Top Ten Tips for Digital Ads
Targeted Keyword Selection and Audiences - For Google Ads, focus on long-tail keywords and phrases that reflect specific services, project types, or locations, like "sustainable commercial architecture firm" or "San Francisco structural engineering services." These keywords often have lower competition and higher intent. On social media platforms, use demographic and interest-based targeting. For AEC firms, you might target based on industry roles (e.g., architects, contractors, developers) or geographic location.
Refine These - To avoid irrelevant traffic, use negative keywords to filter out searches that don’t match your services. This prevents your ads from being shown to users searching for unrelated terms, saving budget for the right clicks. Similarly, on social platforms, you can refine your audience by excluding certain groups or narrowing interests to ensure you're reaching the right people.
Localized Campaigns - AEC firms often serve specific regions, so tailoring your ads to target local audiences is essential. Use geo-targeting to ensure your ads appear to people searching within your service areas.
Optimize Landing Pages - Ensure that each ad leads to a dedicated landing page, not a generic homepage. The landing page should be highly relevant to the ad and offer valuable content, such as case studies, client testimonials, or project galleries. Ensure these pages are mobile-optimized, since many social media users browse from mobile devices.
Compelling Ad Copy - Write clear, benefit-driven ad copy that speaks to your firm's strengths, such as experience, specialties, or unique design approaches. Use action-oriented language to encourage clicks, and test different versions to see what resonates best with your audience. On social, you’ll also need eye-catching images or videos that highlight your firm's projects, design process, or innovative approaches.
Monitor your Relevance and Quality Scores - Continuously improve your Google Ads Quality Score by refining your keywords, ad copy, and landing page experiences. A higher Quality Score leads to lower costs per click and better ad placements. Social platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn also use relevance scores (similar to Google's Quality Score) to determine how often your ads are shown and at what cost. Engagement metrics (likes, comments, shares) play a big role, so your ad content should encourage interaction.
Leverage Retargeting - Use retargeting ads to reach people who have visited your site but haven’t converted. This keeps your firm top of mind and encourages prospects to return when they’re ready to make a decision. On social, you can create custom audiences of people who have visited your website or engaged with your social content and show them tailored ads to bring them back.
Track Conversions and ROI - Implement conversion tracking to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns. Use this data to adjust bids, ads, and landing pages based on what’s driving the most leads and inquiries.
Protect and Promote your Brand - Protect your firm's name by bidding on branded keywords. This ensures your ad appears when potential clients search for your firm directly, preventing competitors from capturing that traffic. Social ads can help protect and promote your firm’s brand by regularly showing ads to people who have engaged with your content, expanding your visibility to potential clients and partners.
A/B Testing - Continuously test different ad variations, whether with copy, imagery, or targeting. A/B testing helps you identify what resonates best with your audience, improving both engagement and conversion rates over time.