The Structure of a PPC Digital Marketing Plan With Conscious Commerce Corporation
Conscious Commerce • April 15, 2020
You don’t have to be a marketing professional to know that digital marketing is an increasingly essential part of modern business. Companies of all sizes dump vast resources into developing the ultimate online advertising campaigns.
One successful strategy is pay-per-click advertisements, also known as PPC ads. However, generating an effective PPC campaign is more challenging than it may seem, and many small business owners become frustrated with PPC.
One study
by Banner Blindness indicates that merely 2.8% of users believed ads on a website were relevant. This inability to appeal to the audience’s interests accounts for the common inefficiency of poorly-implemented digital marketing plans.
So, how can you create an effective digital marketing plan that leverages everything PPC has to offer?
Implementation Tips for Effective Online Marketing
A digital marketing plan is more than just a list of instructions for the sales department. It’s a detailed breakdown that maps out your company’s entire approach to paid marketing.
It’s not a job for a single group in your organization either. Identify your brand and subdivide it into different categories. Once you build independent digital campaigns for each of your sub-brands, you can ensure synergy among your advertisements.
For example, say you have a company that sells car windshields. You might divide your advertising into a B2B sector, a B2C sector, a repair service, and a special division focusing on your rain-repellant offerings.
Digital marketing is most effective for B2C advertising, specifically in the fields of consumer education and eCommerce conversion. But that doesn’t mean it can’t perform well in a B2B environment.
Overall Campaign Structure
Regardless of the sub-brand or business, the overarching campaign structure is mostly the same. Variations in each part of the sales funnel depend on company goals, the number of campaigns, types of advertisements, ad messaging, CTAs, and budgets.
The main difference is how and where you present that information. Here are a few common strategies that we use in our PPC marketing campaigns.
Top of the Funnel (TOTF) - Facebook Network & Google Display
Action: Awareness & Education
At the top of the funnel, the idea is to cast a wide net and find potentially interested users who are likely to click on the advertisements, visit the website, or interact with social media pages.
Once you have these touchpoints online, it’s time to capture their information and use it to move down the funnel. Build a “digital persona” of the type of customer you will be aiming for and begin sending more specific advertising messages. You can also look for similar audience demographics.
TOTF sales funnels are primarily broad interest groups. These customers actively shop in areas of the market related to your business’s products and services.
Potential TOTF Audience Examples
Having a type of audience to target will guide your digital marketing plan. Let’s take a look at an example of a plumbing company.
When advertising to customers, there may be a certain group of individuals interested in specific plumbing problems that will search online for plumbing maintenance services. Others will be actively shopping for deals on DIY tools and products.
Think about other companies that these users might search for and ensure that your advertisement campaign targets those customers as well. Another step is to make sure that your ads target websites that have keywords related to your products.
The goal of this stage is to build awareness and education by creating relevant content that appeals to a user’s search intent.
Middle of the Funnel (MOTF) - Facebook Network
Action: Education & Engagement
The middle funnel consists of both past customers and those who have engaged with your company’s advertisements before. These users are aware of the basics of your industry but want to dig deeper into potentially interesting products and services.
At this point, your campaign messages should get specific, as you are closer to a sale but aren’t quite there yet. Since the customers in MOTF have already shown their interest, we can consider them “low-hanging fruit.” Offering special promotions or discount codes are an excellent way to push them down to the bottom of the funnel.
The goal here is to engage these users by providing them with incentives to convert. This may be through educational content that reassures their pain points or a well-timed discount that seals the deal.
Potential MOTF Audience Examples
There are many sources to find examples of MOTF audience members. Some of them include:
- Lists of customers from CRM database uploads
- Clients who have engaged with your business’s ads before, whether they’re video advertisements or online forms
- Web page visitors, especially regular ones
- Social media page users, including those who have “liked” posts on Facebook or Instagram
Bottom of the Funnel (BOTF) - Facebook Network (Catalog Sales) & Google Search
Action (Conversion)
At the bottom of the funnel, customers have been driven from the top and middle funnel and are ready to make a purchase. It’s your job to push for the conversion, and remarketing is crucial at this point in the digital advertising plan.
