Wasting Ad Spend On Branded Keywords
The Trap of Branded Keywords
Many local businesses fall into the trap of spending a significant portion of their ad budget on branded keywords. Take a typical local business with a $5,000 monthly ad budget. They might be paying $0.75 to $1.50 per click for their own name.
Let's use Woodhouse Spa as an example. If someone searches for "Woodhouse Spa near me," they already know who you are. They are highly likely to book an appointment or buy a gift card anyway. By paying for that click, you are essentially buying traffic you would have gotten for free organically.
Focus on Acquisition
Instead of draining your budget on people who are already looking for you, reallocate those funds towards new customer acquisition. Target non-branded, high-intent keywords like "best massage near me" or "luxury day spa." This approach drives actual business growth rather than just inflating vanity metrics with existing customers.
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