educational

Maximizing PPC Campaigns

Do you have any idea how much money you are throwing away on your ay-er-lick advertising? Do you know which keywords are converting into orders? Do you know your advertising (conversion) cost per order?

If your answer to any of the above questions is no, then you're probably throwing away from 20 percent to 80 percent of your budget every month. This is money that you can save by tracking the conversions and associated costs of each keyword. The good news is that there are several tools available that can help you track your costs, right down to the keyword. Most PPC advertisers can now significantly reduce their cost per acquisition. In some cases, you could reinvest some of that money and increase the number of closes as well. The key is refining your campaign by focusing only on the words that convert into orders.

Tracking Conversions
Several companies have now developed the technology to track the conversions and associated costs of each keyword. Some of these companies include: Keywordmax.com, Gotoast.com and Google.com (for their own PPC advertising). By knowing which words convert into orders, you can eliminate the rest and save those wasted dollars. In addition, there are other words that cost too much for their conversions, again wasting money. Take the money you are saving and direct it only to the words that deliver; or, if you prefer, send half to me.

This methodology yields a refined campaign where each word is justified by resulting in orders. It typically takes a few months to gather enough data to analyze. However, during that time, it will become very evident which words are delivering the best results. After a few months, you can analyze the entire campaign and make major changes. These changes will yield a significant improvement in your cost and quantity of acquisitions.

Get Rid of It
We are inundated with statistics: There is the click-through rate, clicks per day, conversion ratios and cost per click, just to name a few. Forget them – don't ever look at them again – as they're all (almost) worthless. If you're like most of us, we spend several hours a month analyzing the statistics and trying to come to reasonable conclusions, only to be more confused.

There's only one statistic that has any real meaning: What is your cost per order? That's it! Do you really care how many clicks you got for a specific keyword? Who cares? If that keyword doesn't deliver an order, get rid of it! Don't get enamored with how cool it is to be in the number one position if that word doesn't deliver orders – get rid of it!

Keywords Are King
I typically launch campaigns with hundreds of keywords. Since your orders are directly related to people clicking on certain keywords, it's essential to have many relevant keywords. It's amazing how many "order-producing words" I have found using keyword mining tools. You cannot imagine all of the combinations that people use – many of which become your best words. Consequently, the more relevant keywords you have, the more orders. There are several tools available to help you mine for keywords, including Google, Overture, and Wordtracker.

Many of you will be surprised to find the old 20/80 rule also holds true here, with 20 percent of your keywords delivering 80 percent or more of your orders. I've seen campaigns where five percent deliver 100 percent of the orders. Can you imagine how much money is being thrown away? By the time you're finished eliminating the words that don't deliver, you will be down to just a handful. Finding new productive words is the key to scaling your campaign.

Start Saving Now
By using the above methodology, you can now create new campaigns or refine existing ones and find out within 30 days if the campaign is delivering. The process includes: finding hundreds of keywords, placing the words on Google and/or Overture and tracking each click. Within 30 days you'll be able to:

(1) analyze the words that convert;

(2) know the conversion cost of each word; and

(3) begin to save thousands of dollars.

I hope this helps in your future marketing decisions.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

WIA Profile: Lainie Speiser

With her fiery red hair and a laugh that practically hugs you, Lainie Speiser is impossible to miss. Having repped some of adult’s biggest stars during her 30-plus years in the business, the veteran publicist is also a treasure trove of tales dating back to the days when print was king and social media not even a glimmer in the industry’s eye.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

Fighting Back Against AI-Fueled Fake Takedown Notices

The digital landscape is increasingly being shaped by artificial intelligence, and while AI offers immense potential, it’s also being weaponized. One disturbing trend that directly impacts adult businesses is AI-powered “DMCA takedown services” generating a flood of fraudulent Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Building Seamless Checkout Flows for High-Risk Merchants

For high-risk merchants such as adult businesses, crypto payments are no longer just a backup plan — they’re fast becoming a first choice. More and more businesses are embracing Bitcoin and other digital currencies for consumer transactions.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

What the New SCOTUS Ruling Means for AV Laws and Free Speech

On June 27, 2025, the United States Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, upholding Texas’ age verification law in the face of a constitutional challenge and setting a new precedent that bolsters similar laws around the country.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What You Need to Know Before Relocating Your Adult Business Abroad

Over the last several months, a noticeable trend has emerged: several of our U.S.-based merchants have decided to “pick up shop” and relocate to European countries. On the surface, this sounds idyllic. I imagine some of my favorite clients sipping coffee or wine at sidewalk cafés, embracing a slower pace of life.

Cathy Beardsley ·
profile

WIA Profile: Salima

When Salima first entered the adult space in her mid-20s, becoming a power player wasn’t even on her radar. She was simply looking to learn. Over the years, however, her instinct for strategy, trust in her teams and commitment to creator-first innovation led her from the trade show floor to the executive suite.

Women in Adult ·
opinion

How the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act Could Impact Adult Businesses

Congress is considering a bill that would change the well-settled definition of obscenity and create extensive new risks for the adult industry. The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, makes a mockery of the First Amendment and should be roundly rejected.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
opinion

What US Sites Need to Know About UK's Online Safety Act

In a high-risk space like the adult industry, overlooking or ignoring ever-changing rules and regulations can cost you dearly. In the United Kingdom, significant change has now arrived in the form of the Online Safety Act — and failure to comply with its requirements could cost merchants millions of dollars in fines.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Understanding the MATCH List and How to Avoid Getting Blacklisted

Business is booming, sales are steady and your customer base is growing. Everything seems to be running smoothly — until suddenly, Stripe pulls the plug. With one cold, automated email, your payment processing is shut down. No warning, no explanation.

Jonathan Corona ·
profile

WIA Profile: Leah Koons

If you’ve been to an industry event lately, odds are you’ve heard Leah Koons even before you’ve seen her. As Fansly’s director of marketing, Koons helps steer one of the fastest-growing creator platforms on the web.

Women in Adult ·
Show More