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What is PPC and Should My Business Invest in it?
If you’re new to learning about marketing strategies and aren’t sure what PPC is, then listen up! PPC (pay-per-click) is a simple and incredibly effective way to increase the level of traffic that heads to your website and can then turn this into potential sales. It is important to keep in mind that marketing and sales work hand in hand and they can help to boost your company’s online presence and conversions.
What is PPC?
PPC is a type of digital advertising where the company advertising pays a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. This essentially means you are paying for targeted visits to your website. If your PPC campaign is working correctly, the fee is insignificant as the click is worth more than the fee. PPC ads can appear on search engines, social media platforms and various websites and they can come in various shapes and sizes, made up of text, images, videos or a combination of all of them.
How does PPC advertising work?
PPC advertising can alter from platform to platform, but the overall process typically follows the same pattern:
- Choosing a campaign based on your objective
- Tune your settings and refine your targeting (locations, audiences, schedules, devices etc.)
- Set your budget and define your bidding strategy
- Input your destination URL (typically a landing page)
- Build the ad
What are the benefits of PPC?
There are many different benefits your business can take advantage of when it comes to PPC. Having a clear and strong tone of voice and a solid PPC campaign is a great starting point.
Results you can track and measure
Due to digital marketing tools that can help measure and track campaigns, you can gain access to details about your PPC strategy performance. This includes any impressions, clicks, click-through rates and conversions. You can track the elements that are winning over customers and where you are losing others.
Increased brand awareness
By placing ads directly in front of targeted audiences who are actively searching for related keywords, businesses can significantly enhance their visibility. This exposure not only familiarises potential customers with the brand but also reinforces their presence in their minds.
Return on investment
Investing in a PPC campaign comes with the anticipation of achieving a superior ROI over time. Additionally, the cost of a single click is minimal compared to the potential revenue generated from acquiring a new customer.
What are the risks of PPC?
As with any kind of digital marketing, there are always risks involved, especially if you don’t know much about the process. Here are a few risks to keep in mind when investing in PPC:
Competition
Depending on your industry, it can alter the competition you face, this is still relevant when it comes to PPC campaigns. If your sector is highly competitive with copious amounts of PPC advertising and your click-through rate is low, it might be wise to explore alternative advertising strategies. This saturation can reduce the visibility of your ads and impact the likelihood of clicks, making it challenging to achieve a good return on investment. So, it’s crucial to constantly monitor competitor’s activity and adjust strategies accordingly to maintain an edge in your PPC campaigns.
Risks of overspending
Another risk when using PPC is related to the fact you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. However, if you don’t set a budget for your PPC campaign, you could end up overspending and running out of money. It’s essential to establish a budget for your PPC campaigns and monitor the data to determine if adjustments to your budget are necessary down the line.
Reliance
Putting too much reliance on PPC alone and not utilising other marketing strategies can be detrimental to your wider marketing efforts. It is always worth partnering with PPC campaigns alongside SEO efforts or other alternative marketing strategies to ensure your business doesn’t drop off a few Google pages when you stop utilising PPC for any reason.
Is PPC right for your business?
So, how do you determine whether PPC is the right form of advertising to use for your business? Before diving into the deep end, there are a few different factors to consider first. Firstly, you must consider your industry and your current marketing efforts. Ensuring your website is optimised and ready for PPC, that you have a solid plan for the PPC campaign and that you are willing to put in the effort and time that is required to track and measure your campaigns and make any relevant adjustments when needed.
Tips for getting started with PPC
First, clearly define your goals, whether it’s increasing sales, generating leads or boosting brand awareness. Next, research and select the right keywords that potential customers are likely to use when searching for your products or services. Make sure to organise these keywords into well-structured campaigns and ad groups. Setting a realistic budget is crucial; start small to test the waters and adjust based on performance. Creating compelling ad copy is key—ensure that it speaks directly to the needs of your target audience and includes a strong call to action. Finally, continuously monitor and refine your ads based on data from the campaign’s performance to optimise for the best results.
Let us help with your PPC campaigns at Sherbz
Here at Sherbet Donkey, we have been helping clients with PPC campaigns with great success. So, if you don’t quite understand the ins and outs of PPC, let us show you how it’s done. Get your next PPC campaign started by giving us a call on 0800 197 9803 or email us at hello@sherbetdonkey.co.uk