Launching a successful Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaign requires strategic planning, creativity, and the right set of tools. While there are numerous paid tools available, you don’t necessarily need to break the bank to run a successful campaign. In this blog, we’ll share some of the top free tools we use for our PPC campaigns.
Before diving into the world of PPC, it is important to have a solid understanding of your client’s products or services.
What are their unique selling points? Who is their target audience? This foundational knowledge will shape the direction of your campaign and help you create compelling ads.
Competitive Analysis
Understanding your competitors can give you a competitive edge. By analysing what they’re doing, you can identify gaps in the market and opportunities to differentiate yourself.
Here are some free tools you can use for competitive analysis:
SimilarWeb
SimilarWeb is a comprehensive competitive analysis tool that provides;
Insights into website traffic,
User Engagement, and
Key Metrics for any website.
It also allows you to see;
Where your competitors are getting their traffic from,
What keywords they’re ranking for, and
Even what their audience demographics look like.
With SimilarWeb, you can benchmark your performance against competitors. It will help you Identify new opportunities. It will help you refine your digital marketing strategies across SEO, PPC, and content marketing.
Google Ads Transparency
Google Ads Transparency allows you to search and view active ads from any advertiser.
This tool provides a transparent view of the ads that advertisers are currently running on Google. This makes it easier for you to understand the strategies and trends in the PPC landscape. Whether you’re interested in what your competitors are doing or you want to get inspiration for your campaigns. Google Ads Transparency can be a valuable resource.
Facebook Ads Library
Similar to Google Ads Transparency, the Facebook Ads Library lets you view active ads from any Facebook Page.
It offers transparency by allowing you to see the ads that advertisers are currently running on Facebook.
This tool is particularly useful for understanding the types of ads that resonate with audiences on Facebook. And also for conducting competitive analysis.
LinkedIn Ad Library
The LinkedIn Ads Library is a tool that lets you search for and view active advertisements that are running on LinkedIn.
Just like Google Ads Library and Facebook Ads Library. This provides transparency by allowing anyone to see the ads that advertisers are currently running on the platform.
So, if you’re curious about what kind of ads a particular company or individual is running on LinkedIn, you can use the LinkedIn Ads Library to find out.
It’s a useful resource for;
Competitive Analysis,
Market Research, and
Understanding current advertising trends on the platform.
SEMrush Free Version
The SEMrush Free Version offers limited free insights into your competitors;
Organic,
Paid keywords,
Backlinks, and more.
While it may not provide as much detail as the paid version, it does give valuable insights to help you identify opportunities and refine your paid advertising strategies.
SpyFu
SpyFu allows you to download your competitors’ most profitable keywords and ads for both paid and organic searches.
This tool does more than just show keywords. It gives you helpful info about your competition, so you can do better in your marketing.
Whether you’re focused on SEO or PPC, SpyFu offers insights that can inform and enhance your strategies.
These free competitive analysis tools can be incredibly helpful in;
- Benchmarking your performance against competitors,
- Identifying new opportunities, and
- Refining your digital marketing strategies across SEO, PPC, and content marketing.
Keyword Research
Keywords are the backbone of any PPC campaign. They determine when and where your ads will appear, so it’s crucial to choose them wisely.
Here are some of the free tools you can use when you do keyword research:
Google Keyword Planner
It’s a go-to resource for many marketers.
This will help you identify potential keywords for your campaigns.
This will help you with the search volume for those keywords, and
Gauge the level of competition they might face.
Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest gives you detailed info about keywords, like how often they’re searched for, how much they cost for ads, and how hard they are to rank for.
This tool helps marketers find the best keywords for both SEO and PPC, so they can optimise their campaigns better.
Keyword.io
Keyword.io generates keyword ideas from multiple sources, including Google, Bing, YouTube, and more.
This tool helps you find lots of different keyword ideas on various platforms, giving you a complete picture of what keywords you could use
AnswerThePublic
AnswerThePublic provides visualisations of questions and phrases that people use when searching for specific topics.
