The Finishing Touches: Pay-Per-Click Advertising (Part 3)

In Parts One and Two of our three-part blog series discussing Pay-Per-Click Advertising, we shared what steps are necessary to get started with a new PPC campaign and how to successfully maintain it in order to sustain positive performance. In this final blog, we’ll introduce extensions, which are a supplement to a created ad and will ultimately be the finishing touch to your success.

Extending Your Ad

Extensions:

• Extensions can be found as another category of customization in your Google Ads account. There are multiple extensions to choose from, but there may only be a few that are relevant to your campaign. Below are a list of extensions Google Ads provides in an effort to increase the performance of a created ad:
  • Sitelink extension
  • Callout extension
  • Structured snippet extension
  • Image extension
  • Call extension
  • Location extension
  • Price extension
  • Promotion extension
  • Affiliate extension
  • App extension
  • Lead form extension

*Please note, not all extensions may be relevant for a PPC ad. The bolded extensions above are the best options if your business is in the manufacturing industry.

Sitelink Extension    

• Sitelink extensions are additional links that can be included in a PPC ad. In accordance with Google, these extensions are a phenomenal way to make an impact on Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). These extensions are also key to promoting your brand as a differentiator.
  • Examples of sitelink extensions:
    • “98% on-time orders”
    • “Zero machine downtime”
    • “Instant RFQ response”
    • “Products in stock”
  • These offerings are typically of high importance when a user is looking for a new partner or business. Use sitelink extensions to promote your brand as an expert in a specific craft.

Callout Extensions

• Callout extensions are descriptors of the products or services provided. For example, if you’re an injection molder, callout extensions are perfect for sharing the other services offered in addition to injection molding.
  • Examples of callout extensions:
    • “Two-shot molding”
    • “Extrusion molding”
    • “Blow molding”
    • “Secondary operations”
    • “Packaging”
    • “Made in USA”
  • With callout extensions, users will have a better understanding of all the other services or areas of expertise provided without creating additional ads. This, in turn, will increase user engagement and clicks on the ad.
  • Callout extensions can also be used to capture clicks or engagement in different ways, such as advertising “free shipping” or “3-day lead times”.

Structured Snippet Extensions

• Structured snippets will most likely be the least-optimized extension used due to the limitations by Google. Apart from ‘types’, Google has 12 predetermined categories that are not very relevant to the manufacturing industry. Vive’s clients investing in pay-per-click advertising use “types” for resin service providers. The “types” category allows us to provide specific resin families that may be relevant to various plastic distributors or manufacturing companies.
• By using “types” in PPC ads, we’re able to share key information that users may not know about the company, especially if they haven’t visited the website or follow the company on social media.

Image Extension

• Image extensions are Vive’s most recommended extension to use, since it is a great way for businesses to show off their brands. If you have a library full of photos, image extensions are the perfect way to put those to good use.
• Displaying capabilities by adding images to a PPC ad could include finished products, current projects, machining, clean-room(s), the company’s facility, and more.
• Lastly, make sure the images that are being used in the image extensions are relevant to the ad being created. For example, if the ad is referencing “blow molding services”, be sure not to include an image of the thermoforming machine in your facility.

Call Extensions

• Call extensions are very simple. Google provides a place within the ad that lets you include a phone number. Typically, this phone number is routed to the sales team. Otherwise, a phone number can be included that sends a user to the receptionist, who can then route the call to the designated person or department.
• Adding a phone number or “call extension” to an ad will boost user engagement and provide a quick way for a user to interact with your brand.

Location Extensions

• Location extensions illustrates the company’s address and hours of operation below the description of the ad. This extension is extremely important if you are utilizing pay-per-click advertising within a close radius of your business. This information can be customized within Google Ads, but should also match the information provided in your Google My Business account. It’s important to make sure there are no discrepancies between the accounts that could potentially confuse a user.

Follow the Trends

• Google shares the Impressions, Clicks & Click-Through-Rate (CTR) of how the extensions are performing. If the ad is not receiving the desired engagement, you can enhance the extensions with different clickable links that drive user engagement. You could also change the content of the ad so it better represents the company’s brand as a subject matter expert in the industry.

Need Help? 

If you’re still not so sure you have the firepower to create a high-performing ad campaign, feel free to reach out to the experts at Vive Marketing. Our team of marketing specialists can develop the copy, content, imagery and positive user experience for the highest return on investment.

Interested in getting expert marketing services for your manufacturing business? Contact Vive today to start a conversation.