How Do I Get Started With PPC?

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is an invaluable way for companies to advertise their products and services and increase brand awareness in the digital sphere.

As businesses search for new ways to target consumers, PPC has become one of the most popular digital advertising tools on the market. 

What Is PPC? 

 
Businesses can purchase advertisements on search engines like Google or on other sites with the goal of driving increased traffic to their website and, ideally, increasing their sales and general brand awareness. Every time a user clicks on a certain business’s PPC ad, they are taken to a corresponding page on that business’s website, and the business or advertiser pays a dollar amount for every clickthrough, hence the term “pay-per-click.” 

For instance, if you were to Google “best vegan restaurant near me,” you would get a page of relevant results, but the results at the top of the page would likely be those businesses that have paid for PPC advertising. 

PPC ads are targeted based on numerous factors, such as location and the type of device being used. PPC ad campaigns can also be run on websites and on social media platforms, such as Facebook and YouTube, where ads take a slightly different form. They usually appear in the sidebars or in popups before a video. 

 
If you are thinking about launching a PPC ad campaign, there are a few steps you should take beforehand. 

Set Goals

Ask yourself what you are hoping to accomplish through the PPC ad campaign. Is your goal to increase brand awareness? Boost sales? Are you finding it difficult to rank in search results and want to make your link more visible to potential customers? Thinking about your goals and what you want to achieve is the first step toward creating a successful PPC ad campaign. 

 
Optimize Your Landing Pages

 
Remember, every time that a user clicks on your PPC campaign ad, you are paying for that click. So, the last thing you want is to direct traffic that you paid for to a page that isn’t likely to convert the reader to a lead or a paying customer. Ensure that the page that the PPC ad links to has a high likelihood of convincing the reader to take the next step, whether that is filling out a form, requesting more details, placing an order, or some other significant action. The goal of your PPC ad campaign is to increase your ROI. 

Keyword Research

 
It’s imperative to think about the terms and keywords that your target audience will be searching for. Knowing what words and phrases customers search for when they are looking for your particular type of product or service will give you insight into what works and what doesn’t. 

 
Consider doing a search using those keywords yourself and see what pops up. Analyze your findings – who else is advertising? Try to determine their value proposition and what calls to action they are utilizing. Also, if the traffic volume for the keywords you are using is low or nonexistent, or if you lack the budget to compete in a high-volume, highly competitive market, then PPC might not be right for your business.

 
If you are curious about PPC or just starting out, then you can use these helpful tips to prepare before you launch your PPC ad campaign. If you simply do not have the time to dive into PPC on your own, or you need more assistance or advice, a qualified professional may be your best choice. Schedule a free consultation with EGS Marketing Solutions today.