It all starts with a click. It’s how we traverse the virtual world, taking us from one website to the next, from query to landing page, from interest to conversion. As such, it’s imperative that we spend some time getting to know how they work and what you can do to make the most out of them.
To start off, let’s first ask ourselves: What constitutes a click?
Well, a click is registered when a user is directed from the ad to the destination, most commonly a website. As a rule though, clicks are counted even when this transfer is interrupted. An example would be when the user reaches a temporarily down site. This can be an explanation for a discrepancy in the number of ad clicks and website visits that you may encounter.
Measuring of Clicks
A metric that is commonly used is the Click-through Rate which accounts for the number of people who clicked your ad upon viewing it. These ads come in a variety of forms from:
- Banner
- Text ad
- Button
The goal is to get the potential customer from one place—be it the search engine, a social media post, a newsletter—to your website. In order to know how much each of these clicks cost, advertisers turn to CPC (Cost Per Click) in order to assess their value.
Best Practices
Make sure your ads are click-worthy but avoid clickbaits
Gone are the days when clickbaits were all the rage on the internet. Now, they’re treated as a nuisance and won’t guarantee you high-quality leads. Instead of withdrawing information from the audience, use the ads to impart some insights so they can be compelled to learn more and click. Informative and inviting—those are the keywords for winning clicks.
Highly-targeted ads are more likely to be clicked so get to know your audience and their problems
In the world of digital advertising, the more targeted the ad is, the better. Not only will you acquire leads who are most likely to convert, but you will also be avoiding spending precious resources—whether it’s your money or time—on leads who aren’t exactly looking for the services you provide. Take it from this ancient philosophy quote: The man who chases two rabbits catches neither.
Aim to improve your metrics based on the context
It’s fruitless to just aim to increase how many clicks you’re getting. Instead, get to know the standard click-through rates for the industry you’re in, the channels your ads are located, etc. For example, part-time students might do their research process quicker since they have jobs and families to juggle that’s why their CTRs might be lower. Or perhaps using statistics in your copies are more effective in search ads than display ads.
Treat clicks as a means to an end, not as the goal.
It can be quite easy to get caught up in increasing your click rates but you should only treat it as widening your marketing funnel. As such, it’s important that you have effective strategies in place beyond your ads’ copy game. Make sure your website is easily navigable or your Contact Form / Subscription Page (or any conversion page for that matter) is highly visible.
For more practical measures on how to make your audience click your ads, check out our article here.
