Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a key pillar of digital marketing because it offers businesses a powerful way to reach potential customers online.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what PPC is and how it works so you can gain a better understanding of the marketing channel and decide whether it’s right for your business.
Aptly named pay-per-click advertising, this form of advertising only costs you money when someone clicks on your ad. Unlike other forms of advertising where you pay for ad space or impressions, with PPC you only pay when a user actually clicks on your ad.
Ads come in several formats, from plain text to imagery, or a combination of both. Video is also becoming increasingly popular in PPC campaigns.
PPC is appealing to many businesses because it’s measurable. Unlike traditional advertising methods where tracking ROI can prove difficult, PPC provides detailed data on how your ads are performing, and you can quickly see whether your investment is bringing in a return.
You can generate immediate website traffic, capture leads at critical moments in the buying journey, promote time-sensitive offers or promotions, and more. It's particularly valuable for businesses looking to establish an online presence quickly or test out new markets.
PPC comes with a host of benefits:
Unlike search engine optimisation (SEO), which can take months to show results, PPC campaigns can drive traffic to your website almost immediately. This makes PPC ideal for new businesses or the launch of a new product or service.
With PPC, you decide exactly how much you want to spend daily or monthly, and you can easily adjust your budget at any time. Whether you have £10 or £10,000 to spend per month, you can track your investment effectively.
PPC platforms offer sophisticated targeting options, allowing you to reach specific demographics, locations, interests, and behaviours. This means your ad is only shown to relevant audiences.
Every aspect of a PPC campaign can be measured, from click-through rates to conversion costs. This makes it easy for you to calculate your return on investment. Even if you’re not a traditional e-commerce business, you can still monitor effectiveness through the number of leads generated.
While PPC does offer numerous advantages, it’s important to note that PPC isn’t the right solution for every business.
Popular keywords can be expensive, especially in competitive industries. For example, the keyword ‘insurance’ costs $54.91 per click. Without effectively managing your budget, costs can escalate quickly.
PPC campaigns require constant monitoring and optimisation. If you set up a campaign and fail to keep an eye on it, you can easily end up with an ineffective campaign that wastes spend.
You have to have a good understanding of bidding strategies, keyword research, and general campaign optimisation - all of which takes time and expertise.
Other marketing channels, such as SEO, can deliver a sustainable return over long periods of time. By contrast, PPC is only effective when you are actively putting money into it.
There are numerous options when it comes to deciding on a platform to advertise on. Here are a few of the most widely used PPC platforms:
The largest and most popular PPC platform is Google Ads. In fact, 98% of PPC professionals invest in this channel. This platform offers access to Google’s search network and partner sites, and is particularly effective for targeting searches with a high buying intent.
These platforms excel at targeting based on demographics, interests, and behaviours. They're especially powerful for B2C businesses and visual products.
Whilst Bing is smaller than Google, it does mean the cost per click is often lower and you can access a different demographic. If your business has a focus on an audience in an older age bracket, or business professionals, Bing is often a good option.
LinkedIn ads are typically more expensive. However, for B2B marketing and targeting professional audiences, the platform can be incredibly successful. LinkedIn ads make it easy to effectively get your message in front of specific audiences and industries.
Success in PPC advertising requires careful planning and execution.
Here are a few things to consider when getting started:
The most successful campaigns are ones that are regularly monitored, tested, and optimised based on performance data. It can be a time consuming and tricky process, so if you need expert help, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
