos in ads, they can utilize YouTube to target audiences. YouTube advertising can restrict your budget and maximize outreach.
8. Use remarketing beneficially.
Remarketing may be a shining star in 2019. In fact, remarketing has a higher CTR and conversion rate than many other methods of advertising. When combining remarketing with other strategies, like Facebook’s Click to Message ad format, it’s possible to make consumers reconsider their wants and needs.
9. Build your brand.
All marketers should focus on building their brands. While PPC users have focused on ROI so much that they often forget the basics. It’s important to build a brand, create demand, and develop brand loyalty. All considered, advertising strategies are important, but you should first focus on building a brand that will be worth the sell.
10. Take advantage of changes in the industry.
Lastly, PPC marketers are concerned with the unknown in 2019. There are upcoming changes in ad types, reporting, and tools. However, no one knows what to expect. Although the future of marketing is unknown, it should be embraced. The changes will likely target consumers in a new way and create a unique experience for everyone in the market.
PPC Trends in 2019 Will Offer Many Benefits for Marketers
Many marketers are stagnant, targeting consumers with the same old keywords in a limited number of platforms. However, 2019 promises to increase the capabilities of advertising for marketers across the board. Keep an eye on new trends, new tools, and expanded platforms. The marketers who are willing to expand their ads will be more likely to succeed.
