Many small businesses are interested in PPC advertising, also known as Pay-Per-Click, but unsure where to start. Essentially, PPC advertising gives advertisers the opportunity to pay for top ad positions on search engines (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc…) and relevant website partners. When done in the right way, PPC can improve your company’s Internet marketing strategy.
For starters, you can purchase PPC advertising packages online from various companies. Each promises affordable, high ROI and top notch PPC management services by certified professionals. But not all PPC packages are created equal. Remember: When it comes to PPC every click on your ad costs money.
So, before you call an online marketing company for a quote, first learn what you should expect. To start, a standard small business PPC package should include the basics: account creation, campaign structuring, and ad group set up. Aside from these basics, your PPC package can include, but is not limited to:
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Keyword Research and Selection
Whether or not you are new to PPC, or relying on the expertise of a PPC certified professional, choosing the right keywords is one of the most important components for a successful PPC campaign. An effective PPC package will include advanced keyword research to ensure successful campaigns.
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PPC Account Settings Management
Your selected PPC package should include monitoring and the establishment of a number of account settings. This includes match type, daily max spend, location and many more settings used to analyze data and boost business goals.
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PPC Bid Management and ROI Tracking
Every PPC package should offer this service because it primarily deals with monitoring and adjusting cost-per-click (CPC). CPC refers to the amount you pay when someone clicks on your ad. When done correctly, adjusting the CPC bid for bid positions will return the best result for each ad group. This allows you to see how well your keywords are working and they can easily be adjusted based on objectives.
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PPC Analysis
After setting up an ad campaign, a PPC analysis should be performed weekly or monthly. The PPC analysis should include conversions, individual keyword costs, and performance trends. A written report should be submitted to you, or a member of your team, and then the company you have hired should schedule a call to explain or discuss activities and next steps.
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Creative Ad Text Writing
In order for your ad to stand out, not only does it have to be on the top of the list, but it should also be compelling and effective enough for potential customers to click. That is why your ad text must be creative. The title and description of your PPC ads should attract the searchers attention. The content of your ads should be compelling and highlight unique selling points or special product offers. An effective PPC ad also takes a prospective customers to relevant landing pages. Overall, this will help maximize click-through and conversion rates.
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Landing Pages That Convert
A customer that clicks on a PPC ad is expecting to be directed to a relevant landing page. To maintain site-level conversion, your landing page should be informative. The customer should know what to do once in your landing page. However, your main goal is to immediately make a sale or other predetermined conversion.
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PPC Campaign Assessment and Recommendations
After PPC analysis, receipt of reporting and meeting with your online marketing partner, they will suggest whether a certain campaign should continue or not. If not, a reputable company should suggest or recommend implementing an ad campaign improvement. This includes changes to ad copy, product keyword lists and bidding adjustments. They should present this completely to you before making any changes.
This article has been edited and condensed.
Aaron Opfell is an author, speaker, and the CEO of SearcherMagnet, an Internet advertising and marketing agency. Google Adwords and Google Analytics certified, Opfell has 8+ years experience in online marketing and advertising across search engine optimization, PPC, email marketing, banner advertising, affiliate marketing and more. Connect with @SearcherMagnet on Twitter.
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