Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing is an effective way for businesses to drive traffic and increase brand awareness. Here’s how to stay ahead of the competition by conducting a thorough PPC competitive analysis of others in your industry and using your findings to improve your own PPC activities. 

1. Identify the competition 

Start by identifying your primary competitors. Consider both direct competitors offering similar products or services and indirect competitors targeting similar keywords. 

2. Analyse their PPC strategy

Next, find out how they combine SEO and PPC strategies to cover both organic and paid channels. Do this by identifying which of your competitors’ keywords are driving the most traffic and conversions, as well as monitoring their search engine ranking. It also helps to look at where your competitors' ads are being displayed, such as in search engine results pages (SERPs), on specific websites, or on social media.

3. Research their ad copy and landing pages

A well-designed landing page with relevant content can significantly impact conversion rates, so look at your competitors’ headlines and descriptions on their websites to identify what convinces visitors to take action. Additionally, analyse their ad copy so as to understand their messaging, paying attention to their unique selling points (USPs) and any current promotions. 

4. Check their PPC spend

Gain insights into your rivals’ priorities by examining how they allocate their PPC budget. This can be done by using ad intelligence tools, analysing their search engine rankings, monitoring their ads and how often they appear, as well as looking at their online presence on social media. 

5. Monitor their performance 

Consistently monitor your competitors' PPC performance by staying updated on changes to their ad copy, keywords, and landing pages. This will allow you to quickly respond to any shifts in their strategies and maintain your competitive edge. 

Written by Stephanie Clark