How to Optimize Your PPC Campaigns by Negative Targeting Low CTR Search Terms

Are you struggling with high click costs and low-converting search terms in your PPC campaigns? Don't worry; you're not alone. Many sellers face this issue, especially with broad campaigns. In this article, we'll discuss when to start negative targeting search terms and how to optimize your campaigns for better performance.

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Identifying Low CTR, Non-Converting Search Terms

If you have a high-cost item and notice a lot of low CTR click-through rate (CTR), non-converting search terms, it's time to consider negative targeting. For example, if a search term has 1500 impressions, 5 clicks, a 0.20% CTR, and 0 sales, it might be worth negating. The same goes for search terms with over a large number of impressions and (for example) just 1 click, as they can significantly damage your campaign's CTR.

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Finding the Right Threshold for Negative Targeting

Determining when to negate search terms depends on your specific campaign and niche. One approach is to negate search terms with a CTR lower than 1% and over 300 impressions if they have no sales. However, this might be too drastic for some campaigns.

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Optimizing for CTR and Reducing Wasted Ad Spend

In broad campaigns, it's crucial to optimize for CTR to avoid wasting ad spend, even if search terms are relevant. For instance, if your keyword is "running shoes" and you have over 100 relevant customer search terms with low CTRs, negating these terms can improve your overall campaign performance.

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Testing Different Campaigns and Strategies

If a relevant keyword has a low average CTR (e.g., lower than 0.5%), consider negating it from your broad campaign and testing it in a different campaign. This approach can help you identify the best-performing keywords and placements for your product.

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In conclusion, optimizing your PPC campaigns by negative targeting low CTR search terms can significantly improve your campaign performance and reduce wasted ad spend.

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Remember to analyze your specific campaign and niche to determine the best threshold for negative targeting and test different strategies to find the most effective approach.

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