Cleaning up SEM/PPC campaigns is like cleaning out the refrigerator

I was cleaning out my refrigerator over the weekend. Realizing that some items have gone bad is always disappointing. One is then faced the reality of having to throw out the bad items.

The same thing applies with pay-per-click keywords. If people have been clicking on an ad for a particular keyword and there are no conversions (leads, sign-ups, sales, downloads) does that mean that that keyword has gone bad?

It depends ultimately on the client goals. If they are aiming for visibility in the search engines, the focus is on click and click-through rates (CTR). If the focus is on conversions , then its about how much did that lead cost.

If there is a particular keyword that costs over a certain amount for a given period of time, you can either pause the keyword or delete it. This also applies for ads as well.

No matter what method one chooses for reviewing paid search campaigns, it is always important to review your campaigns regularly.