Get Vertical-Specific With PPC Timing and Device Targeting

A one-size-fits-all approach to campaign timing and device targeting just won't work in this day and age. Marketers need to get specific and refine their PPC campaigns by vertical, device, and time of day.

Not long ago we were talking about how easy it is to get pinpoint precise with paid search advertising. We looked at some research that Bing recently completed about search trends by device over time, and drilled into clicks and actions on those devices over time. It’s a piece of research that can tell us about consumer behavior, and show us ways to get better results from our search campaigns. User intent, and by extension advertiser return on investment (ROI), vary by each device type and by day of week and time of day.

Today we’re expanding on this hyper-detail with more Bing research that points to key differences for various verticals, by device and over time. This is the real nitty-gritty that can help fine-tune your paid search campaigns to the point of obsession. And success.

Here are two highlights:

  • The best time to advertise fluctuates depending on your vertical
  • The best device to target fluctuates depending on your vertical and time of day

Device Type Giving Highest ROI Changes by Time of Day – and by Vertical

verticals-and-times-with-highest-conversion

We Shop for Different Things at Different Times

If you’ve ever wondered how diverse the shopping habits are by vertical, look no further than this grid. Is anyone else surprised to see that the highest search volume for jewelry and watches happens on a tablet later at night – after 9 p.m.?

Searches for electronics are strongest via mobile, during the evening commute. Searches on beauty are almost exclusively conducted on PC, regardless of time of day. This kind of variability is both a pain in the neck (no setting and forgetting) and a huge opportunity to get extremely precise.

Key Takeaway

In the PPC world, customization and ridiculously specific parameters are possible because campaign settings give you that much control. Recognizing all the variables in your vertical (device, time of day) and applying what you see here to your campaigns, can give you a boost in ROI.

Let’s Take a Closer Look at That

The Bing Ads audience is particularly strong in financial services, with 22 million financial services visitors coming to Bing monthly – and not to Google. So Bing Ads decided to take a closer look at the conversions in this vertical by device and time of day.

Financial Services – High-Quality Clicks Throughout the Day

conversion-rate-by-device

The chart above looks at conversion rate by device for the financial services vertical. While PC is relatively steady from morning through bedtime, mobile and tablet have mood swings that would make a toddler look reasonable. Tablet’s high conversion rate in the after-lunch time frame, and mobile’s high conversion rate during the evening commute are key signals for financial services advertisers.

Key Takeaway

A one-size-fits-all approach to your campaign timing and device targeting just doesn’t hold up. To really tighten your budget and make your dollars sweat, refine by your vertical, device, and time of day.

Talk to Us!

What are the search trends you’re seeing in your vertical, by timing and device? Have you noticed any consistent and repeating timing or device usage? Let us know!

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