Optimizing Your PPC Campaign for Mobile: Strategies & Examples

Global mobile ad spending hit a record $321.1 billion in 2022, with a projected increase to nearly $399.6 billion by 2024, and mobile devices account for about 58.33% of all website visits globally.



So, if you want to meet your target audience where they are (on their screens), it's time to invest in optimizing your pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns for mobile devices.

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Optimization strategies for mobile PPC campaigns

In mobile advertising, relevance is the name of the game. Targeting your ads to the right audience requires a good dose of planning and strategy.

1. Get your timing right

Mobile users are active at various times throughout the day, unlike desktop users, who browse the web at specific hours. This is where time-targeting comes into play, aligning your ads to the day, hour, or even minute for maximum impact.

Take a fast-food app that pushes a notification right after work—like Uber Eats below—enticing you to order in rather than making food at home, or a ping on a Monday morning to get organized by downloading a brand's tracker.



2. Make location a priority

User location is a powerful tool for targeted ads. For instance, an ad targeted at urbanites could highlight cool events or local eats—like the Nourishd example below— while those in the suburbs might be into ads for home services or sweet deals at the local grocery spot. It's all about giving customers what they're into right where they are.



With Google Ads, you can choose the geographic locations for your ads: countries, areas within a country, a radius around a site, or location groups.

Tailoring your ads based on location can enhance campaign effectiveness and potentially increase ROI.

» Are you looking to supercharge your PPC campaigns? Try these key PPC trends.

3. Target specific devices

The type of device a user has can reveal their preferences and spending habits. Targeting specific device models can be effective, especially for luxury or lifestyle brands. If someone owns a high-end iPhone, they may be more inclined to invest in premium products. Conversely, an older device might suggest different financial considerations.



Cheatsheet for great mobile PPC campaigns

Here's a summary of actionable tips you can apply to your mobile PPC campaigns:

• Adapt creative video formats: Mobile screens are compact, and attention spans are fleeting. Ensure your videos are concise and instantly captivating. For example, platforms like TikTok demand a different filming approach than traditional web videos.
• Grab attention as fast as possible: Mobile users have limited patience. Your ads must pique their interest within seconds. Crafting an attention-grabbing opening is paramount. Non Nom does this well with an opening line that gets right to the heart of the issue:






• Optimize for limited space: Mobile screens offer minimal real estate. Avoid verbosity and keep your message succinct and impactful.
• Go for a user-centric design: Consider how users interact with their mobile devices. Incorporate intuitive actions like swiping, tilting, or device shaking into your ad experience to engage users effectively.
• Tailor to platform strengths: Each platform presents unique ad opportunities. If you have an iOS app, Apple Search Ads might be your go-to choice. Understand where your audience predominantly engages and tailor your strategy accordingly.

4 key aspects of mobile PPC advertising to consider

Mobile devices introduce unique challenges and opportunities that advertisers must consider. Let's break it down:

1. Web vs. app campaigns

Mobile advertising often involves two distinct types of campaigns: web and app. Web campaigns target users on mobile websites, while app campaigns engage users within mobile applications. Each approach requires a tailored strategy.

• In web campaigns, you deal with smaller screen sizes, touchscreens, and users' attention spans. Your ads must be concise and compelling to capture the viewer's attention.
• App campaigns add an extra layer of decision-making. Users must decide whether to download your app before engaging with it. This introduces a potential hurdle in the user journey.

2. Attribution challenges

Attribution to mobile advertising involves tracking user actions and linking them to specific channels. This can be incredibly complex on iOS devices due to their strict data privacy restrictions, especially since the iOS 14 changes.

Basically, when Apple users got more privacy, sites like Facebook lost many of their data tracking abilities. Android devices, on the other hand, offer more flexibility.

It can also be tricky to accurately attribute user actions to specific marketing efforts because you often can't access the whole customer journey. There are three main reasons for this:

• Cross-browser journeys
• Tracking restrictions
• Cookie use limitations

With sites like Facebook reducing their attribution window and brands losing all this data in the ad account, the question becomes, whether you're a user or a brand or even a PPC consultant, how do you optimize and track your ads? More on that below.

3. User journey differences

Consider the user journey of your customers. Users can have various entry points on mobile devices: websites, app stores, or even directly within an app. It's critical to understand where users are in their journey and whether they have your app installed.

For example, if your goal is to get users to subscribe or purchase something, the process can differ significantly between the web and the app. Subscribing within an app is often more straightforward, as users have payment information.

4. Platform-specific considerations

Mobile advertising also involves navigating platform-specific rules and restrictions. iOS and Android have distinct guidelines for app content and messaging. Also, app store review processes can add another layer of complexity.

» Need some help with creatives? Get inspiration for inspiring PPC ad campaigns.

Optimizing PPC for mobile: It's all about the audience

In mobile marketing, the key is getting users through the door and making sure they stay and become loyal customers. You do that by understanding where and how they use their mobile device and targeting your ads to turn potential customers into buyers throughout the day.

» Are you looking for a PPC agency to improve your campaign ROI? We can help.