Are you struggling to get your name out there and build buzz around your brand?
Have you tried every SEO technique
in the book but can't even get close to the first page of Google?
Then you might need to start thinking about paid advertising.
What's good, guys? It's Ben here from neighbourhood,
where we help businesses find, sell to, and keep their people.
The world of online advertising can be
baffling, especially when you're first starting out.
But with the right tools and techniques, you'll be able to convert more customers
and grow your business faster than ever before.
Today, we will cover everything you need to know about PPC advertising,
including definitions, examples, and tips for getting started.
Are you ready to dive into the world of paid search?
Here's what you need to know.
First things first, what is PPC?
PPC stands for Pay Per Click, and it means just that.
You'll only pay when people actually click
on your ads and not every time the ad is displayed.
It's a form of online advertising
that enables advertisers to place their ads on search engines
result pages, websites, before videos, and more.
PPC ads are most commonly text ads but can
also include video display and shopping ads.
PPC is an effective way to reach your
ideal customers when you're just starting out and don't have a huge budget.
Unlike other forms of old school advertising like TV or radio,
PPC provides a way for companies to put their ad in front of the right people.
This is done through targeting keywords,
audience demographics, and past online activity.
PPC is a fantastic way to get your brand in front
of the people who are actually interested in what you have to offer.
Before we go any further, it's probably a good idea to get you up
to speed on all of the key terms of PPC advertising.
Cpc or cost per click is the amount you pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Cpm is short for cost per mil or cost per thousand impressions,
and it's the average amount you pay every time your ad is shown 1,000 times.
Ctr, this stands for click through rate,
and it's the percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing it.
Quality score is the score that Google assigns to each ad in your account.
This is based on how relevant the ad and landing page are for the chosen keywords.
Ad rank is a metric that Google uses
to determine which ads show up on the top of the search results.
It's based on your bid amount,
your quality score, and the conversion rate of the ads.
Bid amount, this is the amount that you're ready to pay for each click on an ad.
Campaign, this is a group of ads,
keywords, and bids that share the same budget and location targeting settings.
Conversion rate is the ratio
between the number of clicks on an ad and the resulting conversions.
You set up conversions based on user actions like completing a form,
signing up for an email list, or completing a purchase.
Keyword, a word or group of words that customers search for.
It's used to target or place ads on the sponsored search results.
Negative keywords. These are key words that you select
for an ad that you don't want your ad to show up for.
For example, you might want your product
to show up for the keyword T shirt, but maybe not worst T shirt or dirty T shirt.
So you're going to want to add these to your negative keyword list.
Now that we have all the lingo for PPC
down pat, you might be wondering, how does PPC actually work?
You first create a PPC ad campaign
by determining the campaign type that you want.
You can then set budget for how much you
want to spend per day and how much you're willing to pay per click.
Depending on the campaign
type, ads are then displayed at the top of the search results
as a banner on a web page, in the shopping tab,
at the start of a YouTube video like this one, or in a range of other places.
From here, the advertiser can start to choose when and where the ad will show
up based on keywords, page content, audience demographics, location, and more.
The ad content can also be tailored
to display the best content for the brand for each target audience viewing it.
Once the campaign is up and running, the likelihood an ad is displayed is based
on the advertiser's bid and the daily budget.
It's also impacted by things like click
through rate, conversion rate, and quality score.
The most popular form of PPC advertising is search ads,
which more often than not, are run through the Google ads platform.
This advertising network allows you
to target specific keywords so that you can advertise to consumers
who are actively searching for your products or services.
Google ads and other platforms like Bing or Yahoo also allow
you to target these ads based on factors that make them more likely to convert.
This can include demographics, user location, and even time of day.
To fully grasp how PPP search works,
we need to take a closer look at what search engines actually do.
Search engines are simply an index of websites.
When a user types in a query, the search engine will look through its
index to find pages that match that query and then display them back to the user.
The algorithms that drive search engines are complex and constantly evolving.
But generally speaking, they try to return the most relevant results for any query.
To do so, they look at a number
of factors, including how often that keyword appears
on a page, how many other websites link to it, and how recently it was updated.
The more you understand how search engines
like to think, the more effectively your PPC campaign strategies will be.
So why should you be using PPC?
Because PPC allows you to only pay
for your ads each time someone actually clicks on them.
