Display advertising is a great way for B2B companies to get their message in front of a vast network of interested prospects, but many remain unsure of how to adjust their campaigns to improve results. Google’s Display Network reaches 92 percent of all U.S. internet users, but it’s not enough just to be seen by a large audience, you want to reach the right people who will drive results by engaging with your ad and converting into leads and customers.
To drive conversions and sales through your display advertising campaigns, you have to make sure that you’re targeting the right groups and that your offer is compelling to those potential customers. Below, we list three tips for B2B companies that will help increase the effectiveness of your display advertising campaigns for improved results.
1. Identify High Quality Websites to Display Your Ads On
Through placement targeting, you can choose the websites where you want your ads to display from over 2 million options in Google’s database. This is especially useful for campaigns targeting a specific demographic or potential customers with special interests, and for marketers who know the websites their target audience visits.
For example, if your business sells cyber security software, you could choose to target any of the leading IT or technology websites Google offers. Identifying high quality websites to show your ads on will enable you to reach your desired demographic where they choose to spend their time, increasing the quality of the leads you generate and improving the results of your display advertising campaigns.
2. Find Prospects Via Keyword Through Contextual Targeting
Through contextual targeting at the keyword level, you can get your ads in front of potential customers while they’re engaging content similar or related to yours on other websites. This will ensure that your message is relevant and timely for the prospects that it reaches, and increase the chances of engagement with your ad and conversion.
For example, say you’ve created an ad group to advertise your company’s new cyber security software. Based on the keywords you’ve chosen to include—such as “cyber security for businesses” and “enterprise cyber security”—Google would use contextual targeting to identify and place your ad on Display Network webpages that match those keywords. When a potential customer browses those other relevant sites, your ad will appear, reaching them when they are in the right frame of mind to purchase such a product or service, and ultimately driving sales.
3. Offer Gated Content to Drive Conversions
In our experience, gated content offers consistently drive more results than offers to “request a quote” or “start a free trial”. Link your ad to a landing page with high quality content gated behind a form to increase the amount of leads you generate and gather contact information that you can use in other marketing efforts. Including a call-to-action in your ad copy that uses a verb, such as “download eBook,” will further compel a prospect to take action.
For tips on optimizing your B2B landing pages for conversion, see our previous blog post on the topic.
