Digital Marketing is a useful tool to reach out to new members, drive engagement and promote events. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, especially through platforms like Google Ads and Meta, can offer a quick way to reach a targeted audience. PPC is a complex subject and it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Running a time-bound PPC trial can help your organisation to assess if it’s the right channel for your needs before committing significant resources and financial investment. This article will outline the benefits of a PPC trial, how to set it up, and how to manage and evaluate it in the longer term.
Why a Time-Bound Trial and not go all out with PPC?
- Low-Risk Investment
A trial period allows you to test PPC within a controlled budget and timeline. By setting a specific timeframe, typically 3-6 months, you can review your results without a long-term commitment, minimizing financial risk and allocation of resources if the results are not what you were aiming for. - Analytics and Data Collection
PPC trials generate detailed data, helping you understand what works for your audience. Through analytics, you can track metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, cost per acquisition, and member sign-ups. This data provides a clearer picture of whether PPC contributes to your growth goals. - Decisions on Budgets
A trial gives you information into how much budget you’ll need for PPC. It can inform on whether PPC offers enough return on investment (ROI) to warrant a larger budget allocation in the future.
Setting Up My PPC Trial, what does that entail?
- Objectives
Before starting, establish clear, measurable objectives. Examples might include increasing new member sign-ups by 10%, promoting a specific event and gain registrations, or simply newsletter sign-ups. Objectives provide the platform to evaluate the success of your campaign. Avoid vague objectives as ”get more traffic”, PPC is a numbers game and you need to be firm and specific with your goals. - Set a Realistic Budget
Determine a budget you’re comfortable spending on the trial. This might be a fixed pound amount, say £500-£2000, depending on your organisation’s size and goals. Stick to this budget to control costs and allow for an accurate assessment of your ROI. You can increase your budget and invest on the platforms that had a good return post your trial. - Target a Specific Audience
PPC platforms like Google and Meta offer sophisticated targeting options, so tailor your ads to reach your ideal members. For membership organisations, consider factors like age, interests, location, and behaviours to refine your reach. - Choose the Right Keywords and Creatives
For Google Ads, select keywords that resonate with prospective members’ needs, such as “join our organisation” or “benefits of our organisation”. Develop ad copy that emphasizes the unique value your organisation offers, whether it’s access to exclusive (gated) content, a strong community, or specialised events. For Meta, create visuals that engage and resonate with your audience.
Managing the Trial Effectively, how do I do that?
- Monitor Performance Regularly
Check in on campaign performance each week to ensure the budget is being used effectively. Look for indicators like clicks, conversions, and cost per click. Regular monitoring allows you to make small adjustments without disrupting the entire campaign. How regularly you need to monitor depends on you and how much time you have to invest. Initially a daily check moving to weekly is a good strategy. - Tweak and Optimize Midway
If your trial lasts several weeks, consider tweaking elements such as keywords, ad copy, or targeting if results are underwhelming. Experiment with different messaging to find what resonates most. The most common finding when auditing PPC campaigns is that they have been set up and left to run without any tweaks. It is critical that you have resources allocated to the trial to monitor and tweak and if you are using an agency to make sure they do not fire and forget your PPC. - Track Conversions with UTMs
Use UTM codes to track where new members or leads are coming from. This provides a more granular view of which ads and keywords are converting best, giving you insights into audience behaviour and campaign effectiveness. There are many way to track conversions and this subject will have its own dedicated article!
Evaluating the Success of my PPC Trial, how do I know if it worked?
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
At the end of the trial, look at your KPIs compared to your objectives. Did you see an increase in member sign-ups? What was the cost per conversion? How much traffic did you drive to your site, and how did those visitors engage? Some terms to get familiar with:
- Conversion Rate: The percentage of ad clicks that led to membership sign-ups or other desired actions.
- Cost Per Conversion: The average cost of acquiring a new member.
- Engagement Metrics: Time spent on your website, bounce rate, and pages visited.
Its very important to have a solid understanding and definition of what a conversion actually means for you and ensure that the numbers you are looking at are indeed “real conversions”.
- Evaluate ROI and Budget Needs
Compare the revenue generated with your ad spend. Calculate the ROI to see if the investment was worth it. If the trial was successful but costly, you may need to consider a larger budget for future PPC campaigns. To make sure you have a good idea of your ROI think about what a conversion is worth to you in the short term but also the longer term. For example, acquiring a member that is likely to stay with you for 10 years with a cost per conversion of £10 is a great return but paying £50 per conversion for a prospect to join one of your events might not be such a good investment. You only know your business model inside out and can set the parameters of you trial to evaluate success. - Make Decisions for Future PPC Strategies
Based on your findings, decide whether to incorporate PPC as part of your long-term marketing strategy. If the trial shows PPC is effective but needs further refinement, plan another short-term campaign to focus on specific improvements. If you are doing this exercise internally and see potential for improvements look into hiring a specialised digital marketing agency. If your didn’t meet expectations, you might pivot to other digital marketing strategies like SEO, content marketing, or email campaigns.
Conclusion
Running a time-bound PPC trial provides valuable insights into whether PPC advertising can help your membership organisation grow and engage more effectively. With a clear objective, realistic budget, and strategic targeting, a trial allows you to experiment with PPC without the commitment of a full campaign. You’ll have a strong data foundation to decide if PPC should become a long-term strategy or if other marketing efforts might deliver better results for your needs. You can run your first trial internally if you have the time and resource or reach out to a specialised digital marketing agency. In either case the advice given in this article will maximise your odds for success and future planning.
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