Customers who are using Google Search to find your business are at the bottom of the funnel for you, but searchers like these can run independently from the funnel entirely. These users already know what they want and have gone through their own sales journey. Your only job is to ensure that your ads show up when they search.
The goal is here to position your products and services in a favorable way that will increase the chances of securing a sale.
BOTF Audience Examples
The network of users who have viewed products on your site are examples of BOTF audiences. It’s best to use catalogue feeds to remarket products to returning visitors.
As mentioned, users coming to your site from a Google Search are also at the bottom of the funnel.
Lookalike Audiences
When enough users become customers or engage with our digital properties in the MOTF and BOTF stages, we can create Lookalike Audiences. These are groups of customers that look like the ones we’ve engaged with.
They have seen our digital properties, added items to the cart, or even made a purchase before. Once they go back up to the top of the funnel, they will likely proceed through it more quickly since they’re already familiar with your brand.
Sub-brand/Business Specific Recommendations
Because each subdivision of your brand has its own unique attributes and goals, the process you take through the sales funnel should differ for each of them.
Another strategy to keep in mind is to recognize actively what additional opportunities your business might have. Doing so is more important than ever during the COVID-19 virus pandemic.
As regular streams of revenue dry up, companies must rethink their business models
and search for new ones.
- Restaurants are transitioning to takeout only
- Gyms might start offering online training sessions.
- Brick and mortar stores are transitioning to online
Similarly, these organizations may turn to paid advertisements to drive extra revenue. Remember, a large portion of your customer base is likely working from home and more accessible than ever.
Here’s What You Need to Do Before We Start
Here’s a quick checklist before we can get started building your company’s next digital marketing plan.
- Code Placement. Place an HTML tracking code on your website and social media pages to gather information on client usage data.
- Google Account Access. We will find the primary account admin and set up your Google account once we have the right permissions that will grant us access.
- Ecommerce/Catalogue Feeds. We will use updated photographs and other elements of eCommerce for Facebook Network Catalogue Campaigns. The photos sell the product, so it’s important that they look professional.
- Audience & Messaging Conversation. Before we start building any creative or writing ad copy, we need to know who your ideal target markets are. Some extra detailed information helps too, including the strengths and barriers to success each sub-brand of your business experiences. This way, we can design creative messaging that speaks directly to your markets.
Ready to Get Started? Let CCC Empower Your Digital Marketing
Building a digital marketing plan is no easy task. There are many steps and variables to keep track of if you want to appeal to the right customer at the right time.
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Are you looking to grow your business in the digital age? Let Conscious Commerce Corporation build a digital marketing plan that turns your browsers into buyers.
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Once you have created your Google Business Profile, you will need to complete the verification process before it can be shown publicly. Verification methods are automatically determined by Google, are based on your business type, public information, region, or business hours, and can’t be changed. In some cases, you may need to verify your business with more than one method. Methods include: Video Recording Record a 30+ second, unedited video proving you are the owner of the business and it is located at the address indicated in the profile. Phone or Text When you select this method, you will get a call or text with a code Email This method will have you receive an email with verification steps Live Video Call Similar to the video recording, you will join a live video call and show the support representative key details proving your business ownership and locations Mail A postcard will be sent to the address associated with your profile within approximately 14 days. On the postcard will be a secure verification code. What's Next After you complete the verification steps, Google reviews the info you provided. To help maintain the integrity of your Business Profile, verification review can take up to 5 business days. Once the review process is complete, you will receive a notification email. If your verification was approved, your profile will be visible to the public. If your verification was not approved, you will have one of these three options to proceed: Re-Verification When the “Get verified” button appears on your Business Profile again, it means Google couldn’t completely verify your business. To fix this issue, try to re-verify your business. Review Issues When you verify through a video recording and get a “Review issues” notification, it means your video wasn’t accepted. To fix this issue: Select Review issues . Follow the on-screen instructions. Give Additional Information If you’re asked to provide additional info to re-verify your profile, it’s likely because some of your business details were recently updated.
