The Future of PPC: 4 PPC Trends

Similar to J.K. Rowling adding new characters (ahem, Credence a.k.a. Aurelius Dumbledore) to the wizarding world, there are many new platforms that are now a part of the PPC world. 

The world of Pay Per Click (PPC) is ever-evolving. From Google to TikTok, advertisers around the world are experimenting with new avenues to attract and engage with new users and customers.

With the rise of AI, automation, and AR, PPC platforms are leveraging these features to increase engagement and improve their ROI. If you are an advertiser or working for an agency, we have curated a list of PPC trends you need to know in 2021: 

PPC Trend #1: Google Ads

1. Automation in PPC Advertising Will Continue to Rise

The global automation market size is expected to grow up to 214 billion by 2021 with the largest segment being process automation. 

Though automation in PPC advertising is not new, it will be one of the biggest PPC trends in 2021. The extensive use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will help PPC experts save time on manual tasks. Automation will help determine where you can best achieve the goals within each campaign.

Also, it will help PPC experts to not only craft effective campaigns but also:

• Identify performance issues of an account
• Optimize ads that help in generating better conversions 
• Generate ads dynamically based on user intent and website content 
• Calculate the best bidding strategy for various goals 
• Generate ad performance reports automatically

2. Goodbye Magic 8 Ball, Hello Smart Bidding

Don’t you often feel like you are playing with the Magic 8 Ball while planning the bidding strategies?

Optimizing campaign bids is a common challenge faced by most PPC experts. To reduce the pain of manually tracking and optimizing campaigns, Google Ads’ smart bidding will help you determine how much you can get from your budget.

Smart bidding, a subset of automated bidding strategies, is powered by machine learning. This feature optimizes your ads and increases conversions based on the goals you set. Smart bidding provides actionable insights based on user behavior patterns and trends. Now, you can bid goodbye to guessing your bidding strategy for Google Ads.

This is one of the PPC trends you need to look for in 2021.

3. All Hail To Responsive Search Ads (RSA)

Responsive Search Ads is one of Google’s most flexible search ad formats. While writing for RSAs, you can write up to 15 different headlines and up to four descriptions. Google automatically tests different options of headlines and descriptions. It will learn which combinations perform the best and share the best message depending on the keyword your target audience searches.

All you need is a creative copywriter who can help you with compelling headlines, descriptions, and a solid good CTA. Google will take care of the rest.

Here’s a tip: Use Dynamic Keyword Insertion to insert keywords in your headlines. 

4. Video Ads Will Continue To Rule

82% of all consumer internet traffic will come from videos by 2022. Including video ads in your PPC marketing strategy is effective for one simple reason – you can capture a large pool of audience. It has the potential to drive huge engagement and increase conversions in the long run.

Here’s how you can leverage videos for advertising:

• Link your product to video ads 
• Incorporate Virtual Reality (VR) to provide real-life experiences
• Use Bumper Machine to convert 90-sec videos into multiple 6-sec ads—skippable and non-skippable

PPC Trend #2: Facebook Ads

5. Video Ads Will Continue to Be #1

Every day, 8 Billion videos are viewed on Facebook. And most of them are on mobile. So, ensure that your videos are mobile-friendly.

The best part of Facebook video ads is that you can create a custom audience with the results. This will help in creating a look-alike audience for your next video ads which will help you engage with more potential leads.

You can also leverage Facebook Stories to run video ads. These video ads can either be mobile-shot or studio-shot.

While mobile-shot videos are 78% more effective for ad recall and 80% more effective for driving intent, studio-shot videos are 97% more effective for brand awareness. Using a combination of both mobile-shot and studio-shot ads can increase engagement and improve conversions significantly.

6. AI and AR Will Continue to Rise

Facebook has been heavily investing in AI and automation to improve the performance of ad campaigns and increase ROI.

Additionally, Facebook has also introduced AR ads to engage with users. They can do things like try-on make or play games.

For example, Michael Kors’ AR ads allow users to try on glasses before they make a purchase. This led to an increase in purchases and customer engagement. 

7. Mobile-First for Facebook Ads

If Facebook ads play an integral role in your PPC strategy, ensure that your ads are mobile-friendly.

Why?

93% of Facebook’s ad revenue is from mobile advertising. And with mobile ads, you have little space for creativity. Make sure you write a compelling headline and CTA. And don’t forget the CTA. Ads without a CTA result in fewer leads and higher cost per acquisition.

PPC Trend #3: TikTok Ads

8. #Memes, UGC, and Influencers – TikTok is the name of the game

TikTok has swept the world by its feet over the last few years. With over 800 million active users around the world, TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms today. TikTok provides an amazing opportunity to tap into vast and engaged audiences at key touchpoints throughout the day via the emotive, engaging format of full-screen video ads.

In October, Shopify and TikTok announced their partnership to help merchants advertise on the platform easily. Merchants can sell their products in shoppable video ads format and users can click on the ad to buy the product. This is an avenue you should explore and leverage to its full potential.

Publishing original and authentic brand content will continue to be a pillar of Tiktok’s success. Advertising on TikTok is one of the most interesting upcoming PPC trends.

PPC Trend #4: LinkedIn Ads

9. LinkedIn for B2B Advertising

If you are a B2B company, LinkedIn is the perfect platform to advertise. You can reach up to 630 million users with targeting options such as job title, company, industry, education, seniority, interests, and company connections. 

As a B2B marketer, you should explore the PPC trend of Conversation Ads in 2021. What makes conversation ads unique is that these feature a “choose your own path” experience. You can create full-funnel marketing campaigns with multiple customized and interactive CTAs throughout the customer's journey.

You can improve engagement by offering options like webinar signups, product education, or even an e-book download. These ads will help your prospects access content that is relevant to them and in turn, drive engagement and increase conversions.

Leveraging these PPC trends in 2021 will help you get the most of your PPC campaigns. Also, advertising in alternative platforms like AdRoll, Amazon, and Quora, can help you generate more leads and increase your ROI. 

If we have missed any PPC trends or you would like to talk to one of our PPC experts, connect with us at info@growthnatives.com.