Benefits of Pay-Per-Click Campaigns for Small Companies
Small businesses have a lot to gain from PPC campaigns. Not only can they generate more leads and sales, but they can also do so cost-effectively.
However, it is essential to follow best practices when setting up a PPC campaign. In this article, we will outline the benefits of PPC for small businesses and provide tips on how to develop a winning strategy.
What is PPC?
PPC stands for pay-per-click. PPC is a type of online advertising in which businesses bid on keywords and pay each time a potential customer clicks on their ads. Companies choose to run PPC campaigns because there is a direct and measurable correlation between ad performance and the desired result.
PPC campaigns can be highly effective in many ways, especially when the objective is to generate leads and sales. In fact, they are often more effective than other types of online marketing, such as SEO or social media.
Some of the benefits of PPC include:
Highly Targeted Advertising Method
PPC campaigns allow you to bid on specific keywords, ensuring your ad gets in front of people who are actively using those search terms to find products and services like yours.
Flexible
You can start, stop, or adjust your PPC ad campaign on the fly at any time, allowing you to stop running an ad when inventory is low, for example.
Trial Runs
PPC allows you to test keyword strategies to see how your ad ranks in your target market.
Fix Errors Quickly
Mistakes happen. Whether it’s a typo, negative messaging that wasn’t caught up front, or a new trend you didn’t account for, you can easily change your ad and get back on track with minimal downtime.
Best for Lead Generation
Lead gen potential for PPC is much higher than traditional advertising as you can focus your efforts on targeting specific age groups, gender, online behaviors, geographic regions, and more.
Positive ROI
Because you’re only paying when people click on your ad, there is a measurable correlation between what you pay vs. the value you get. PPC offers significantly better ROI than traditional advertising.
Customer Data
Knowing who your customers are and what keywords perform best helps you improve your organic (SEO) efforts. The data collected through PPC ads can be leveraged to improve SEO and optimize your website and social content.
Enable Retargeting
PPC tells you how customers interact with your content and enables retargeting for customers that did not convert. Retargeting keeps your brand top-of-mind with customers who have already clicked your ad or visited your site.
PPC vs. Organic SEO
Small businesses typically use a variety of digital marketing strategies, combining paid and organic (unpaid) methods to boost results.
PPC campaigns can be more effective than SEO in generating leads and sales in the short term. However, even though SEO is considered “unpaid” digital marketing, it is a long-term strategy that requires consistent effort to maintain.
As such, SEO can be a bit resource-heavy for small companies. Even though you’re technically not paying for it, you do need to stay on top of it. Search engines adjust their algorithms frequently. If you’re unaware of how these changes might affect your traffic, your rank might plunge before you have the chance to get ahead of it.
Ultimately, when deciding whether to invest in PPC or SEO, it is important to consider your business goals. If you are looking for immediate results, PPC may be the better option. However, SEO may be a better investment if you are interested in long-term benefits such as increased traffic and brand awareness.
By the numbers, SEO generates up to three times more conversions than PPC alone—but pursuing one over the other is like putting all your eggs in one basket. When you combine SEO with PPC, the result is a marketing powerhouse.
Getting Started: Building a Winning Campaign from the Start
Planning your PPC strategy is the best way to ensure good results. It’s easy to build a PPC campaign, but it’s also easy to spend a lot of money and not achieve your goals. With the right approach, you can reduce your cost-per-click and improve ROI.
Here are a few tips to get you started.
- Choose the Right Keywords
Using the right keywords for your PPC campaign is critical. Your success hinges on your ad being served to the right people, so you need to anticipate what search terms they will use. Keyword research is the first order of business. Google Keyword Planner is a free tool that helps you find the most relevant keywords for your business.When selecting keywords, always consider factors such as search volume and competition. Why does this matter? Simply put, if nobody is using your keywords, it’s not likely anyone will find your content. However, highly competitive keywords mean many other marketers are vying for the same business. Ideally, you want to strike a balance between competition and search volumes. Better yet, create exceptional content, and you’ll always have an edge. - Build Awesome Landing Pages
Creating a high-performing ad is one thing, but the destination is just as critical. Be sure your landing pages are designed to convert, with plenty of information and clear CTAs. The more relevant the landing page is to the search terms, the more likely the customer will take the action you want them to. - Bid on Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that are less competitive and easier to rank for. With the popularity of voice search these days, long-tail keywords are more relevant than ever. - Track Your Results
Use tools like Google Analytics to track your PPC campaigns, as they will help you to see what is working and what is not.
If you’re considering diving into a PPC marketing campaign for your small business, it’s always good to have an expert in your corner. Set up a call with the PPC gurus at Pierson Media, and let’s get started.
