What You Need To Know About PPC

It doesn’t matter what you are doing with your internet marketing campaign, if you want fast results, you have to pay for them. PPC (Pay Per Click) was designed to be the great equalizer, where companies had the opportunity to literally buy your interaction, not just your attention, but to actually have you click on their ad and visit their site. Imagine if a soda company only had to pay for television ads if someone actually clicked on it? That would change the advertising world forever.

While you understand the value of utilizing Google AdWords, you aren’t sure if it’s the right choice for you or how to maximize its potential. There’s another problem, you may be in an industry where there is major competition for your keywords and that means the cost per click is ridiculously high. Some keywords in the legal or medical field for example, can cost over $1,000. That’s a thousand dollars just for one click, not even a sale!

Why Do I Need PPC?

Google Adwords is the most effective way of getting fast traffic and conversions to your website. However, the results vary based on budget, ads, industry as well as method of advertising. For example, if someone is using display ads for a restaurant, their numbers will be completely different than those who are using a click-to-call campaign for insurance. Here is a breakdown of each option of Google AdWords and what to expect from it:

Pay Per Click

• What Is It: The top 3-4 ads you see on a search are all PPC ads. Those are the ads that are placed at the top of the page, above maps and organic rankings. They are short, text filled and focus on a specific keyword.
• The Pros: The advantage of getting traffic from this method of internet marketing is that you are able to get people who are searching for your product or service. That means they already have an interest in what you are offering so you are more likely to make a conversion.
• The Cons: It can get pricey. Some keywords can cost over a thousand dollars per click and more. You also have a wide range of terms to cover as there are many variations of a term and you need the copy to stand out from the rest.

Display Ads

• What Is It: The banners you see at the top and sides of web pages. They are used to introduce a brand or promote a special offer. These advertisements can be counted by impressions or clicks, giving you the opportunity to get even more eyes on the banner.
• The Pros: If you are having a sale, need to reach people who aren’t on Google, sell a product that doesn’t have a high cost, this method is a better way to go. The cost-per-click is much lower, usually a dollar or even less and you can still target people based on location, age, time of day and so forth. An added advantage is that even if they do not click the banner, they are still seeing your name and promotion.
• The Cons: Because you are posting these advertisements on other sites (including major traffic sites) you aren’t getting people who are looking for your specific service or product. While you can target sites which are relevant to your industry, you are mostly going to get people who are browsing. This means much more traffic but a smaller conversion rate.

Click To Call

• What Is It: Simple advertisements that are placed just like PPC but when people click on them they immediately call you.
• The Pros: You will be getting immediate calls rather than waiting for a conversion. This is valuable if you are marketing only on mobile devices and you need to get the phone ringing as quickly as possible.
• The Cons: It is difficult to retarget, build your brand and gain traffic with this method because your main goal is to get the phone to ring.

Don’t Forget About Retargeting

Retargeting is a tool that allows you to place your ad in front of someone who has already visited your site. For example, if someone goes onto a search engine and types in a key term, sees your promotion and clicks on it, whether they make a purchase or not they still count as a visitor. Retargeting will make sure that your advertisement follows them as they browse other sites, even if it doesn’t have any relation to your industry. This helps build your brand, encourage people to return to your site and it has a higher conversion rate than many other methods of internet marketing. However, it cannot be done unless the site is getting consistent traffic.

As you look at your options for getting more people to visit your site in a shorter period of time, you really need to consider what will work best for you? If you are selling umbrellas, then you may want to go with display because it will get more people to your page, especially if you are having a promotion. However, if you are selling something like car insurance, then PPC is the best way to get visitors who are looking for your service. The more time you spend breaking down the differences of these tools and how they can benefit you, the better your chances of success will be.