It’s no secret that when the economy goes south, the first cuts companies often make are from marketing. That could mean "bye-bye search budget" if you don’t take steps now to protect it. William Leake of Apogee Search explains in a recent MarketingProfs article how to keep the axe from falling on pay-per-click (PPC) search marketing:

Test all major changes to your website. If you launch a new landing page, A/B test it against the one you were previously using. If you're making several individual changes to any page that affects your PPC campaign, consider using a multivariate test to see which variables have the most impact and which combination is the best, he advises.

Refine your ad copy. In a tight economy, ads need to be targeted to attract only relevant traffic. “Make your ads specific, and make sure they accurately represent your company,” says Leake.

Try dayparting. Turn your ads off at times of the day that don’t deliver quality traffic, and pause them to selectively lower bids at others.

Keep an eye on the competition. “Stay aware of what your competition is doing, but don’t imitate them,” says Leake. If you have a competitor that seems to have a sophisticated campaign, study the company’s moves to gain some insights.

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