For most businesses every dollar counts. So when choosing how to spend on marketing, it’s best to know where you can get the most bang for your buck. Search engines have made it easy for anyone to set up pay per click (PPC) advertising. Because PPC advertising allows you to gain valuable data on how your audience is interacting with your ad and gives you control over your budget no matter how big or small, it can be a great way to invest marketing dollars.
However, unless it is done correctly, it could be a waste for your precious resources. Whether you are trying your hand at setting up a PPC campaign or enlisting the help of professionals, here is what you should focus on to ensure your campaign is set up for success.
Focused Keywords
PPC advertising is a auction for search terms where people bid on phrases and keywords. The ads will appear above organic search results and the higher the bid, the better chance you have of reaching the #1 spot. Because the core of PPC advertising is keywords, it is imperative to have a focused and effective keyword. You want to make sure it is directly related to what your business offers. That way you know anyone searching for your keyword is already in your target audience and interested in your business or product, therefore more likely to convert from a browser to a customer.
You also want to make sure your keyword isn’t too broad. This can lead to getting traffic you don’t intend (traffic that doesn’t have a high conversion rate) and since you pay for each click you want to capitalize on each click. When a keyword is too broad, ads will see a lower click through rate which results in a lower ROI.
Display Advertising
Another option for PPC advertising is display advertising. These are ads that are placed on other websites and pages that usually contain images, video, or audio. Display advertising can be a bank shot in terms of PPC ads if you are strategic about what websites and pages to advertise on. Finding content that your target audience is already interacting with will lead them to want to engage with what you have to offer.
Budget Expectations
One of the best parts about PPC advertising is that you have complete control over your budget. You could spend as much ($1 per click) or as little as you want ($5 per day). However you want to make sure your choose a budget that can meet your expectations or curb your expectations to meet your available budget.
Track Leads & Analytics
Here is where the rubber meets the road for PPC advertising. With traditional forms of print advertising, it was impossible to know your ROI, but with PPC advertising, you can track everything. Whether you want to track contact forms inquiries, online sales, or phone calls, PPC advertising allows you to see how people are interacting with your ads and make informed decisions.
This data also helps you see if you are getting the ROI you expect and can show you what adjustments need to be made to increase your ROI. With PPC you can track your conversion rates for each click, total clicks, and your profit per conversion. Using that information you can determine if your ad is making or wasting your money.
For example: if your spending $1 per click, have a 0.7% conversion rate x 300 total clicks x $15 your average profit from these purchases (0.7% x 300 x $15 = $31.50 profit) you need to adjust your cost per click because you are spending $300 but only making $31.50. The amount you spend should always be less than your profit.
Immediate Results
Once you get your PPC ads setup, you can see immediate results. There is almost no lag time from when you start your campaign to when your ads go live. So if you’re looking for a quick way to get your business out there, PPC advertising may be the best way to go.
If PPC advertising is done wrong, it can easily lead to wasting time and money. But if it’s done right, it can be one of the best values for your marketing efforts. Putting in some time and resources into your prep work will ensure your ads are successful and pay off in the long run. Would you like some help setting up a PPC ad or do you simply want to talk through your marketing options? We would love to help, contact us today.
