Internet Marketing with PPC

One of the most effective ways to advertise your online business is by utilizing Pay per Click (PPC) advertising. Under this model of advertising, payment is made only when a user clicks on one of your ads. These ads are typically keyword targeted and there placement is based mainly on the bidding position (the amount you are willing to pay for the click) and the historical performance of your ad (Quality Score). PPC can be an excellent way to increase visibility and locate new customers. Learning to effectively use PPC marketing can have a huge impact on your bottom line.

PPC can be implemented using one of several different models. The two most common are bid-based and flat rate. Under the bid-based model, such as in Google’s Adwords, potential advertisers ‘bid’ for advertising space, typically using an automated system. These types of Pay per Click ads are most common on Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs). Each time a search is placed for keywords targeted by your ad the automated system compares the various bids that have been placed for ad space. The winner is generally determined by the highest bid amount although in some cases relevance and quality are also factored in. The flat-rate model is a bit easier to understand. In this case, a pre determined fee is paid for each click. The fee is based on several different factors that include location, keywords and time of day. To determine which is more suitable for your particular marketing need, it is important to consider these factors.

• Where will the ad be placed?
• What is the estimated traffic?
• Who are you competing with?

These questions will help you determine if a flat rate or bid-based campaign is appropriate for you.

As Pay per Click has become more popular, compensation methods have evolved. Originally compensation was owed when an ad was clicked, now several different compensation methods are available.

• Cost per Action: Under this method, payment is only owed if a visitor is converted and makes a purchase or performs some other predetermined action such as submitting a form. This is also called affiliate advertising.
• Cost per Impression: Compensation is due when your ad receives 1000 impressions. This is also called CPM and is usually available in content networks.

Originally developed as a basic advertising method, Pay per Click advertising has become a business in and of itself. Companies are now devoted to designing and implementing these campaigns. They are experts at ad placement and have sophisticated tracking software that will allow them to provide data on clicks and conversions.

In order to be successful, it is important that a creative ad be designed. While placement of the ad is important, in order to be successful, the ad must be designed to catch the eye and interest the customer. Your ad should be tied to niche specific keywords that are original and relevant.

Once the ad is clicked, it must bring the visitor to a very highly relevant landing page; if you are selling products through an ecommerce site, then it is obvious that the landing page will be exactly where the correct product is with an easy shopping process already integrated.  For non-ecommerce sites seeking other forms of conversion i.e. phone calls, forms, subscriptions, the landing page must be closely related to the keyword and the ad that brings the visitor to the page.  It must have obvious relevance with easy to find / actionable next steps.

While it is most common to place ads with the major search engines such as Google and Bing, it is becoming more and more common to use the social media sites like Twitter and FaceBook. These sites can be an excellent avenue towards finding new customers.  Social Media Sites are discussed extensively throughout the Optimum7 website.

To discuss your ideas and objectives, contact us and we will be happy to help. You can start your own Pay Per Click Campaign for as low as $1000.