Pay-per-click, or PPC, marketing is the process by which traffic is generated when a business places its ad on a website. The more clicks an ad receives, the more the business in question will pay the host. Ergo, the business will receive more traffic over time. This strategy has been implemented by many digital and growth marketing companies, providing clients with more visitors to their sites. It wasn’t until the early 2000s when this strategy truly took off; since then, it has become a hallmark of many marketing approaches.
PPC marketing offers a number of advantages for businesses looking to invest, too. First, it’s relatively risk-free; businesses only pay when their ads are clicked. This means that they won’t have to worry about needless expenses. Second, due to this low level of risk, businesses can test different PPC ads. This allows the businesses in question to shift their focus if they see that certain ads perform better than others. Third, PPC is enduring, which is especially noteworthy given how digital marketing constantly changes. Despite these changes, PPC has persevered. These are just a few advantages to note.
Like with any marketing strategy, pay-per-click requires effort and patience. There is considerable competition in the PPC space, especially in industries such as utilities, education, and healthcare. It’s important to have a leg up at the onset. To this end, here are 5 tips to get started with your own PPC campaigns.
Use Targeted Practices – One of the other benefits of PPC advertising is the fact that it can be very targeted. From geographic locations to even devices, ads can be tailored to suit different needs. Case and point, if a lawyer in Seattle is looking to bring on new clients, they would be best served to run ads that target individuals in the state of Washington. It’s also important to focus on devices that helped generate the most activity, including computers and smartphones. This information allows for better-targeted PPC ads, regardless of the industries that businesses exist in.
Understand Bidding – Generally speaking, in terms of PPC marketing, a bid can be placed in order to secure a prominent position in search engine results. The higher a bid is, the higher a business or entity will appear in search. However, bidding can be complex, so it’s important to know how to bid effectively. Software exists to facilitate automated bidding, which can be helpful, but it should be monitored in case changes have to be made down the road. Many marketers recommend a combination of automated and manual bidding, too. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy, so experiment with different bidding approaches.
Consider Different Ad Formats – PPC ads can take on different forms and for your marketing efforts, some will be more prevalent than others. Display ads are common on Google, as they feature visible banners that users can interact with. Another possibility comes in the form of video ads. These provide videos, hence the name, that are relevant to the user. What if a company recently released a mobile app? To bring more attention to it, app ads may be developed, which will be visible on different platforms. Needless to say, PPC advertising can be incredibly versatile.
Know Which Landing Pages to Use – Are your PPC ads not performing to expectations? One of the common reasons for this is that the ads fail to direct users to specific landing pages. If a user clicks on an ad to a website, only to struggle to find the information they need, they’re more likely to click away. This results in a lost user that could have translated to a sale. Don’t require a user to click through multiple internal pages to find information. Make the process as streamlined as possible, implementing landing pages that best suit the content of the ads. This will result in higher performance, not to mention more web traffic and sales in the long term.
Test Different Strategies – As mentioned earlier, businesses can freely test different PPC ads, as payment isn’t required until results are seen. For this reason alone, it would behoove businesses to experiment with different ads to see which ones yield the best outcomes. Furthermore, PPC ads are often paired with SEO strategies to complement them. This has multiple potential outcomes, including higher search engine rankings, which ensures that more people will see your business when searching for specific terms. For a better understanding of search engine optimization and how it can be paired with pay-per-click marketing, consult your local Long Island SEO agency.
About fishbat: fishbat is a full-service New York social media agency. Utilizing the latest technologies and forward-thinking strategies, fishbat is able to create marketing plans that are tailor-made for specific needs and goals. The services that fishbat provides include, but aren’t limited to, social media management, search engine optimization, content marketing, email marketing, and branding. With these, businesses will be able to market directly to their audiences, increasing traffic, engagement, and ultimately, revenue.
