Is your PPC campaign driving traffic to your website but failing to convert into in-store visit? Here are several reasons why this might be happening, along with strategies to help bridge the gap.
Why Your PPC Campaign Is Driving Website Traffic but Not Footfall: Key Reasons and Solutions
1. Mismatch Between Ad Content and Shop Offerings
- Expectation vs. Reality: Is the messaging in your PPC ads creating expectations that aren’t met when potential customers consider visiting in-store? If your ad promises something appealing but the in-person experience doesn’t deliver on that promise, customers are unlikely to visit.
- Clarity of Offer: Is your ad clear about what customers can expect in-store? If not, potential visitors may decide not to make the trip as they are unsure it’s worth their travel time.
Solution:
Ensure your PPC ads accurately represent the in-shop experience. Include clear calls to action that emphasise the benefits of a shop visit, such as exclusive in-store promotions, personalised service, or unique products that are only available in-store.
2. Lack of Incentive to Visit
Website visitors might not have a strong enough reason to transition from browsing online to visiting in person. This is especially true if they can accomplish their goals (e.g., researching products, comparing prices) without visiting your physical shop.
Solution: Offer in-store-only promotions, discounts, or limited-time offers that encourage online visitors to visit in-store. Highlight these incentives clearly in your PPC ads and on landing pages.
3. Geographic Discrepancies:
- Wide Targeting Area: If your PPC campaign is targeting a broad geographic area, you might be attracting users who are too far from your shop to consider a visit practical.
- Location-Based Issues: Even if the audience is local, factors such as inconvenient store location, poor accessibility, or challenging parking could deter visits.
Solution: Refine your geographic targeting in your PPC campaigns to focus on users who are within a practical distance from your shop. Consider using localised ad extensions like location-based targeting or geo-fencing to ensure you’re reaching people who are more likely to visit.
4. Competitor Influence and Market Saturation:
If competitors are offering better in-store experiences and promotions or have more convenient locations, your showroom may be less appealing despite your PPC efforts. Additionally, if the market is saturated and potential customers are overwhelmed with similar offerings, they may choose to visit the most convenient or well-known option instead.
Solution: Analyse competitor strategies and ensure your showroom offers something unique or superior. This could be in the form of better customer service, exclusive product lines, or a more immersive in-store experience.
5. Online Shopping Trends:
Most people prefer to complete transactions online rather than visit physical stores. There's no denying that reality. Even those who enjoy shopping in-store will shop online if it's more convenient. So, if customers can complete their purchase online, they’re unlikely to need to visit a physical shop.
Solution: In your PPC ads, emphasise the unique benefits of visiting in-store, such as the ability to experience products first-hand, receive personalised advice, or access special in-store deals. And it has to be worth their time.
6. Customer Journey and Behaviour
- Research Phase: Many users might be in the research phase of their buying journey and are not yet ready to visit a shop. They might be gathering information online before making a decision.
- Multiple Touchpoints: Customers often interact with multiple touchpoints before making a decision. For example, they might visit your website but a competitor’s store instead.
Solution: Track customer behaviour across multiple touchpoints to better understand the journey. Use retargeting ads to remind visitors to your site to consider visiting a showroom.
Further recommendations:
- Incorporate Attribution Tracking: Use tools like Google Analytics to track how your PPC campaign influences foot traffic. You can use custom URLs, unique landing pages, or Google’s store visit conversions to measure the impact of online ads on offline activity.
- Integrate Online and Offline Strategies: Ensure your digital and in-store experiences are integrated. Consider adding options like online reservations for in-store pick-up, which can increase foot traffic.
- Survey Your Customers: Consider surveying website visitors or recent purchasers to understand why they didn’t visit in-store. Their feedback can provide insights into barriers or issues that must be addressed.
PPC is a valuable tool to help bring traffic to your physical shop, but you must be clear with your targeting and landing page messaging. If either is off, you risk wasting your ad spend without seeing meaningful results.
