Since pay-per-click advertising was introduced decades ago, marketers have worked diligently to figure out exactly how to use it to maximize ROI for brands. The topic is constantly evolving and new strategies are being developed regularly. In fact, our CEO Kevin England recently outlined how Vonazon optimizes PPC campaigns in his podcast, ‘Figuring It Out’.

The year 2020 threw us many curveballs, especially when it came to marketing. PPC specialists were forced to adapt to ever changing market conditions throughout an unprecedented public health pandemic. While we can’t exactly predict what will happen over the next year, there are a few emerging PPC trends we’ve noticed that are certainly here to stay.

  1. Say Bye to Data

Data has always been an integral asset for brands looking to strategize effective PPC campaigns. However, companies like Google are making ad-tracking efforts increasingly difficult. Starting 2023, advertisers will be unable to track users’ internet activity using third party cookies on Google’s Chrome browser and all associated ad networks. This move comes months after rivals Apple and Mozilla have implemented their own anti-tracking mechanisms.

PPC experts will need to take a closer look at search terms rather than solely keywords. With robust machine learning pushed by Google, closely related terms can trigger your ads and give you an opportunity to adjust keyword targeting and potentially lower your CPA’s or CPC.

Moving forward, digital advertisers must be comfortable with making decisions based on a limited amount of data. Instead of focusing on what’s wrong with PPC ads, marketers should emphasize the aspects that are driving results and build upon them.

  1. The Rise of Voice Search

Talking is more efficient than typing- On-the-go searches are increasingly more convenient with our mobile devices, TVs, home personal assistant devices, and tablets becoming increasingly popular amongst consumers.

Our PPC team at Vonazon audits these search terms and incorporates long-tailed key terms in the campaign. This results in highly targeted engagements, lower cost per click and reasonable client acquisition costs.

Believe it or not, voice search is expected to significantly gain in popularity over the next year. Studies show that about 50% of consumers will begin shopping strictly using their voice. This is largely due to the consistent rise of mobile e-Commerce, or m-commerce, shopping that was sparked by 2020’s coronavirus pandemic. Researchers forecast that nearly 3 of 4 e-commerce transactions will be m-commerce by the end of 2021. If you’re not creating and optimizing ads with voice search in mind, you’ll miss out on a huge portion of your audience in 2022.

  1. More Video Ads

Video ads are far more effective in grabbing viewer attention. In fact, 84% of consumers have purchased a product after seeing a brand-sponsored video. Video hosting platforms, such as YouTube, are growing at an alarming rate. YouTube ads are also still relatively affordable and reaches a larger audience that search ads. Your ads can be seen on search engine results, YouTube videos, or even on Display Networks. We can expect these platforms to start offering more features to help advertisers extract value from their engrained audience.

  1. SEO and PPC Integration

Aligning search engine optimization and pay-per-click campaigns has always been of prime importance for marketers and will continue to be a vital strategy in 2022. Utilizing both inbound marketing methods will help you target better keywords and understand keyword intent.

Commercial keywords are a big driver for Google ads (e.g. plumbers, divorce lawyers, realtors), but ranking locally for these services organically is a big investment in time and money.  Creating content around key phrases with keywords from your ads can increase your domain authority, CTRs and even lower your customer acquisition costs. This strategy benefits your client to find your services and products easily for a smoother sales journey or better client retention. This will be one of the top PPC trends advertisers must look out for in 2022.

  1. Optimizing the Mobile Experience

If you’ve been in marketing for a while, you’re likely not surprised to see this as one of next year’s top PPC trends. Perfecting the mobile experience will be key for brands looking to win big in 2022. Mobile web traffic currently accounts for over half of global web traffic to date and about 70% of paid search impressions happen on these devices. Advertisers must remember to check their page speed regularly to ensure the best online experience for the buyer. Making sure landing pages look aesthetically pleasing and are mobile friendly will also increase your conversion rates significantly.

  1. Going Social

Social media had only been adopted by 5% of American adults in 2005. Today, 72% of the population utilizes at least one social platform. Social media has become a great medium for advertisers to reach their intended audience, as more than 3 out of every 5 users visit these sites once a day. These platforms are continuing to create additional ad placements for brands, as traditional formats such as Instagram and Snapchat Stories have proven their value over the past few years. TikTok will also take center stage as one of 2022’s top platforms for PPC with over 1 billion monthly active users to date.

  1. Managing PPC With AI and Automation

Automation is gaining steam within the marketing world and is going to be one of the huge PPC trends in 2022. If you want greater success with your PPC efforts, you must get familiar with how automation works. When mastered, it helps marketers conserve time while finding ways to use artificial intelligence to gain an edge over rivals. Advertisers will soon be more focused on fine-tuning their machines and setting up alerts for any deviations rather than doing daily account maintenance on active campaigns.

Google has announced that by the end of June 2022, expanded text ads will be discontinued. This means that advertisers will only have the option to create responsive text ads for their campaigns. Google will then automate your headlines and description best fit to match the search query. For this reason, understanding automation and AI will help you scale campaigns efficiently and maximize your ROI on pay-per-click advertising spend.

  1. Remarketing Campaigns

As obvious as it sounds, remarketing to customers that have already engaged with your brand is a fantastic idea. We will see remarketing campaigns really come into the fold over 2022 as brands suffer from lack of data from ad platforms. It is also relatively inexpensive compared to other marketing methods, making it a great choice for advertisers looking to make the most of their allotted ad budget.

  1. Diversify Your Ad Channels

Several different ad platforms exist today. There’s the traditional Google and Facebook, but many brands are turning to newer channels such as Twitter and TikTok to find their audience. Trying each platform will give you an idea of who your target market is and how best you can reach them. With an increased number of mediums to advertise on, the chances of successfully delivering your message increases exponentially.

  1. Testing, Testing, and More Testing

As data and detailed insights diminish from certain platforms, advertisers must place an emphasis on testing their plan of approach regularly. One of the biggest PPC trends of 2022 will be to continuously adapt your strategies and find proven tactics to add to your toolkit. In our post-pandemic world, you should never get too comfortable with what you think you know – it could change in the blink of an eye.

Conclusion

PPC trends evolve regularly and staying on top of them is key. Understanding what’s hot and what’s not will help you plan fresh ways to reach your target audience for 2022. However, it’s not always possible to do it alone.

Need some help?

Vonazon’s outbound marketing strategists have decades of combined experience with PPC trends. Our strategic processes have been time-tested and proven to assist brands both small and large. You can relax knowing we completely manage your PPC accounts and send you periodic reports showing your progress. Contact us today to learn more about our services and receive a free evaluation.