You heard a Google AdWords campaign is a quick way to increase sales. And you’re right. When done well, Search Engine Marketing connects you with customers you wouldn't normally have access to.

But a common misconception with PPC (pay-per-click) marketing is the more money you spend, the better your success.

Unfortunately, PPC isn't as easy as throwing money at Google. That’s kind of like throwing pickles at the wall and seeing what sticks. Spoiler: Many slide off the wall.

The thing about Google AdWords is without a quality website, your campaign will waste a fair chunk of your marketing budget.

You’ve Got to Convert

You’ve created compelling copy. You’ve researched the best keywords to target in your industry, and now you have a pretty good handle on running an AdWords campaign. You’re on the way to some lucrative clicks. You got to spend money to make money, right? Well, kinda.

Getting clicks is great but it’s only half the battle. The success of your campaign depends on your conversion rate.

A conversion is when a visitor to your website completes an action. This action could be emailing you for a quote, calling to book in a service, or signing up to your newsletter. It’s usually the main objective behind an AdWords campaign. A successful campaign will have a clear objective and a high conversion rate.

5 Ways to Increase Conversion with a Quality Website

Your ad could be the best in the business, but if visitors land on your website and think “nope, not for me”, you’ve wasted your efforts. So how do you avoid losing eager buyers? Don’t give them a reason to leave.

Here are five ways to make your Google AdWords campaign more effective:

1. Make sure your landing page is relevant to your Adwords ad

We see many Google ads promise the world only to direct clickers to a page that has nothing to do with the ad. If you’re advertising insurance but your ad directs your audience to a page about your team, you’re going to lose them. Your landing page needs to be relevant and solve the problem posed in the ad, e.g. a page about how insurance products will give your potential customers peace of mind.

2. Communicate your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)

You want that click to be worth your money, you’re paying for it after all. Make sure your website clearly communicates your value. If you look like just another plumber, for example, your visitors will be compelled to hit the back button and find someone more enticing. How do you communicate value? Through emotive and persuasive copy.

3. Design aN intuitive website

A sure fire way to frustrate your audience is to overwhelm them with stacks of information and confusing design. Your website will be thrown into the “too hard basket” fast. You want your website to be easy to navigate. This means having an intuitive site structure, clear CTA (call to action) buttons, scannable content and high quality photos.

4. Optimise your website with SEO keywords

“If your ad copy doesn't match the message on your landing page, you're disrespecting the click”, says co-founder of Unbounce Oli Gardner. Google prioritises PPC ads by their relevance. One way it determines relevancy is by the SEO keywords in your web copy. If your web page doesn't include the keywords used in your ad copy, Google will deem you less relevant than your competitors. This results in a decrease in visibility and fewer clicks.

5. Test your website’s accessibility

Say goodbye to conversions if your website looks like a hot mess on a mobile. These days 52% of traffic comes from smartphones, which means all those potential customers sitting on the bus looking for your product or service will be deterred. Not only this, but like we’ve mentioned, Google ranks AdWord campaigns by the quality of the website. If your website isn't accessible, your ranking will be lower.

Bonus tip: Aim for a high Good Quality Score

Want to know more about how to improve the effectiveness of your Google AdWords campaign? Work on your Good Quality Score.

The Good Quality Score “is a metric based on the experience that the user has on your landing page, the relevancy of your website and your actual ad” says Neil Patel. A high Good Quality Score means the better your ad will rank and the less you will pay for a click. In other words? You get more bang for your buck.

This all may sound like a lot to think about. Too much, really. But many websites are actually on the right track. Just a few tweaks here and there will improve your website and get more of those clicks over the line.

Need help improving your website and Google AdWords campaign? We’re Perth marketing consultants who get it. Contact us here.

*cover image by @launchpresso

5 Ways To Make Your Google Adwords Campaign More Effective