Are PPC Ads Worth the Money?
Open your browser. Type something into the search bar – anything. Now look at the page of results generated. The top results are paid advertisements, PPC results, marked by an “Ad” icon. You may even have to scroll further down the page to reach any organic results. When you do find the organic results, these will most likely be the authorities on the subject or leaders in their field. These organic listings are a result of successful search engine optimization (SEO), while PPC advertisements are the result of an ad campaign. So, which should your company be focusing on? Are PPC ads worth the money? And, even if they are, how can your small business even begin to compete with the existing giants in the industry? Before you make a decision one way or another, learn what PPC ads can do for you.
Are PPC Ads Worth the Money?
Let’s begin by talking about the two main, unique benefits of PPC ads: precise targeting and the ability to track metrics.
Precise Targeting
PPC ads can be very specifically targeted to an audience, no matter how small. This can be done through your choice of keywords. You have total control here: you decide what search terms you would like your advertisement to appear under. You can also target certain times of the day, such as peak search times. Showing an ad at all times of the day is more expensive. If there is a group of people that your advertised content does not apply to, you can build in negative keywords so that they will not be included. Since you will be paying for every click, this is one easy way to save yourself from uninterested visitors.
Tracking Metrics
If you like being able to track the performance of all your marketing efforts, then pay-per-click advertisements are right for you. It is easy to track their performance and determine how many conversions the keywords are receiving. Less effective keywords can be eliminated, and you can invest more into keywords that are performing especially well. It is also easy to set a price point that cannot be exceeded, so that you do not go over budget. Select a cost per acquisition that you feel comfortable with. This number limits how much you will spend on each conversion – that is, users who take action on your website. Google Analytics can be linked to your AdWord’s campaign, allowing you to compare cost versus revenue.
Here’s another benefit of PPC: this form of advertisement is the perfect opportunity to test different markets and messages. With a low level of commitment, you can try out something new before you launch it on a larger scale.
Unfortunately, PPC sometimes earns a bad reputation in the marketing community. This is often due to PPC campaigns that were launched but never maintained. Like anything, successful PPC ad campaigns take work. Effective PPC also takes a well-trained eye and continual testing. When correctly managed, pay-per-click advertising can add incredible value to your business. It is one of the fastest, easiest ways to significantly increase the traffic to your website.