Link Building with Google Ads: Results from $1,245 in PPC Ads [Ep. 3]

Summary

In this three-part series, Sam Oh from Ahrefs shares a detailed experiment on using Google Ads to build backlinks. The first part covers creating an SEO stats page, while part two dives into link-building via email outreach. In part three, Sam explores using PPC ads to drive backlinks, testing the concept with two campaigns. The results show that PPC ads can generate valuable backlinks, with insights on keyword intent, cost-effectiveness, and the impact of luck. Ultimately, while not guaranteed, ads can be a viable method for ethical and passive link building.

Takeaways

• 😀 The experiment involved spending $1,245 on Google Ads to see how many backlinks could be generated through PPC advertising for link building.
• 😀 Part 1 of the series focused on creating an SEO stats page, using data from competitors' backlink profiles to identify outdated or link-worthy stats.
• 😀 In Part 2, the focus shifted to link building through email outreach, with a detailed look at the process, pitch, and results.
• 😀 Part 3 discussed using Google Ads for link building and served as the conclusion to the experiment, showing the effectiveness of PPC ads for generating backlinks.
• 😀 The case study started with the idea of understanding how backlinks contribute to top-ranking pages and if ads could help replicate this process.
• 😀 The 'vicious circle of SEO' concept was introduced, where top-ranking pages attract more backlinks because they rank high, thus creating a loop of domination.
• 😀 PPC ads targeted link-intent queries, focusing on gaining exposure through ads for pages that were not visible to search engines due to noindexing.
• 😀 The first experiment resulted in 13 backlinks from unique websites, with a cost per backlink of around $41.60, with some high-quality backlinks included.
• 😀 The second PPC campaign targeted a more optimized SEO stats page and generated 1,217 clicks, resulting in a higher cost per link of $176.24 due to fewer backlinks from high-quality sources.
• 😀 Factors like search intent, external links to the original source, and random luck played roles in the differing results between the two campaigns.
• 😀 While not every ad campaign will yield instant results, the experiment highlighted that PPC ads can be a viable strategy for building links when targeting 'link-intent' queries.
• 😀 The experiment concluded that paying for exposure through ads, which generated backlinks, is an ethical and potentially cost-effective way to build links compared to grey-hat methods.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of the PPC campaign in this case study?

The main purpose of the PPC campaign was to test the effectiveness of using Google Ads to generate backlinks for a specific SEO stats page.

How did the team choose the data for the SEO stats page?

The team selected the data by reviewing competitors' backlink profiles, aiming to find outdated but link-worthy statistics to include on the page.

What is the 'vicious circle of SEO' concept introduced in the study?

The 'vicious circle of SEO' suggests that top-ranking pages receive more backlinks because they are at the top, and the backlinks help keep them there, creating a cycle of continuous dominance.

Why did Sam Oh decide to test PPC for building backlinks?

Sam Oh wanted to see if paying for ads to promote a well-crafted, link-worthy page could lead to backlinks, mimicking the organic SEO cycle where pages rank due to existing backlinks.

What did the first experiment reveal about using Google Ads for link-building?

The first experiment showed that running Google Ads could generate backlinks at a reasonable cost, with 13 backlinks gained from 447 clicks, resulting in an average cost per link of around $41.60.

How did the second PPC campaign differ from the first one?

The second PPC campaign targeted a page designed to match search intent better, focusing on a list of SEO and content marketing statistics, which theoretically would attract more relevant links.

What was the outcome of the second PPC campaign?

The second PPC campaign resulted in 1,217 clicks but only 9 referring domains. The cost per backlink was higher than the first campaign, with a total cost per link of $176.24.

What factors could explain the higher cost per link in the second campaign?

The higher cost per link could be due to visitors linking to the source rather than the page itself, and a bit of bad luck in attracting fewer high-quality links compared to the first campaign.

What does Sam Oh suggest about using ads specifically to generate links?

Sam Oh suggests that using ads to generate links could be a good strategy if the topic is well-suited to targeted exposure. However, the success of the campaign depends on the search intent and the quality of the links gained.

How did the team's experience with Google Ads impact their overall link-building strategy?

The team's experience with Google Ads led them to believe that it could be a viable link-building strategy when combined with a targeted, well-crafted page, especially for topics with high link-intent queries.