PPC for Escape Rooms: A Beginner’s Guide to Success

PPC (pay-per-click) advertising promotes your escape room directly to your ideal audience — individuals searching for a fun activity or group event in your area.

PPC ads target specific keywords or demographic details, depending on the platform you choose. The most popular PPC platforms include search engines like Google and social media networks such as Facebook, allowing you to connect with people actively looking for experiences like escape rooms.

With PPC advertising, you bid on keywords or demographic criteria to determine how much you’re willing to pay each time someone clicks your ad. Importantly, you only pay when someone clicks, not just when your ad is displayed.

This approach helps you maximize your budget by ensuring you’re only spending money on potential customers actively interested in your escape room.

If your bid is the highest, your ad appears above your competitors’ ads, giving you a better chance of attracting new visitors to your website. From there, you can inspire them to book an escape room experience with your business.

Launching a PPC campaign requires time and careful planning, but every step you take moves you closer to reaching your ideal audience.

Here are some of the key steps to get started:

The foundation of any successful PPC campaign is a deep understanding of your target audience. Without knowing who your audience is, you can’t create ads that resonate with them effectively.

For example, if you’re promoting an escape room experience tailored for teens on a Friday night, research what themes and challenges they find most appealing, the best times to host the event, and the type of content that excites them. Are they more drawn to thrilling mystery scenarios or lighthearted problem-solving games?

Similarly, if you’re targeting families or corporate groups, consider what types of escape room themes would be most engaging for their interests and goals.

Once you’ve identified your audience’s preferences and behaviors, the next step is to research relevant keywords to ensure your ads appear for the searches that matter most.

Once you’ve identified your target audience and how to appeal to them, the next step is finding the keywords they use when searching for escape rooms online.

Several keyword research tools can help with this process.

Free tools like Keywords Everywhere or Semrush provide valuable data such as search volume, competition level, cost-per-click (CPC), related questions, and keyword variations.

Aim for keywords in the “sweet spot” — those with high search volume, low competition, and a low CPC. These keywords give you the best chance to attract potential customers while maximizing your budget.

For instance, using Keywords Everywhere, you might uncover terms like “escape room near me,” “family-friendly escape room,” or “team-building escape rooms” with actionable insights to shape your campaign.

Keywords like “family-friendly escape room,” “team-building escape room,” and “escape room near me” might all show more than 100 searches per month. These would be great keywords to target, as they align with what Google users are actively searching for.

Among these, “team-building escape room” might have the lowest CPC at $0.05, making it an economical choice. However, if your escape room is well-known for being family-oriented, targeting “family-friendly escape room” could still be worth the higher CPC.

On the other hand, keywords like “birthday party escape room,” “corporate escape room,” and “spooky escape room themes” may not show much data. But don’t let that discourage you!

Specific, long-tail keywords often have lower search volume and less competition, making them valuable opportunities to target. These terms give you the chance to rank well without spending heavily on clicks, making them a smart addition to your campaign.

Google is an excellent platform to kick off your PPC campaign since it’s the world’s most popular search engine.

Start by creating a Google Ads account and follow the platform’s step-by-step instructions to set up your campaign. Once your account is ready, you can begin writing ads that resonate with your target audience.

Keep your ad copy concise and engaging, highlighting what makes your escape room special. In just a few sentences, convey value and excitement to potential customers.

Don’t forget to include a call-to-action (CTA) to inspire users to take the next step. Simple phrases like “Learn more!” or “Book now!” can effectively motivate users to click on your ad and explore your offerings.

Landing pages are the destinations users reach after clicking on your ads. These pages should be tailored specifically to the ad’s topic to provide a seamless and relevant experience for potential customers.

To create an effective landing page, keep these key points in mind:

Tips for Effective Escape Room Landing Pages

1. Remove Navigation Bars

• Exclude the navigation bar from your landing pages to keep users focused on the content and the action you want them to take. This prevents them from being distracted or navigating away from the page.

2. Focus on One Goal

• Each landing page should have a single purpose, such as encouraging users to book an escape room, fill out a form, or share their contact details. Keeping the goal clear and straightforward helps drive conversions.

3. Avoid Overwhelming Design

• Too many elements on a landing page can confuse or overwhelm visitors, causing them to leave without taking action. Keep the layout clean and focused to guide users toward your desired outcome.

4. Match Your Ad Content

• Your landing page should directly align with the content of your ad. For instance, if your ad promotes a family-friendly escape room, your landing page should highlight features like room themes, age suitability, and the benefits of choosing your escape room for a family outing.

5. Test and Adjust

• Continuously test your landing pages to ensure they’re meeting your goals. If they’re not performing as expected, tweak the design, messaging, or even the associated ad to improve results.

By creating focused, relevant, and user-friendly landing pages, you can significantly boost the effectiveness of your PPC campaigns and drive more bookings for your escape room.

At Stratedia, our team of PPC specialists is here to help you design and execute the perfect ad campaign for your escape room.

We’ll ensure your ads are optimized for the most valuable keywords, craft compelling ad copy that captures attention, and create landing pages designed to drive bookings and conversions.

Contact us today to learn more about our PPC management services and how we can help grow your escape room business!