One of the top complaints we hear from self-storage operators is the lack of visibility into their pay-per-click (PPC) advertising data. Many of these operators have expressed an interest in changing how they manage their PPC and who manages it for them.
The bad news? They may never get their own data from their current vendor. They are stuck, trapped, and feel like they can’t leave because of a gatekeeper holding this information in secret.
Can you access your data? Can you leave your current PPC vendor whenever you’re ready? Can you get insight into how your valuable PPC advertising dollars are being spent?
Let’s look at the three major components of your Google Ads account (not Google Analytics) and how they drive occupancy.
Adjustment History and Strategy – Ask your current vendor if you can even login to your Google Ads account to see this information. If you can gain access, you can view all the changes that have been made during a date range. Information such as budget adjustments, keyword changes, and campaign edits will all be displayed for your review.
You’ll also get to see key account data related to impressions, conversions, clickthrough rate (CTR), and cost. With this data you’ll be able to assess the performance data against the relevant changes and gain insight into the impact of these changes. If you have access, then all you must do is go to the page menu on the left and click ‘Change History’ to get started.
Keyword Strategy – Any successful PPC approach begins with the selection of strong keyword lists to help your ad find its way to a potential customer’s search. Review your keyword lists and talk to your provider about their strategy. Are the lists too simple? While there are obvious search terms like “self-storage” and “self-storage near me,” these can be highly competitive and expensive. Consider revising the strategy to include more niche terms like RV, business storage, or drive-up access. Did they research historical trending and search volume data of keywords? This can provide critical insight into the selection of keywords and how they might impact cost and results. The key here is to choose quality keywords over quantity and show those keywords to your geographic audience. It’s also the chance to review what your competition is bidding for keywords and a way to help you make the most of your budget.
Search Volume vs. Competitors – While there is no direct way to see what your competition is spending on PPC, there are actionable ways to view your performance and that of your competitors. Ask you current vendor if they are reviewing this key data. At Adverank, our proprietary algorithms automatically focus on your impression share, or just how often your ads are appearing in the Google search results pages. This data won’t tell you exactly what the competition is spending, but it can be tracked over time and be utilized in making budget decisions. More competition will impact your impression share, but you should always be evaluating how your budget is impacting those impression shares. Those competitive metrics are invaluable in developing a winning PPC strategy.
The good news? You can always start a new strategy and leave your current vendor without disrupting your PPC results. We will quickly put you on a winning path and with Adverank, it will always be your data, on your Google Ads account, with full transparency always for one simple monthly fee.