It's a terrific way to reduce spending while still reaching a large audience.
This can help you increase brand awareness and bring in new leads.
As PPC allows you to target a tailored
audience, you can ensure your ads are only being seen by the right people.
This will reduce costs further.
You can also have complete control over what your ad actually
looks like and customize them for different target audiences.
This will ensure that each user is only
being presented with relevant clickable content.
But the benefits of pay per click go way beyond that.
Let's take a look at some of the other key advantages.
With PPC, you can reach a vast audience of potential customers through PPC
platforms, including Google, Bing, and Facebook.
This can help your brand get more exposure and build its reputation.
By pairing PPC with conversion tracking tools like Google Analytics,
you can track people's actions after they click on the app.
This data is valuable for measuring
return on investment and improving your campaign performance over time.
By targeting your audience, you can avoid
wasting money on ads that nobody wants to see.
Your ads will appear
where they are actually relevant and useful for the user.
PPC is a cost effective online advertising
method because you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Google also offers bidding strategies
that allow you to control exactly how much you're willing to spend per click.
You can also set daily budgets and track
performance at every level of the campaign.
With PPP search ads, your ads will only be only appear
on searches or keywords related to your product or services.
This helps drive traffic to your website
and increases brand awareness among consumers who wouldn't have otherwise been
exposed to your company's name in the first place.
They also offer quick results and you can
start seeing results in as little as 24 hours.
However, it is important to note that many
factors will impact how quickly you see results.
This can include budget and the size of the campaign.
You can easily
track and measure the performance of your campaign, including impressions,
clicks, cost per click, cost per 1,000 impressions, and conversion rate.
By measuring results, you can also make adjustments as needed
in order to optimize your campaign for maximum return on investment.
This is an essential aspect of any digital marketing strategy.
You might be starting to think to yourself, are all PPC ads built the same?
When it comes to PPC ads,
many different types exist, but most commonly they fall into four categories.
Firstly, we have search ads.
As we discussed earlier, these are the most common kinds of PPC ad.
You're going to find them at the very top
of the search engine results page, known as Serp for short.
These are simple and straightforward
advertisements that look quite similar to organic listings,
and they have a headline, description, URL, and call to action.
They are best used for targeting consumers
who are already looking for a product, a service, or a solution to a problem.
Number two, we have display ads.
These are also known as banner ads,
and they are a tad more complex as they include multiple images, videos,
and other elements that can't be included in a simple text ad.
They can be found on web pages across
the internet or on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Targeting does not occur through specific keywords but is based on the content
of the pages they are displayed on and the user's past online activity.
These are the best type of ads when you
want to raise awareness about a brand, a product, or a promotion.
Number three, we have shopping ads.
These are similar to search ads and can
allow a brand to appear at the top of the search engine's results page.
Unlike search ads, these are used for advertising a specific
product instead of a website or landing page, and they are less customizable.
Shopping campaigns also don't allow the advertiser to choose keywords.
Instead, the product names themselves are used as keywords.
They are most effective for e-commerce brands.
And number 4, we have videos,
something that you may have seen at the start of this video.
That's because they most commonly appear before YouTube videos or on social media.
They are generally short and attention-grabbing clips.
Specific audiences can be targeted based
on the content they are viewing on the platform.
For example, an ad for a lipstick can be
shown before a makeup tutorial video or on the social media feed of a user
who's liked content from a makeup brand previously.
Whilst they can be much more time consuming to produce,
they are great for building brand identity and catching the customer's attention.
You might be wondering, how much is this all going to cost me?
Well, the cost of pay per click ads is mostly up to you.
This is because the price you're willing
to pay for every click on your ad depends entirely on your budget.
To start, you might want to set a low
daily budget and then adjust it as necessary.
Some businesses
begin their advertising campaigns with a budget as low as $10 per day.
It's a great way to determine that the ad content and the type of ad marketing
actually provide a good return on investment before ramping up a campaign.
That being said,
the cost per click depends firstly on how competitive keywords are or how many other
advertisers are willing to pay to use them.
So this will impact how high you have to have to set your budget in order
to achieve a certain number of clicks per day.
Google and other PPC channels do however strive to give users highly
relevant search results so they can actually reward
advertisers with high ad quality by charging less per click.
