This was a 1/3 course… meaning that I only got anything from one of the three presenters. While this was a class for retailer SEM it largely focused on paid ads.
Brian Mark, Toolbarn.com
Using long-tail keywords allows to target lots of phrases with very little competition. Fewer ads are needed for these terms. Most of the conversions happen on the tail keywords.
Adding the word “free” increases CTR. Putting free on first line rather than second line increased CTR by 20%.
Free things you can do: quotes, shipping, stuff, etc.
Be conversational in ads, address needs, not necessarily what you want to sell.
Specific phrases convert better, are easier to rank and cost less. Creates a snowball opportunity.
Retailers have a tough job because of low margins. Ads need to hit broad audiences but convey a helpful image. Merchants have a consider amount of dupe content issues with others stealing content, keep an eye on the landscape and competitors to combat.