PPC marketing is a core tenant of any good marketing strategy. It allows a business to quickly and efficiently reach their audience, build awareness, generate leads, and drive traffic. As powerful as it is, though, it can be confusing.
Within the PPC, or pay per click, domain, there are a number of platforms to choose from, different goals you can pursue, and various budget strategies that all correlate to your success. As a business owner, you don’t have to be an expert (that’s what we’re here for!), but you should understand what PPC marketing is and how it can work for you.
What is PPC?
Pay per click (PPC) marketing is a form of paid advertising on digital platforms. Businesses run ads and pay each time those ads are clicked. You’ve probably been on the receiving end of one of these ads while you’re browsing the internet.
They can appear at the top of search engine results, along the side of a website, in between content, on social media platforms, and more.
PPC marketing is one of the most effective marketing tools there is, thanks to the unique ability to target specific keywords and audiences. With each PPC campaign, a business will set their target keyword, their target audience, and their budget.
Behind the scenes, the ad network runs a complex algorithm to determine which ads are relevant, which users fit the audience criteria, and how to maximise your budget.
For example, a realtor may target the phrase “homes for sale in Melbourne.” They may select an audience of people between the ages of 25-65 who live within 50 kilometres of Melbourne and set a budget of $10/day.
When John, a 40 yr old from Melbourne who frequents Zillow, searches for “homes for sale in Melbourne,” he’s likely to see the realtor’s ad.
Types of PPC Marketing
Paid ads can appear on a number of different platforms in various formats. These include:
- Paid search ads: sponsored results that appear at the top of search engine results
- Display ads: images and text that appear within web pages
- In-stream video ads: video ads that appear before or during a video on Youtube
- Paid social media ads: promoted ads on Facebook, Instagram, etc.
- Shopping ads: promoted products that appear as shoppable links at the top of search engine results
The types of PPC marketing campaigns that you run will depend on your goals, your audience, and your budget. Paid social media ads on Instagram may be great for a clothing company targeting a young audience while paid search ads could be more effective for a new marketing agency targeting local clients.
An experienced PPC marketing agency can help you determine the best way to optimise your budget across channels.
Why PPC Marketing is Important
The internet is a crowded place these days. PPC marketing helps you stand out to the people that matter. It is one of the most effective ways to generate traffic and drive conversions.
In fact, traffic coming from paid ads are 50% more likely to make a purchase than traffic from organic links. Much of this is thanks to the advanced targeting capabilities that PPC marketing offers. Rather than telling everyone everywhere about your business, paid ads let you put your time and money towards only those that are interested in buying.
This also makes it one of the more cost effective tools for an organisation. It is estimated that PPC marketing boasts an impressive 200% ROI. Even small budgets can make a big impact with a strong PPC strategy.
Whether you want to boost brand awareness, generate leads, or drive traffic, PPC marketing can be a key part of your success. For small businesses or those just starting out, it can be a quick way to put you on the map and jumpstart your results.
How to Choose a PPC Agency
Running a PPC marketing campaign can take extensive time and effort, especially when it plays into a larger marketing strategy. While you can do it yourself, we recommend working with a trusted PPC marketing agency to get the best results.
While you focus on running your business, they’ll put their expertise to work for you. Here’s what you should look for when choosing a PPC marketing agency.
Expertise
You may not need to know the complex ins and outs of ad auctions and bidding strategies, but your agency should. As with any area of marketing, PPC is always evolving. Your agency should actively stay up-to-date on best practices and new developments. This applies not only to running the actual campaign, but to keyword research and adaptations across channels as well.
Comprehensive Services
There’s a lot that goes into a successful PPC campaign, starting with audience and keyword research, copywriting, graphic design, budget distribution, landing page optimisation. It can be overwhelming. Before hiring an agency, understand what you can provide and what you need from them. You may have images to use for the ads but need them to handle copywriting and landing page design.
Look for an agency that offers everything you need and knows how to make it all work together. Remember, nothing in a marketing strategy is a silo!
Transparency
Finally, look for an agency that is transparent with both their communication and your data. You should be able to clearly understand what campaigns are being run and what goals that are oriented towards. Make sure your costs are broken down so you know exactly what you’re paying for and the return you’re getting. You should also have full access to performance data anytime you want it.
PPC marketing is a powerful tool for any business and with an experienced agency by your side, you can reap the rewards. Our PPC experts at Unified Marketing are ready to help you see the benefits of paid ads. Schedule a consultation with us today.