You have likely seen a Pay Per Click (PPC) ad, even if you aren't sure what it is exactly. Overall, it's a relatively simple concept-PPC is a form of online advertising where you attract visitors to your website by placing ads on search engines. With PPC you pay only when someone clicks on those ads. The most common examples are the ads that appear at the very top of Google and on the right hand side of the page when you do a search. They're also the ads that are often seen in online articles.
Search around enough and you'll see PPC ads for every kind of business imaginable. Although as Magicdust, a company offering web design Sydney and Australia wide explains; 'just because a company uses PPC doesn't mean it will be a good fit for their overall strategy'. Like any kind of marketing or advertising, the return on investment needs to be positively geared. So although you may have a lot of clicks, if your cost per click rate is extremely high you may not recoup your investment in resulting sales.
Businesses That Are Suited To PPC
So, what kind of business should be using PPC? There are three types of business that do very well with PPC.
- Local Service Providers. PPC is a powerful tool for local search, and Google lets advertisers bid on keywords in specific geographic areas. Doctors, dentists, lawyers, and other professionals in particular benefit from it- PPC ads are particularly suited to small businesses that generate high margins on a single purchase or high lifetime revenue from a single client-such as doctors, lawyers, and massage therapists. Not only do these types of business typically have a higher cost of services, people are searching because they need someone locally who can provide that service now. Companies that have relatively low priced goods or services may struggle to make the cost per acquisition of PPC worthwhile.
- Sellers of Hard-to-Find Products and Services. If, for example, you sell engine parts for a 1960s Volkswagon, chances are PPC is great for your business. Small businesses that fill a particular market niche are often very successful with PPC campaigns. When someone knows they can't find what they need locally, they turn to search engines. If you know what they're searching for, you can develop a targeted PPC ad campaign to help them find you.
- Businesses in Highly Competitive Markets. Insurance, real estate, alternative health-these are saturated markets where gaining an edge is a real challenge. Even with the best marketing behind a website, a PPC campaign will provide these types of business with an enormous boost. A PPC add will display the site to thousands of qualified leads, whether they click on the ad or not- providing fantastic brand exposure. PPC is a great way to get a page in the top five spots on a Google search page, and that's a good place to be positioned when dozens of results pages turn up.
Tips for Placing Your PPC Ad
If you PPC sounds like a good fit for your business, here are three tips to ensure your success.
- Bid on competitive keywords. But make sure you know what a lead is worth and what your maximum bid can be. Then create a landing page related to the product or service you're advertising. Not a page that includes related information; but a dedicated page that has nothing else but that product or service on it.
- You also want to be very specific-only use the keywords that are relevant to your business. Remember- you are paying per click, not for each purchase. If people click your ad and it isn't what they're expecting, they'll likely leave. And you would've just spent money for nothing.
- PPC can be very competitive. Not every click will convert to a sale, so you need to know what your conversion rates are and how that translates to gaining new clients. If you are clear on what you can spend for a new client, make sure you set your ad limits to that. Do not guess or estimate the results. Google provides all the data you need to evaluate your results. Monitor these and adjust your campaigns as necessary. It takes some time in the beginning, but after you get the hang of it, you should only need to spend a few minutes a day monitoring your campaigns.
PPC can be a great tool to augment your search engine results to compliment your other marketing strategies. If you think your business can benefit from it, factor PPC it into your advertising budget and meet with a professional strategist to start planning how you can see a solid return on investment.