The most commonly used verification method for Google Business Profiles as of 2025 is video verification. This process involves uploading a video that captures key details about your business and helps Google confirm that you represent the business. Before you start Take the time to plan your video. You can’t record a video offline and then upload the file for verification later. Your video will need to be at least 30 seconds long and unedited. Your video recording should not include: Any sensitive information like bank account, tax, or identification numbers. Any other private information about yourself or others. Other people’s faces. Video Requirements For Storefronts Important: If your business doesn’t have permanent on-site signage, it's not eligible as a storefront and should be listed as a service-area business. Videos must show: The location of your business: Capture the official street and number signs, nearby businesses, recognizable landmarks, or the area around your business that shows your business is at the correct Google Maps location. Evidence that your business exists: Capture the storefront, showroom, or business signage. Show your business name printed on permanent fixtures, such as a signboard, wall, or window. The business name shown in the video must match the name of your Business Profile. Demonstrate proof of management: You can show that you’re authorized to represent your business by recording employee-only items or areas. Record yourself opening a cash register, accessing a point-of-sale system, unlocking the store, staff room, kitchen, or storage room. Video Requirements For Service-Area Businesses Videos must show: The location where you offer your services: Good examples include signs in your service area that advertise your business or street signs and landmarks next to your business. A bad example is land that can be present anywhere or unmarked land. Show evidence that your business exists: Capture branded work equipment, marketing materials, services or products for sale, or tools you use to serve your customers. Good examples include recording yourself unlocking a van with your business name on it or branded t-shirts for employees or customers. Demonstrate proof of management: You can record yourself providing the service or showing business documents. For example, business registration, invoices, or utility bills that match the name on your Business Profile.
If you’re a business owner but a verified Business Profile for your business on Google Search or Maps is owned by someone else, you can request ownership from the current profile owner.
As an owner of your business's Google Business Profile (GBP), you can add users to the profile. Each user will get their own access and you won't need to share login information.
When you add and verify your Business Profile, customers can find your business on Search and Maps. To make sure your business is eligible to show up on Google, verify your Business Profile . After you successfully add or claim your profile, you can control how your business information shows up on Google. You can add or claim your business at no charge. If you have questions about profile verification, check the Business Profile community .
Your Google Business Profile may be suspended or disabled for "not following Google's guidelines ". If you believe that it should be reinstated or that you have updated it to conform to the guidelines, you may submit an appeal. Submitting an Appeal Step 1: Prepare Your Evidence Once you begin your appeal process and open the evidence form, you will have 60 minutes to submit the form, or it will not be attached to your appeal. Evidence that you may be requested to attach includes things like your official business registration, a business license, and tax certificates. These documents must match the business name and address that you have listed on the Google Business Profile. Step 2: Submit Your Appeal Open the Google Business Profile appeals tool . If you’re signed in to the Google account related to the profile you want to appeal, select Confirm. To select a different account, select Switch account. Select the Business Profile that you want to appeal > Continue. The Google Business Profile appeals tool shows: The restricted profile The reason for the moderation action A link to the violated policy At the bottom right, select Submit Appeal. Optional: A prompt to submit evidence may appear. To strengthen your appeal, we highly recommend submitting evidence. To open the evidence form, after you submit your appeal, select Add evidence. Select Submit. Google will review your appeal and send you an email with a decision. Step 3: Check the Status of Your Appeal After you submit your appeal, you can stay aware of the status by doing the following: Open the Google Business Profile appeals tool . Make sure you’re signed in to the Google Account related to your Business Profile. Select the Business Profile for the appeal that you submitted. On the right, you’ll find the status of the appeal: Submitted Approved Not Approved Can't be appealed Eligible for appeal Optional Step 4: Request an Additional Review If your reinstatement request is denied, you may be able to request an additional review to prove your eligibility. In this review, you can submit more evidence that was not added to your original appeal.
You can have only one Business Profile for each business. Multiple profiles for the same business may mislead your customers and are against Google's policies. If a profile is considered a duplicate, it won’t show on Google Search or Maps. Understand Why Profiles are Marked as Duplicates There are several reasons why a profile may be considered a duplicate: Existing verified profile: A verified profile already exists for the same business on Google. Same address: Multiple profiles have the same address. Different services: Multiple profiles exist for the same business that offer different services. You can refer to the following guidance to resolve situations with duplicate profiles.
