The world of search marketing is pretty crowded today, and if you really want to drive up your campaign’s ROI, you’re probably going to need the help of some PPC tools.
These tools automate a lot of the tedious tasks associated with managing a PPC campaign, including performing keyword research, looking at CPC data, reviewing analytics, and, maybe most importantly, studying your competitors.
Today, it’s become virtually impossible to run an effective PPC campaign that truly drives conversions without the help of tools. Like we said, paid media marketing is a competitive industry, and everyone wants to drive the most leads to their own businesses or their own clients.
This list of the top seven PPC tools will show you the available options for boosting your campaign ROI like you’ve never seen before. And when you need someone to manage it all inside those tools, LSEO is here for you.
1. Google Keyword Planner
We’ll start with a nice and easy (and free) one: Google’s very own Keyword Planner.
This PPC tool couldn’t make keyword research any easier. You input one or a few related keywords for a campaign, wait a few seconds, and then get presented with a ton of useful data on those keywords plus a whole lot more keywords that Google drums up from its quick analysis.
Check out how it looks:
If you’re a search marketer, and one of your clients wants to get found on “vinyl record player” and related terms, you have a decent place to start using the information on this one screen of data. Search volumes, three-month search changes, competition, and top-of-page bids–it’s all here, neat and organized.
The data will change if you enter a city or other location, so be sure to use that feature, as well.
You can also input your website along with the keywords so the tool filters out keyword suggestions for services or products you don’t offer.
One issue we have seen a lot of beginner PPC marketers run into with Keyword Planner, though, is that the tool shows much less data if you don’t already run PPC campaigns on Google.
It will be a good place to start if you’re just looking into the best PPC tools to use, but definitely keep Google Keyword Planner in mind for when you do start spending money on ads.
2. Semrush
Next up, we have the all-powerful Semrush. It’s one of the most popular digital marketing tools out there, but it seems to be known mostly for its SEO capabilities.
However, Semrush has some impressive PPC tool infrastructure built into it that search marketers will really appreciate.
First of all, Semrush’s keyword research abilities are basically second to none. You get a lot of the same data as from Keyword Planner, but with more specific and honed-in information.
Check out what it looks like:
You do get CPC data here for these keywords, but this is the same tool that SEOs use for their keyword research.
If you want to get specifically into PPC keyword research and competitor analysis, Semrush’s PPC Keyword and Advertising Research tools are where you’ll want to be.
Inside these tools, you’ll be able to set up your PPC ad campaign fully. Check out search volume, CPCs, and competition levels. Set up ad groups. Insert negative keywords. See competitor ad copy. Get everything ready inside Semrush, using all of its data as you go.
Then, you can export all your work and upload it to Google Ads Editor for the final prep before you launch your campaign.
Semrush plans start at $99 a month.
3. Google Ads Editor
Since we just mentioned Google Ads Editor, it’s a good time to talk about it more.
Truth be told, Google Ads Editor is a PPC tool that no search marketer should be without. It comes directly from Google, and as with most things produced by that search engine, it adds crazy convenience to the life of a busy digital marketer.
Google Ads Editor is a downloadable app that allows you to edit your PPC campaigns in basically a staging environment before uploading to Google Ads itself.
What PPC specialists love about this tool is that you can edit literally everything and anything in bulk across your Google Ads account right in the editor.
Do you want to change bids on multiple ad campaigns? Edit copy in many places? Undo changes?
Google Ads Editor lets you do it all in an offline environment. When you’re ready, you can upload and post everything to your live account.
There’s a reason why Google Ads Editor is often the favorite PPC tool of paid media managers, so if you’re just getting into the game, you’ll definitely want to download this app (for free).
4. SpyFu
SpyFu is an all-around digital marketing analytics tool that has PPC data capabilities to go up against the best of them.
Given its name, it’s no wonder that the primary benefit of SpyFu is its ability to show you your competitors’ PPC data.
As you’re looking up your own keyword ideas, you can see the competition for them, observe what strategies your competitors have used, what keywords they have bid on, and what they’ve spent on their campaigns.
From its keyword suggestions and grouping to its negative keyword ideas and direct advice on whether a bid is wise or not, SpyFu is an endlessly useful PPC tool that can shed a lot of light on the markets you’re trying to break into.
Plans for SpyFu start at $39 a month.
5. Optmyzr
No list of the best PPC tools would be complete without mentioning Optmyzr and its wellspring of PPC capabilities.
Where should we even begin with what this tool can do?
You can use Optmyzr to perform keyword research, get suggestions based on CPCs, and filter out irrelevant terms. You can review manual bids, keep an eye on smart bidding, and hold yourself within your budget.
Optmyzr also lets you build PPC ads in a staging environment before turning them loose. Create optimized copy, A/B test that copy, and put out ads that are prepared to drive up your ROI.
From bid management to shopping ads to Slack integration, Optmyzr has a lot in store for PPC managers. You’ll definitely want to look into this one.
Optmyzr plans start at $208 a month.
6. ClickCease
This PPC tool is one not directly related to account management or keyword research, but it can be vital all the same.
ClickCease blocks attempts at ad fraud and click fraud on Google Ads and Facebook Ads.
What is click fraud?
It’s an attempt by a malicious actor or a bot to deplete your ad budget by clicking on your ads, making you pay for it, and then doing nothing, all on purpose.
Sometimes, people get together into groups to harm a company by fraudulently clicking on PPC ads en masse. These could be a business’s competitors or just people who don’t like the company for some reason.
ClickCease prevents all that. It’s quite a real concern if you think about it, since nothing is stopping anyone from wantonly clicking any ad they want to. ClickCease even stops your competitors on Google and Facebook from seeing your ads at all.
If you’ve built up enough of a reputation so that you have people and bots out there trying to sabotage your PPC budgets, you probably need ClickCease.
Plans for ClickCease start at $59 a month for protection on Google Ads or Facebook Ads. You can get protection on both platforms for $79 a month. You can also save 20% on each price if you spring for the annual subscription instead.
7. Google Analytics
We started this list of PPC tools with Google Keyword Planner, so let’s finish it with another of Google’s useful little programs: Google Analytics.
We talk about Google Analytics so often in relation to SEO, but it does have an impressive arsenal of PPC-monitoring features.
Inside Google Analytics, navigate to Acquisition>Google Ads>Campaigns.
From there, you can see all your campaigns and then click into each of them to view keyword-level data such as clicks, costs, users, and sessions.
Google Analytics is free for most of its users out there. If you’re a gigantic, enterprise-level business, there is a paid plan, as well.
Need Help with Your PPC Tools? LSEO Is Here for You
Managing your PPC campaigns is challenging enough without tools. When you do start looking into some PPC tools, though, you might be overwhelmed with data or stuck on the high price of some of them.
LSEO is here to help! We’re a PPC agency that has driven ad conversions for clients in all industries, all over the world. We have access to these tools and more and can put our expertise and years of experience to the best use for you to start accelerating your ROIs!
Get in touch with us to tell us about your needs.