Common Mistakes in PPC Setup and How to Avoid Them

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a powerful tool for attracting new customers and increasing sales. However, a poorly set up campaign can lead to wasted budget without achieving the desired results. Below, we discuss the most common mistakes marketers make when setting up PPC campaigns and how to avoid them.

**1. Incorrect Keyword Selection**

One of the most common mistakes is selecting irrelevant or too broad keywords. This can lead to your ads being shown to an audience that is not interested in your product or service. It's important to conduct thorough keyword research and choose those that are most relevant to your offerings. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to select effective keywords.

**2. Ignoring Negative Keywords**

Negative keywords help to exclude your ads from being shown for irrelevant queries. For example, if you sell new phones, adding "used" to your negative keyword list will prevent your ads from appearing for users searching for second-hand devices.

**3. Lack of Ad Extensions**

Ad extensions allow you to add extra information to your ads, such as links to specific pages on your site, a phone number, or an address. Ignoring these opportunities can result in lower click-through rates (CTR) and, consequently, reduced ad effectiveness.

**4. Improper Targeting**

Underestimating the importance of targeting can result in your ads being shown to people who are not interested in your product or service. Make sure to set up targeting based on geographic location, demographics, interests, and other key parameters.

**5. Lack of Regular Analysis and Optimization**

Launching a campaign and leaving it unattended is a major mistake. Regular analysis of results and optimization based on the data is key to successful PPC advertising. Monitor the performance of your keywords, bids, CTR, and conversions to make timely adjustments.