This tool helps you understand the search intent behind keywords. Eventually, helps you create content that addresses the questions and needs of your target audience effectively.
It’s an essential tool for brainstorming content ideas and conducting long-tail keyword research.
These free keyword research tools are super useful for;
- Picking the best keywords for your ads,
- Figuring out what your audience is searching for, and
- Making your campaigns work better.
Ad Creation and Optimisation
Once you’ve gathered all the necessary insights, it’s time to create your ads. A well-designed ad can significantly impact the success of your campaign.
Here are some free tools to help you create and optimise your ads:
Canva
Canva is a user-friendly graphic design tool that can help you create eye-catching ad creatives.
With its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and diverse selection of templates. Canva makes it easy for even non-designers to design professional-looking ads.
Whether you need a banner ad, social media post, or any other visual content, Canva has got you covered.
Grammarly
Grammarly checks your ad copy to make sure it’s clear, short, and free of mistakes.
It doesn’t just fix grammar and spelling; it also gives tips to make your sentences sound better and easier to read.
With Grammarly, you can make sure your ad copy is polished, enhancing its effectiveness and engagement.
Unsplash or Pexels
Unsplash or Pexels offer high-quality, royalty-free images to enhance your ad visuals.
Visual content really helps get people’s attention and get your message across.
These platforms let you find awesome images that connect with your audience, and you don’t have to stress about copyright problems.
Hemingway Editor
The Hemingway Editor helps you write clear and concise ad copy that is easy to understand and engaging for your audience.
It highlights complex sentences, passive voice, and other readability issues in your ad copy.
Hemingway Editor can improve the overall quality of your ad copy and ensure it communicates your message effectively.
These free ad creation and optimisation tools can be incredibly helpful in;
- Creating eye-catching ad creatives,
- Proofreading and optimising ad copy, and
- Enhancing ad visuals for better engagement.
Tracking and Analysis
Last but not least, tracking and analysing your campaign’s performance is crucial for ongoing success. There are no other best tools to analyse your paid ad campaigns aside from the platform where you ran the ads.
Here are some free tools you can use to monitor your campaign’s progress:
Google Analytics
Google Analytics helps you understand how well your ads are working. It shows you where people are coming from when they click on your ads and visit your website.
This is great because it helps you figure out which ads are doing a good job and which ones are not. Also, it keeps track of what visitors do on your site, like signing up or buying something after clicking on an ad. This helps you use your ad money better and reach the right people.
LinkedIn Campaign Manager
LinkedIn Campaign Manager shows you how well your ads are performing on LinkedIn. It provides insights into the number of people who see and click on your ads.
This helps you understand if your ads are effective and reaching the right audience of professionals.
The tool also tracks specific actions like sign-ups or downloads, allowing you to measure the impact of your ads on achieving your business goals.
Overall, LinkedIn Campaign Manager helps you optimise your ads to get the best results and reach your target audience more effectively.
Meta Business Suite
Meta Business Suite offers a comprehensive view of your paid ads on Facebook. It provides metrics on engagement and cost-effectiveness, helping you evaluate the return on your ad spend.
The tool also provides information about the demographics of your ad audience, helping you tailor your ad content more effectively. By tracking key conversion actions such as sign-ups and purchases, Meta Business Suite helps you understand the direct impact of your ads on your sales goals.
This enables you to make data-driven decisions to optimise your ad campaigns and achieve better results.
Instagram Insights
Instagram Insights focuses on evaluating the performance of your paid ads on Instagram. It offers valuable metrics on engagement and the cost-effectiveness of these interactions, essential for assessing your ROI.
The tool provides insights into the demographics of your ad audience, helping you tailor your ad content to resonate better with your target audience.
Additionally, Instagram Insights tracks key conversion actions like sign-ups and purchases, illuminating the direct impact of your ads on your business objectives.
This information is crucial for optimising your ad strategies and achieving better results from your Instagram advertising efforts.
Conclusion
Launching a successful PPC campaign doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. By following these essential steps and leveraging the right free tools, you can create a high-performing campaign that delivers impressive results for your clients.