An ad's quality score is based on how well written and relevant the ad is
and how well the landing page converts clicks into customers.
So what does this mean?
The more you optimize your content
for search engines, the lower your cost per click will be.
Keep your ads and landing pages fresh, engaging, and relevant to provide a good
user experience and boost the efficiency of your PPC campaign.
On that note, let's jump into some more information on the landing page.
Landing pages are a powerful tool for increasing conversions.
They are designed to focus your message
and funnel users towards the action you want them to take.
They are an integral component
of your PPC campaign as they provide a more engaging
experience than simply sending clicks directly to your homepage.
The key is how well you optimize these pages.
If a visitor lands on a page that doesn't
provide value, they won't stay long enough to convert.
This is why it's crucial to ensure your landing page meets the customer's needs
and provides them with what they want right off the bat.
Here are some quick tips for optimizing your landing page.
Make sure your landing page is appropriate to your app.
You're going to need to use a strong headline that gives customers
an idea of what they'll get from visiting your site.
You're also going to need to ensure
that your landing page has one clear call to action.
Next, you're going to want to fill your
landing page with high quality images and content.
You're also going to want to check that your landing page is mobile friendly.
Another thing, you're going to need
to make sure that your landing page is easy to navigate.
Finally, remove any random pop ups or
distractions on your landing pages that get in the way of completing the action.
Remember that your PPC ads and landing pages are different components
of the buyer's journey, and they work together to achieve a common goal.
Align your landing page with the ad copy and make sure they promise the same thing.
This will help you to create a seamless experience for potential customers.
Finally, now that we are PPC experts, let's launch a successful PPC campaign.
As you followed our tips and your landing
page is ready to rock, it's time to get started.
Here are nine steps to help you get set up
and get the most out of your PPC advertising campaign.
Firstly, let's start by focusing on the end result.
Every single PPC ad should have a clearly defined campaign goal such as attracting
new email subscribers or generating leads for your sales team.
The strategy and features of each PPC ad will be determined by the goal it serves.
Second, you're going to need to conduct competitor research.
To succeed online, you need to target correctly.
For a search campaign, this will involve choosing relevant and popular keywords.
Keep your keywords cost per click in mind
when researching keywords so that you don't overspend on less successful ones.
Step number three, set budgets based on the keyword you want to target.
You should set your budgets only after you have selected your group of keyword or
target audiences and have determined the approximate cost per click for each.
Next up, you need to craft compelling ad copy.
Write captivating ads to draw attention and generate leads for your business
and include keywords that relate specifically to your niche.
For display, shopping, and video ads,
you're also going to need to have eye catching visuals.
Step number five, give each of your ads a clear call to action.
The type of CTA you use is going to depend on the goal.
If your ad aims to get people to download
a free guide, tell them to do so by clicking the ad
and make sure they know what they're downloading.
A lack of clarity or an unclear call to action will hurt performance.
After this, you need to link the ad to your landing page.
Before launching a campaign,
check the landing page to ensure that it's optimised for conversions.
An essential part of landing page optimization is ensuring that your landing
page's CTA matches up with the ad that you ran to drive traffic there.
Next, make sure your budget is realistic before launching your campaign.
At this point, ad preparation is complete.
Now, verify the correct budget has been
allocated, and once you're satisfied with the campaign's blueprint, take it live.
That's not it, though.
Once you're live, don't let poor results discourage you.
Don't expect your first campaign to be a smashing success.
It will probably take some time to get things right.
Test new approaches,
gather data driven insights, and improve your performance over time.
The final step is to measure, analyze, and improve your campaign.
While your campaign is underway, use the manager's tools and dashboard
features to track results and provide valuable insight.
Utilize this feedback to guide future
optimizations and improve your overall performance.
While PPC campaigns may take some time
to master, platforms like Google ads are designed with small
business owners in mind and can be operated by nearly anyone.
With patience, attention to detail,
and an understanding of the dynamics behind PPC advertising, PPC ads can become
a valuable marketing channel for growing your business.
So there you have it, the basics of PPC advertising.
I hope this has helped you better understand what they are and given you
the confidence to get started with this advertising strategy today.
If you still think you need some extra help to understand how utilising PPC could
help your business, please don't hesitate to reach out below.
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If you want to read more about PPC,
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That's it from me, guys. Happy marketing.