If we were to compare Pay-Per-Click campaigns to Olympic athletes, here is what a “winning” PPC campaign would look like:

And here’s what the average contractor’s PPC campaign would look like:

It’s true while plenty of industries see “Usain Bolt on PEDs” levels of PPC success, contractors are like the guy who trips over his own feet as soon as he hears the starting pistol.

What’s worse is that many contractors have zero clue as to why their PPC campaigns are a bust. So they chalk it up to the same false conclusion: “PPC just doesn’t work.”

That’s a load of hot garbage.

• If PPC didn’t work, companies wouldn’t spend a total of $43 billion a year on Google AdWords.
• If PPC didn’t work, a large HVAC company we work with wouldn’t pump $50,000+ a month into its PPC campaign.
• If PPC didn’t work, MYM sure as heck wouldn’t offer it to our clients.

So, what’s the real reason PPC doesn’t work for you?

It’s basically the opposite of George Costanza’s “It’s not you, it’s me” routine. When it comes to your failing Pay Per Click campaign, it’s not PPC… it’s you!

Here are five possible reasons you’re running dead-last in the PPC Olympics:

1.    You’re Missing Phone Calls

I make this the first reason because a lot of companies (even outside of the remodeling industry) think all they have to do is launch a PPC campaign, kick back, and wait for the wads of cash to roll in.

PPC doesn’t work that way. In marketing terms, PPC leads are the “hottest of the hot.” But they can go from scorching to ice cold within a matter of minutes. If you don’t pick up when they call—or get back with them extremely quickly—they move on to the next company.

For your campaign to reach its full potential, you should answer 90% or more of your calls during business hours. (If that is difficult for you, we can refer you to an amazing live phone-answering service. Just reach out to us, and we’ll provide you with the info.)

2.    You Aren’t Relentlessly Following Up

Although you’ll lose a lot of PPC leads if you don’t pick up the first time they call you, you can still turn some PPC leads into appointments by following up quickly and often. Like I said, PPC leads are actively seeking a contractor right now. You lose them when you don’t get back to them immediately.

If possible, call back leads who leave you voicemails within five minutes. If they don’t pick up, leave them a voicemail and call them every day until you get a response. You’ll scoop up some of the leads you missed the first time they called.

3.    You Aren’t Spending Enough

PPC is a “spend money to make money” endeavor. You probably don’t want to hear that, but think of PPC like this: It’s like investing in a surefire stock—the more money you put in, the more money you make.

If your PPC campaign is under budget, you’re killing your impression share (i.e., how often you show up in the paid ad section on the results page). Companies that outbid you get the primo spots and show up more often, while you’re relegated to the dusty, cobwebbed-covered back corner of Google’s basement.

4.    You Don’t Have Online Chat

If you haven’t figured it out from the 17 times I’ve already said it, you have to act on PPC leads FAST. And the absolute fastest way is online chat.

I’ve already detailed why online chat is amazingly effective for a PPC campaign. To reiterate, online chat is a fantastic engagement tool. It’s an immediate “ice breaker” and a no-pressure way for a prospect to get their questions answered quickly.

5.    Your PPC Company Stinks

Honestly, a lot of PPC companies just aren’t that good. These companies do what I call “anglerfishing”. They lure you in with shiny-looking reports, technical-sounding jargon, and talk of how low of a Cost Per Click they can get for you (which means nothing—Cost Per Lead is the only metric that matters).

If this sounds eerily familiar to the PPC company you’re working with, you may want to say “sayonara” sooner rather than later.

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And there you go: Five common reasons contractors can’t clear Hurdle One in the PPC Olympics.

If you are having zero success with PPC, and none of these reasons apply to you, don’t panic. This is not a complete list.

Your PPC campaign could be a dud because your website is not pulling its weight. Or because your PPC ads aren’t effective. Or something else entirely.

Whatever the problem is, we can find it… and show you exactly how to fix it.

Click here for a free Lead Generation Audit. We’ll perform an in-depth examination of your PPC, SEO, and website. Then we’ll provide an extensive report of our findings, so you can see what you need to do to transform your company into the Michael Phelps of marketing.

Until next time.

-Rich

P.S. This brief blog post I wrote a few months ago tells you why MYM uses Cost Per Lead as the one true measure of a successful PPC campaign. It’s an eye-opening revelation for companies obsessed with Cost Per Click, which—frankly—means jack squat.

© 2016 – 2023, Rich Harshaw. All rights reserved.