We’ve written articles on pay-per-click advertising but we wanted to know how search advertising works on a deeper level so we did a dive. First, let’s define search advertising. We all search for things every day on Google. Do you know those sponsored ads that are placed at the top of your search results? Those are search ads. All search engines offer search advertising for advertisers. You’re probably wondering, “What other search engines are there besides Google?” Well, there are a few other than Google but they take the number one spot with 77.43% of the market. After that you have something called Baidu at 8.13%, Microsoft Bing with 7.31%, Yahoo with 5.6%, and lastly, Ask at a whopping 0.13%. As you can see they really dominate the market. So, how do these ads work?
Avoiding Click Fraud
Paying for your advertisements only when their clicked on seems like a pretty good deal right? You don’t have to pay someone unless people actually view and click on it. Although it seems like a good deal, there are now bots on the web to consider. If these bots are clicking on your ads then you end up paying for clicks that aren’t real people. Aka. No real views. Basically, you’re wasting your money if “click fraud” happens to you! 36% of display ads are fraudulent clicks (Lunio, 2021).
CTA: Why is it Important?
CTA or call to action buttons have a large role to play in advertising. This is where a brand turns someone who is a viewer into their customer. A lead into a client. According to Creative MMS, CTA’s on landing pages increase conversion rates by as high as 80%. But how? A call to action can help seal the deal on an ad campaign or website page. It inspires your audience to take the next step through giving the viewer obvious instructions what do next. The smoother the brand makes their CTA experience the better. People expect brands to give them information on what to do next so they don’t have to problem solve if they’re interested in what your brand has to offer.
What do CTA’s look like though? Let’s walk through them. First, submission forms. It can be for a newsletter or something similar where your audience becomes more identifiable through emails. One of the most common types of CTA’s found on websites are service/product discovery. As the name states, they lead people to services/products offered by the company. Another popular type is sharing. This offers the viewers to share the content across social media platforms and increases visibility for your brand. One that is commonly found on video content is “learn more” or “continue reading” buttons. However, these tend to perform lower than download now buttons (HubSpot). One specific type of CTA is event promotion and is exactly as it sounds.
Now that we’ve discussed some types of CTA’s, what makes one more compelling than another? Let me preface by saying that testing should always be done within a company to see what types of CTA’s and placements work best for the brand. There are a few guidelines that a brand can stick to otherwise to ensure a solid CTA. One, clearly stated benefits and actionable texts for the user. This takes the brain work out of the decision making for consumers who already have insane decision fatigue from fast-paced lifestyles. Two, exceptional designs that make the CTA stand out with contrast to the page or video to attract attention immediately. Three, keep it short! It must be five words or less. Last, and most important, proper placement is key. It must be the most visible thing and command attention. This will require some trial and error to get it just right.
The key takeaway here is that calls to action buttons are important for brands. They shouldn’t be an aspect of ad campaigns or websites that are mistakenly overlooked. They help funnel sales and create new clients. People expect to be assisted on what to do next after reading or watching. CTA’s take the leg work out for them, gives them a direct roadmap, and transitions become seamless from leads to clients.
