If you want to increase the sales of Per Per Click Advertising you need to improve your click through rate (CTR). A low CTR means only a small number of people are clicking on your ad. If you're using Google AdWords this will lower your quality score and increase your cost per click (CPC).

What is CTR?

This refers to the number of people clicking on your ad. For example if your ad receives 100 impressions (number of times the ad is displayed) and 1 person clicks on your ad you will have a 1% CTR

How to Improve the Click Through Rate of Google AdWords

1. Write targeted ad copy

You only have a few lines to market your ad so make your ad specific to your product so the visitor knows exactly what to expect. Avoid generalities. For example if you are selling "curved red widgets" then say "curved red widgets" instead of "red widgets"

2. Promise what's on your landing page

Don't write an ad that promises something different to what's mentioned on your landing page. Google may not show your ads and give you a poor quality score. Use the description at the top of your landing page (usually the title and subtitle) to write your ad.

3. Create separate ad groups for your keywords

"Curved red widgets" should be placed in a separate ad group to "curved red widgets Australia". Look at your list of keywords to see if any of them should be taken out to form their own ad group.

4. Include your main keyword in the ad

Keywords placed in your ad get bolded. This helps it to stand out from competing ads and will improve your CTR. Include the keyword in your headline, second line and display URL.

5. Select the correct keywords for your ad

Use the Google Keyword Research Tool to find the best keywords to include in your ad. This tool shows how many people are searching on that term each month and the average cost per click you pay per keyword.

6. Use geographic targeting

Use the Google Trends Tool to find specific countries and/or states where people are searching on that keyword.
The more targeted your ad the better it will perform.

7. Split test your ads

Google allows you to rotate 2 ads evenly. This means each ad will receive a similar number of impressions. The first ad is your control ad. Write the second differently to test various parameters ie headlines, keywords in the copy, capitalizing the first letter of each word, using www in the display URL, etc. After running these 2 ads for a day or 2 delete the second one and write another. Always try to improve your CTR by testing your ads.

If you apply these tips you'll improve your current click through rate and make more sales.