In this era of internet, businesses are in continuous need of advertising their products and services online to increase their sales and PPC (Pay Per Click) helps in doing this. It is the process of managing internet advertising activities of the business by the PPC manager to oversee the advertising campaign on Google, Yahoo, MSN and other online platforms. Hence, you can become a PPC manager if you love spending time on the internet and you possess excellent analytic skills.
Who is a PPC Manager?
A PPC manager is responsible for the client’s PPC campaign. They develop, execute ideas and recommend the apt keyword for the customer’s site. In bigger marketing firms, the PPC manager is responsible for campaigns and directly report to clients. If the clientele is large, the marketing firm assigns individual PPC account manager for each client. They are responsible for designing and supervising the marketing campaign of the client. There are lots of avenues for landing a PPC account manager job in a marketing firm.
Role of a PPC Manager:
A PPC manager is a key player in the firm who overlooks and manages the campaign of the client. S/he is directly responsible for the advertisement campaign in the firm. It is essential for the PPC manager to stay coordinated with his team and have the information at the fingertips.
Here are few key roles that you have to play to become a successful PPC manager:
Starting the day early
A PPC manager makes a morning check-in as the routine work to stay ahead in the race. When s/he has a clear picture of what’s happening in the account, s/he will be able to plan the future course of action and brief the team about it. The advantages of early starting are:
- The PPC manager will be able to review what happened yesterday and what was its impact on the campaign;
- If there any flaws or hiccups in the campaign, the PPC manager can spot it early and take the necessary steps for the rectification of the flaw.
Daily checking up the keywords
When handling a high profile client, it is crucial to check every keyword as they generate payments in hundreds of dollars, so the PPC manager cannot afford to let some unrelated keyword to pass through. S/he has to take utmost care in selecting the keyword which will boost the sales of the client’s product.
Ruling out the irrelevant Google Display Sites
The PPC manager should do a routine check of the sites where their ads appear and must remove the ads from the site which s/he is sure that it does not generate revenue towards the PPC campaign.
Reviewing the budget
It is a prudential practice to consider the budget of the ad campaign and assure the client that the campaign is well on its way to the monthly target.
Finding and tracking new leads
When reviewing the campaign of yesterday, the PPC manager can find new leads which might generate more revenue than old leads and put the team to work on it. When a team works together in finding and pursuing new leads, it boosts up the morale of the team and leads to the better work environment.
Locating the ace
The PPC manager can check the Google AdWords dashboard to know the top players or the mediocre players in the campaign along with the cost. If there is a spike in a keyword, they can find out whether the keyword has had a busy day or not. If not, they jump to next step of substituting the keyword for more powerful one.
Knowing the performance at a glance
The PPC manager can check the campaign in a glance by going to your AdWords dashboard > Campaigns > Dimensions tab to view the time frame of the AdWords campaign performance. It is a good way to spot any inconsistencies in the campaign or if there areany changes made by the client on their website.
Tracking the Ad placement
Following the ad placement is crucial for the PPC manager to know whether the ads are at the position as expected by the PPC team. If not, the PPC manager has to devise the ways of placing the ad back to its favourable position.
Pausing the ads
The PPC manager and team must consistently check the Google AdWords dashboard for any keywords that be might underperforming or not perform at all. They should take an immediate action of replacing the word or pausing the keyword.
Following the other PPC performers
The team can track the campaign’s status by comparing it with other performers like social media or organic traffic. The team will feel a rush of adrenaline to see their campaign surge ahead. They can take a peek into the analytics by going to Conversions > Goals > Overview, then select the “Source/Medium” link. This tab gives a view of the PPC campaign performance.
A glance at AdWords Alerts
Like every other marketing software, Google also will send alerts suggesting new keywords for your campaign. They may range in hundreds, even though it is potentially time-consuming, it is better to have a glance at it. Sometimes, these alerts have useful nuggets of information or a potential keyword to strengthen the PPC campaign.
Maintaining proper coordination with the client
Sometimes during the campaign, the PPC manager will notice a high surge in the budget of the ad or a sudden deviation from the traffic. This unexpected development could very well be the result of internal controls or a change in the client’s website. If proper communication is maintained, it is easier to get to the root of the problem. This contact should be on a daily basis to combat any crisis that might arise from miscommunication or lack of communication.
Keeping a lookout for any new developments
The practice of morning check-up will apprise the PPC team of any new developments. The few days or hours are critical for any newly launched campaign. If lack arises, the team can respond efficiently and solve the problem at a moment’s notice.
What are the Key Skills required to Become a PPC Manager?
Every PPC manager needs the following skills to handle the operations, team and the client efficiently:
Proactive
They are always looking for new ways to solve any challenges or problems that crop up, or in other words, they are proactive. The constant change of algorithm, the customer base, and the market requirements, the PPC manager must sport a challenging personality and have out of the box thinking. It is no wonder that people gravitate towards things that have a flair for attractiveness. The PPC manager will not hesitate to do testing and apply the test results to their campaign.
Self-analysis
They always question things and “why” is their favorite question. They should be inquisitive by nature. When a question is put forward, it paves ways to find or create a team that will even the playing field. When pushing our limit, we tend to find answers to any complex problem or hurdle that we might face. Self-analysis and self-questioning are more beneficial than relying on market trends and surveys about the product or the methods used to sell the product.
