Step 1: Use PPC Auction Insights to Discover Your Competitors
Start your analysis by identifying your PPC competitors, specifically those bidding on the same keywords as you are. You can also use tools like SEMrush or SpyFu and the Google Ads UI to identify your competitors. These tools display metrics and data such as advertising messages, price for each click, duplicate keywords, keywords that require payment and advertising budget. Be mindful of metrics such as impression share, overlap rate, absolute top-of-page rate position above rate, top page rate, and outranking share.
Step 2: Analyse the Actions of Your Competitors
When analysing PPC competition, analysing the actions of the competitors is likely the main focus for many digital marketers. Your website will rank lower on this list if it is not the primary factor. Some individuals may utilise their brand’s reputation to increase their ad ranking or secure a larger budget. Some organisations have large financial resources to invest in Ads, while a few, like you, compete for the same keywords. Branded keywords can also boost the ranking of their campaigns on Google. While some competitors will be a notable challenge to your achievement, others are likely not genuine competitors. Understanding the different forms of competition can enhance your strategy development.
Competing with unauthorised trademark users and sellers can present more challenges. The most effective method for dealing with an advertiser’s unauthorised use of your trademark is to elevate the complaint through Google’s trademark policy channels. During this PPC competitor analysis, it is recommended to focus on businesses at a similar level to yours. The information section in Google Ads and Microsoft Ads drop-down menu also assists.
The Frequency of Impression
You can determine the frequency at which you and your PPC competitors have received impressions, which can aid in evaluating their competitiveness. It also displays the placement over rate, indicating how frequently an advertiser’s ad has appeared at a higher position than yours. When your PPC competitor is causing your ad ranking to drop, it’s necessary to analyse their keywords using various tools. Tools such as AdGooroo and Semrush can be utilised to observe and follow the latest trends in your top branded PPC keywords.
How to Identify the Source of Competition?
To identify the source of competition, assign labels to your best-performing keywords. Utilise labels in bidding tools from third-party platforms or publishers to track significant changes in your top keywords. These will alert you when a rival begins to edge you out. You can utilise the data to search for variations and make necessary modifications. Establish reports, alerts, and bidding rules: Create an automated search impression and share reports for your most successful campaigns, ad groups, and keywords. Using tools such as Target Search Page Location or Microsoft Advertising’s automated rules can also help prevent keywords from moving out of their positions.
Step 3: Examine the Budget of the Campaign
Achieving a high ranking in paid search results greatly depends on the bids you place on keywords. Therefore, you should determine if your rivals are placing bids at a higher price than you. The higher your bid, the higher your ad will rank. What if you lack the funds to compete with a big competitor in paid search rankings? By dedicating your attention to this specific period, you can increase your bids or expand your keyword targeting to determine if it boosts your conversion rates. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate your competitors’ budgets and advertising expenses. It’s not possible to decide on their ad budget precisely overall; you can still examine their ad spend and cost per click.
Step 4: Check Keyword Competition and Keyword Gaps
Search for market sectors or client demands that are not being adequately met, as this creates a chance for success. Determine their particular keywords and assess their top-performing PPC keywords, look for any gaps in keywords, ensure you are bidding on them, and explore new keywords appropriate for your campaigns. Use keyword research tools to find keywords that are not yet being utilised, allowing you to take advantage of these potential benefits.
Step 5: Review Competitors’ Ad Copy
Keep track of the locations where your competitors’ advertisements are being displayed. Examine their advertising placement strategy on multiple platforms and explore expanding your own ad placements to target various audience segments. Analyse your competitors’ search ads’ unique value propositions and calls to action. Try out various unique value propositions and calls to action in your advertisements to determine which ones connect most effectively with your intended audience. Next, assess the language and tone used in your competitors’ advertisements. Experiment with various advertising messaging formats to determine the most captivating and convincing strategy for your target audience.
Step 6: Analyse Landing Pages of Competing Companies
Review your competitors’ landing pages for their design and user experience. Create a compilation of landing pages from your competitors. Evaluate the promotions, prompts for action, and advantages. Incorporate the effective techniques you see on other landing pages to boost your conversion rates. When assessing landing pages during your paid search competitor analysis, pay attention to how you can modify your landing page if you notice any troubling areas. Ensure that your landing page is easy for users to navigate, includes a compelling call to action (CTA) similar to theirs, offers competitive key features and benefits, and identifies any features or benefits you may need to add. Then, analyse the speed of their website. Having a fast website is essential for staying competitive. If you take too long, possible clients will leave.
After examining the landing page, evaluate whether the advertisement that directs to it is related. Examine from top to bottom and think about how Google may evaluate it. Discover content and layout that could potentially improve your landing page tactics. Look to your competitors’ websites for ideas on how to enhance your own site. Experiment with elements and ideas obtained from your main competitors’ pages through A/B testing to determine if they enhance the effectiveness of your landing pages.
Step 7: Test, Assess and Report
Once you have created your strategy for analysing PPC competitors, you can confidently implement your planned experiments and track their effects in the long run. An early indicator of success could be a rise in your CTR and Conversion Rate. At the same time, a long-term sign might be an improvement in Quality Score and your competitors losing visibility. The initial stages of establishing benchmarks are crucial solely because you want to ensure that your achievements result from your efforts to reach them. It also provides the groundwork for future PPC competitor analysis endeavors.
Conclusion
Conducting a thorough PPC competitor analysis will give you an upper hand in digital marketing. By consistently evaluating your competitors’ strategies, keyword choices, and ad placements, you can refine your campaigns to achieve better results. This process allows you to adapt to market changes, exploit keyword gaps, and make data-driven decisions that enhance your ad rankings and conversion rates. Remember, the objective is to leverage the insights gained from your competitors to craft a more effective PPC strategy. As you refine your approach, Rankingeek Marketing Agency will help you succeed in this increasingly competitive SEO environment. Contact us today to take your PPC campaigns to the next level.
