SUCCESS STORY
How to Increase CTR with Image Extensions
A TravelBoom Marketing Case Study on Tides Folly Beach
With ad space continuing to expand and evolve every day, it’s imperative that your ads stand out with. One way to do this is by using image extensions.
We’ve already highlighted How to Improve PPC Conversion Rate With Sitelink Extensions, and now we’re taking it one step further.
TravelBoom Marketing sought to increase CTR through the use of image extensions for Tides Folly Beach.
The result? A major increase in important KPIs.
Situation and Background
Tides Folly Beach, an oceanfront boutique beach resort in South Carolina, was looking for opportunities to improve their brand PPC performance.
TravelBoom analyzed the campaign by comparing the click-through rates of specific image extensions. We discovered that one particular image extension was diminishing the overall click-through rate of the campaign.
Key Factors:
- Compared to other image extensions, this extension had the lowest click-through rate over a 14 day period.
Using historical data, we set out to select an image that would increase qualified clicks.
Learn how to improve CTR through ad copy testing here.
Methodology
The underperforming image extension (over the 14 days prior) was removed from the paid search campaign and replaced with an image that more closely aligned contextually with the campaign’s top-performing extensions.
Learn more about the importance of hotel photography here.
Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.
Mark Twain
Results and Analysis
After 14 days, the new image extension saw a 127% higher click-through rate than the previous image. We also saw an 18% increase in click-through rate overall when image extensions ran alongside our ads.
127%
Increase in Image CTR
18%
Overall CR
Summary
Image extensions are a valuable asset when it comes to improving paid search performance for hotels. These visually-appealing extensions can enhance your ads by increasing engagement (and your bottom line).
Evaluating performance and diagnosing which images may be underperforming is an important part of ongoing paid search maintenance. For hotels, you may find that people are more likely to click an image extension if it’s an image of a room, an amenity or an exterior shot of the hotel. Using metrics like click-through rate can help you identify what works and what doesn’t, so you can continue testing new images confidently.
Learn more about PPC ad testing and how you can maximize your hotel’s return through pay per click ads.