PPC is short for Pay-Per-Click, which is a powerful tool when it’s used properly. PPC for small business can be a cost-effective way to increase traffic to your website and convert web browsing into sales. Ads are built around keywords that describe relevant products or services. You can recognize a PPC ad by the word ‘Ad’ or ‘Sponsored’ in front of the web link in search results.
If you have a functioning website, you can set up a Google Ads account to start a PPC advertising campaign. Google offers tons of free tutorials and support to help you develop the best PPC ad campaigns. You can also hire digital marketing experts if you’d rather have someone do the work for you.
PPC for Small Business Pros
When done right, pay-per-click advertising can drive traffic and qualified leads to your website. PPC ads can be a great way to get your site noticed faster than just waiting for it to rise organically in search results (which may or may not ever happen). If you’re new to your industry, you can still win sales from the competition by using PPC advertising.
PPC marketing can also be helpful if you’re launching a new product or service. Traffic is sent to designated landing pages where consumers can purchase items, subscribe to paid content, and more. Even though your ads will appear at the top of search results, you’re only charged when someone clicks on your ad links. You can actually benefit from ads that aren’t clicked but still show at the top of search results.
PPC ads start performing immediately, and you’re in control of the entire process, from keyword research, to writing ads, to deciding on a workable budget. If you use a platform like Google Ads, you can see what’s working, and make adjustments to your budget and campaigns. Overall, Pay-per-click advertising can be a powerful addition to your SEO efforts.
Pay-Per-Click Cons
A successful campaign takes time and some knowledge about how PPC strategies work. One of the biggest mistakes made is setting up a campaign, setting a budget, and walking away. Pay-per-click is not a set-and-forget marketing strategy, but many new advertisers do just that. The Internet is constantly changing, and your ads must change to remain relevant and effective. In order for PPC ads to work, they must be monitored and updated on a regular basis.
Without proper monitoring, PPC campaigns can eat through your budget fast. Worse yet, you may get clicks, but if those clicks don’t lead to sales, you’re just spending money on ads that don’t work. This can be a very costly mistake, especially for new startups with limited funds.
Another costly mistake is using pricey keywords. Not all PPC keywords are priced the same. Factors such as the popularity of a keyword, the quality associated with it, and the average Click Through Rate (CTR) all affect the cost per click or CPC. If your business focuses on insurance, finance, or law, you can expect to pay between $35 and $55 for just one click! the cost of PPC ads can be very expensive and produce little results, which is why many businesses hire ad agencies to choose keywords and create ads that work.
Turn Traffic into Sales with PPC Ads
If you can educate yourself and are willing to do the work, you can build successful PPC campaigns with Google Ads. The website explains how the system works, what it costs, and answers frequently asked questions to get you started quickly. The Google Ad experts will even help you set up your first PPC campaign at no additional cost. Google Ads runs promotions on occasion, so make sure to take advantage of discounts and promotions to save money.
Contact Google Ad experts to set up your account and first ad campaign.
You can also hire a marketing agency to write and manage your ads for you. We don’t currently have a partnership with a PPC agency, but you can search the Internet for experts to manage your ad campaigns. Not all ad services are the same, so we highly recommend reading unbiased reviews before you hire an ad agency. PPC for small business is a valuable and powerful tool that pairs well with your SEO strategy.