Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has the potential to be very efficient. Not all keywords are equal though, and those keywords that aren't as efficient can find themselves either deleted or their bid lowered to the point they receive zero clicks. It isn't always the keyword's fault though. If it's a relevant keyword that should work, maybe the keyword isn't the problem and bid optimization isn't the answer.

Here are some key questions to answer before you give up on a keyword that could deliver some amazing results:

Are the search queries relevant? There is a difference between the keywords in your PPC account and search queries. Keywords are words/phrases in your PPC account that you bid on. Search queries are the actual words users type when doing a search on Google or another search engine. If you sell women's clothing, you might bid on keywords such as "skirts", "dresses", "women's pants" and "women's tops". When you're looking at the search queries being matched to those keywords, you might find that "kids skirts", "dog dresses" or "barbie dresses" show up on the list. It's important to add "kids", "dog" and "barbie" as negative keywords so your ad does not display for those search queries. Removing the irrelevant searches being mapped to your keyword should increase your click-thru-rate (CTR) and conversion rate.

Is the ad copy encouraging the right people to click and discouraging people from clicking who are not looking for what you offer? It's only 95 characters, but the copy should describe the benefits of your product or service so that the people looking for what you offer click. While two people might search for "summer handbag", they could be looking for two completely different handbags. If a company sells $800 handbags, they should qualify the click in the ad copy so people looking for a $50 handbag do not click. This can be done by describing the handbags as high-end or by adding a price qualifier such as "Starting at $799". This will help you spend your PPC budget more efficiently. Don't pay for clicks from people not looking for what you offer. Qualifying the click through ad copy might decrease your click-thru-rate (CTR), but it should increase your conversion rate and decrease your cost-per-order (CPO).

Is the landing page relevant to the keyword & ad copy? The landing page should include wording similar to your ad copy. When people reach your landing page, they should say, "Yes, this is what I was looking for." If a visitor reaches a page that is not relevant, they will quickly hit the back button. If your site does not contain a relevant landing page for the keywords you are bidding on, you should ask yourself a couple questions. Is this keyword relevant to my business? And if so, why does my website not have a page that speaks to it? Perhaps creating a new landing page is in order. By matching your keywords and ads to a relevant landing page, you should increase your conversion rate and decrease your cost-per-order (CPO).

Does the landing page make it easy for people to take action? Even if you're sending visitors to a relevant landing page based on their search, visitors should be able to easily take action on your landing page or within 1 - 2 clicks. Whether it's a prominent phone number, an easy-to-complete lead form or a smooth navigation through the buying process, your new customer should feel like there is an imaginary tour guide walking them through your site. With eComm sites, sometimes it can be difficult to determine how far into the site you should bring a visitor when they search for a general product (e.g. dresses) while it is easier when they search for a specific product (sleeveless linen dress). Testing is the only way to know what works best for your customers. Having a landing page that makes it easy for visitors to convert will increase your conversion rate.

Do you have realistic expectations for your keyword? Not all keywords are created equal. People often do multiple searches prior to taking action, so if a keyword that is relevant to your business doesn't seem to perform well even after you've checked the search queries, ad copy and landing page, it might be assisting and not receiving credit. For example, someone might do a search for "women's clothing" and click on your ad. They might see what they like, but get distracted or have to wait until payday. When payday comes around, they will then search for your brand name, click on your ad and make the purchase. Your brand name receives credit for the purchase yet they wouldn't have come back and searched for you if they hadn't found you in their original search. Using PPC tools that can track conversions to the first click and the last click can help you make better decisions for your keywords so you don't accidentally remove a keyword that was working for you earlier in the buying cycle.

If everything looks good from search queries to ad copy to the landing page, then maybe the keyword just isn't right for your current campaign. Just don't give up hope before checking out all the other keyword attributes - it's not always a bid thing.