Staying with the Drift
Staying up-to-date is the key. As search engines constantly evolve their algorithms, the PPC account manager has to be up to date on the current trend and tweak the customer’s campaign. The world of PPC is constantly evolving. Even a vacation break can throw a PPC manager for a loop as the world is developing in minutes and hours. They are on the constant prowl for new technologies and methods that would potentially give them an edge over the competitor.
A PPC account manager or a PPC campaign manager has to cut. As PPC system works on the bidding technique, they stay in the race to catch the keywords that can give their clients more share of the market and its customers. A few ways on how the PPC managers stay updated are:
- By subscribing to the newsletters or blogs,
- By maintaining good relationship with third party software providers,
- If working with Google AdWords team, learning the intricacies or clearing any doubt that might arise,
- Last but not least, trying to find answers to the queries raised by the customers as well as from the team members.
Finding New Shores
Explore new frontiers and remain calm under any storm, this is an essential quality of a PPC manager. They should be willing to take a risk and also stay composed in times of pressure. They should not hesitate in taking daunting challenges or risk if they are convinced that the action will not be counterproductive. If they see potential in any new tracking algorithm or any unusual words that might give the client better returns on their investment, they will pounce on that opportunity. Wholly, they should be able to steer the ship even when they are on the reef barrier.
Strapping Skill in Communication
A PPC account manager should be an effective communicator. They should be able to deliver their needs without lengthy contexts and in a crisp manner. When giving the client a once over bout the project or its status, the communication should be crisp, and the client should be able to understand even the conversation involves the high input of technical matters.
If a problem arises in the project or a hurdle is faced in the campaign, the PPC manager should model their speech in a way that it does not put the client in panic mode and at the same time, the gravity of the situation is conveyed. When organizing a team meeting, they should instill a sense of responsibility to their juniors and get the work done by talking rather than yelling at them.
Take Decisions in a Blink of an Eye
They should be quick-witted choice makers and have the ability to make decisions by considering all the contributing reasons. Businesses are constantly evolving, and the need for the situation prompts them to be decision makers. A PPC campaign manager will be driven to take on the spot decisions and implementing those decisions regarding the campaign; they cannot run for approval at all times. However, if a decision has taken a wrong turn, they should be confident enough to own the mistake and face the consequences of the decision.
Highly Structured
They are highly organized and have all their eggs neatly in a basket. When a person has an efficiency to place his things in line, they can finish their work in time and overcome any hurdle. They should at the top of all the areas related to the PPC campaign like:
- Staying up to date with the work process,
- Responding to alerts and client queries,
- Plan a roadmap for the executives to follow,
- Creating own milestones in the project,
- Informing the customers of the approach to be implemented,
- Be apprised of the changes that happen in the client’s accounts,
- Make a to-do list and prioritize the actions to be taken,
- Should not hesitate to implement testing theories and make most of them.
Ppc sucess factors
The Desire to Learn
PPC managers should be students. They should learn to adapt any skills or technology related to PPC marketing. They should stay up-to-date with the free blogs, websites or magazines that offer courses on PPC tools and methods. However, they should sort the information that is relevant to them. Not all new information is needed for the workings of your campaign.
The Experts in the Field
They should be experts in their field and have the expertise to steer the campaign and the team in the proper direction. A PPC expert should have hands-on training and attend workshops and seminars to stay updated in the field by conversing with other PPC managers. When this practice is restricted or missing, hard facts and data do not help at all.
Willingness to Stand up for the Right Course of Action
A PPC manager should believe and implement the best course of action even if his/her seniors advise against it. S/he should not be afraid to press the importance of their decisions. S/he should be decision makers, not followers. Clients like that kind of people than an individual who accepts all their opinions without a single complaint. That is why they are called managers, not secretaries. If a manager has his stand, he is more likely to be appreciated by his peers and seniors. The peers would look at a manager as a role model, and the seniors would treat them as a key player.
They Believe in Numbers than Impressions
As PPC managers are analytical thinkers, they only accept hard data of numbers, and market surveys than blindly following a lead. When bidding on keywords, they have a look at statistical data of the keywords popularity or its usage trend by the competitors. However, sometimes overload of data can be deceiving, it is better to rely on instincts.
When attending client meetings or apprising the client of the PPC’s performance, a report supported by numbers will do wonders, and the client will be hard pressed to accept the logic behind the actions of the PPC team. If a new feature has been run in the program, the winning percentage of that function will enforce the customer’s belief.
Primarily, they are Marketing Professionals
They are marketers. Their primary focus should be on selling the product through any legitimate means possible. They are genuinely motivated and look forward to applying their techniques to stimulate sales for the product. They would have the ability to design and sell the product to any demographic.
These are the qualifications and attitudes expected of a PPC manager. Other essential qualities define them, but these points are the basic foundations of a PPC manager. As more the time goes, the more they should be refined and adaptable to any situation.
The call of duty goes over and above the job description given above. PPC managers should broaden their horizons and be able to deliver the results that put the customer in the forward position. At the same time, they have to collect their dues from the client.
Conclusion
The world of internet marketing is growing, and so are the requirements of the business. The PPC manager should have the ability to calculate the risks and the rewards in the field. S/he alone is responsible for the decision taken and implemented. It is a three-part process like:
- Identify the problem,
- Estimate the resources to use in the solution of the problem,
- Make an ultimate decision and implement it.
These attributes will put a manager on top. So, if you have these qualities described above or adapt them and carve a niche for yourself in the world of PPC marketing.
Photo Credits: All-seo.com, Kyleoxenham.com, Ppcmanagemenet.com, Searchengineland.com
