All too often, the keywords and terms that you find or buy are too generic or broad to really reach the precise audience you are trying to reach. To solve that problem, you need to achieve a more granular keyword search that uncovers better keywords to use in your ads. In this post, you’ll learn 5 tips on finding and using keywords for PPC in the travel industry.
#1 Longtail keywords
Longtail keywords are full phrases rather than one or two words. For example, instead of “cheap flights,” you’d build ads around a series of longtail keywords like “cheap flights to Honolulu,” “cheap flights to Paris,” and so on. Long tail keywords tend to be more focused and more relevant to what your target customer is actually looking for.
#2 Change with the seasons & devices
In the travel industry, the sort of things people search for in Summer are different than what they search for in Winter. You want to adjust your PPC keywords accordingly because you don’t want to deal with a low-performing summer campaign in winter. It’s a waste of time and resources.
By the same logic, you don’t want to forget mobile devices. The way people type and search on a mobile device differs from how they search the same thing on a computer. You can learn more about this and other important tips in the ppc for travel industry guide.
#3 Use A/B testing
A/B testing is a basic marketing strategy. You come up with two different ads around the same keyword. Then, you do a testing phase where you launch both campaigns. Track each one and find out which one is performing better. Get rid of the lower performer. This will help you narrow in on the most effective strategy for each of your keywords.
The secret to effective content and advertising is taking a thorough, data-backed approach to developing online campaigns. And A/B testing your campaigns is one of the most important steps in that approach.
#4 Make a list of broad generic topics based on your topic
You can avoid paying for a list of ineffective generic keywords if you make your own list. You know your industry. You know what your brand has to offer. Brainstorm a list of generic words related to the travel industry and your brand. Then, use those as broader categories that each contain a set of more precise and effective longtail keywords.
#5 Don’t forget to check your competitors
The travel industry is definitely one of the most competitive. Your competitors are often trying to target a very similar demographic as you. So researching and tracking your competitors PPC ads and overall online marketing strategy will help you in two key ways.
First, it can help you identify the weak points in your own campaign. Second, it can help you find ways to create a superior campaign. So when watching your competitor’s campaign, gather data that answers questions like:
- What are the keywords they are bidding on?
- What kind of content is in their ad text?
- What landing page does the ad send you to and what is featured on it?
- How are users talking about their brand online?
With information like this, you can figure out where your offering can distinguish you from your competitors.