Have you ever wondered how some companies seem to magically appear just when you’re looking for products or services they offer? You type a query into a search engine like Google, and voila – an ad for exactly what you need. What you’ve just experienced is the power of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising.
In this model, advertisers pay a fee each time a web user clicks on their ads. Instead of gaining traffic organically, like through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), businesses can buy visits to their sites using PPC.
PPC advertising might be the way to go if you desire to appear on the first page in search engine results. This guide will take you through how the process works and how to keep tabs on your entire advertising campaign.
How Does PPC Work?
With PPC, you choose keywords related to your product or service, then create an ad. When someone searches for that keyword, your ad might show up.
The PPC process operates based on an auction and bidding system. When a user searches for a product or service, it triggers an auction where advertisers compete for prime ad space. Advertisers bid on keywords, specifying how much they’re willing to pay each time a user clicks on their ad.
The success of a bid hinges not just on who bids the highest, but also on the relevance and quality of the ad. At the bidding stage, you may need the services of a marketing agency or a seasoned freelance PPC consultant to guide you. These experts may help you select suitable keywords, bid amounts, and create effective ads.
PPC advertising comes in multiple forms, each offering unique advantages and serving different marketing objectives. It’s up to you to choose the best fit for your marketing objectives.
What Are The Different Types of PPC Advertising?
These are the most common types of PPC advertising:
- Search Advertising
With search advertising, your ads appear in search engine results when a user looks up a product or service.
Say, for example, you own a local bakery. Someone in your city searches for ‘best pastries near me.’ With the right keywords and bidding strategy, your ad could be the first thing they see.
Search advertising works best for businesses aiming for quick visibility and customer conversion, especially in high-demand industries.
- Display Advertising
Display advertising takes your ads beyond search engine results. Generally, they’ll pop up on websites your potential customers visit. These ads can be banners, boxes, interactive videos, etc.
Display advertising is suitable for brand awareness and reach due to its broader display network.
- Social Media Advertising
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer PPC advertising options. These platforms give you access to their rich user bases, where you’ll likely find a demographic interested in your products or services.
- Remarketing
Remarketing/retargeting focuses on people who’ve already interacted with your business but haven’t made a purchase.
For example, someone visits your bakery’s website and adds a box of macarons to their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase.
Later when they’re reading a blog or checking their social media feed, they may see an ad for your bakery. This is remarketing in its classic form. It gives your visitor a gentle reminder that they left something behind.
Now that you know the different types of PPC advertising, how do you set up a campaign? Here’s how.
Setting Up Your First PPC Campaign
To set up a PPC campaign, you need to do the following:
- Set Clear Goals – What do you want to achieve? More website traffic? Increased sales? Define this first.
- Choose the Right Platform – Your choice depends on your audience and goals. Google is the go-to for general users. However, if you’re targeting professionals, a PPC campaign on LinkedIn could serve you better.
- Keyword Research – Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to set the right keywords. Good keywords might be ‘quality gardening tools’ or ‘affordable gardening shears’ if you sell gardening tools.
- Ad Copy – Write a catchy, concise ad that entices people to click. For example, ‘Transform your garden with our high-quality, affordable tools!’
Having these good PPC practices in mind, the next step involves tracking and measuring your PPC performance. Here’s how you can do it:
Tracking And Measuring PPC Performance
You need to focus on analytics to measure PPC performance. Tools like Google Analytics can help you see how many people clicked your ad, which keywords are most effective, and how many clicks led to sales.
When using analytics, it’s good practice to focus on the following metrics:
- Click-Through Rate (CTR) – The percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing it.
- Cost Per Click (CPC) – The amount you pay each time a user clicks on your PPC ad.
- Conversion Rate – The percentage of users who take a desired action, like purchasing, after clicking on your ad.
Once you find out what’s working and what’s not, you need to tweak your PPC campaign for optimal results. You’ll need to constantly review your keywords and conduct A/B testing to see which versions of your PPC copy work best.
Try PPC Today
Pay-Per-Click advertising might initially seem too complex to grasp. However, with guides like this and a supportive marketing expert, you’re well on your way to mastering it.
When done right, PPC gives you a golden opportunity to showcase your products and services to the relevant audience. Embrace it today and see the remarkable difference it can make for your business.