Pay Per Click
Pay Per Click
Pay Per Click – What is it?
Pay Per Click or PPC is a popular form of online advertising offered by a wide variety of internet platforms such as search engines like Google and Bing, social media sites like Facebook or Twitter, and more. As the name implies, the cost of running an advertisement depends on the number of people who click on the ad. The more clicks, the more the ad will cost.
When composing a PPC advertising campaign, the advertiser is able to set a budget, create the advertisement, choose the length of the campaign, select the appropriate keywords, choose the landing pages the user ends up on after clicking the ad and designate other settings. Each time the ad is clicked, the agreed-upon amount is subtracted from the budget until it’s depleted and the ad ceases to run.
6 Reasons Pay Per Click is Important for Small Business Success
- It’s Fast – As opposed to traditional media, the only schedule you have to worry about is your own. There’s no waiting for the next print issue, available slot, or for an ad representative to return your call. If you have a website and something to sell, you can get your PPC ad up and running at your earliest convenience – even on the weekend or in the middle of the night.
- It’s Measurable – Compared to traditional advertising, PPC gives you an amazing wealth of information about the people who are interested in your product. You can see who is interested, exactly what they are interested in, and when they may have decided they were no longer interested. On top of that it’s easy to compare what works and what doesn’t without exhausting your entire budget. Metrics such as profitability, return on investment, and click-through rates are also easily accessible.
- It Works For Low Ranking Websites – Of course, it’d be great if your website was the top-ranked result when someone used Google to search for your product category or service. But even if it isn’t, a PPC campaign can leapfrog your website into a position above the highest-ranking websites. Suddenly you’re a ranking with the big names rather than being a complete unknown.
- You Reach Your Target Audience – Are you trying to entice a local or international audience? Your PPC campaign will get clicks from either; or both. Do your best customers speak French? You choose the language and those will be the customers who respond. Mobile or desktop users? It’s up to you. You have a much wider choice of parameters to target your audience with PPC than with traditional advertising.
- It Works For Any Budget – Because you choose the budget and breadth of your campaign, PPC advertising is perfect for small businesses. The campaign can be analyzed for profitability in real-time so it’s easy to remain within your budget and not have costs spiral out of control. Whether your budget is limited or endless, a PPC campaign can be tailored to your financial situation.
- It Creates Brand Awareness – Because PPC puts you in front of your target audience, whether they click on your ad or not, your campaign is creating brand awareness. In the case of someone who doesn’t click on your ad, that brand awareness spike is free. And although there may not be an immediate benefit to this, the awareness can build credibility and pay dividends in the future.