The iPad has become a generally seen in many places like schools, homes and even on the street. While Microsoft’s announcement they will enter the tablet category may change this, iPads are a notable element of any PPC strategy.

It is multi-headed beast – and that’s something you need to take into account when setting an iPad strategy, and reporting performance.

iPad Usage Through The Working Day:

Data based news says, early morning iPad usage is essentially a hybrid of a laptop and a newspaper – used to browse news, check email and calendars to the web in smooth way . Limited search is involved – and suspect to lead to an immediate conversion on most occasions.

As commuters head off to work, the above continues, but with searches increasing in volume. At this point, the iPad transforms – usage patterns are more like that seen on smartphones than on laptops. Peak iPad usage occurs around 8 a.m., according to comScore.

Usage then declines as iPads are left in bags while workers use desktop devices. Some iPad usage occurs for business purposes, but its impact on search volumes is minimal. The multi-headed beast is dozing; my comparison PC usage for web growing peaks at 9 a.m. and declines through the day.

Then, around 4 p.m., a more spread-out commuting period begins, and the iPad comes back into play. Again, comScore data backs this up.

Traffic starts to climb, firstly as the iPad is used again in a similar way to a mobile and as commuters settle in at home, it replaces the laptop, with activity peaking around 10 p.m. This is a role it holds on weekends, too.

PPC Strategy for iPads:

So, practically, what does this mean when executing PPC campaigns with regards to the iPad? As it knows that you should set up and manage separate iPad campaigns – the above data, even if a generalization, underlines this.

It’s easy to lump mobile and tablets together – and set KPIs and expectations across them both.

Use of Tablet users is different than mobile users. So they need different, but lineup strategies. For many brands, mobile users are researchers who then convert later; breaking conversion tracking and making the mobile channel look like it has a low ROI.

Set different KPIs for tablets. They can bring in sales – but this isn’t their only purpose; they also generate researchers who might convert elsewhere.

Source: Searchenginewatch
Peter Zmijewski is the founder and CEO at KeywordSpy. His expert knowledge on Internet Marketing practices and techniques has earned him the title “Internet Marketing Guru”. He is also an innovator, investor and entrepreneur widely recognized by the top players in the industry.