Introduction
With the proliferation of internet-enabled devices, there are more ways than ever before to advertise your business. One powerful option for any small business is Pay-Per-Click advertising (PPC). This type of digital marketing requires a budget to be effective, but it can be an excellent way for small businesses to get their products in front of potential customers. PPC campaigns have five main advantages: they’re less expensive than ads on TV or radio; they target the right people; results happen faster; people spend more time looking at their screens; and you can use them in conjunction with other types of marketing like print media, SEO or social media. Let’s look a little closer at these benefits.
5 Advantages for using Pay-Per-Click advertising (PPC):
1) It’s less expensive than other forms of advertising.
PPC is cheaper than buying ad space on TV, radio, or newspaper ads because you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. Television and radio ads have set prices, which can end up costing thousands of dollars for one commercial slot. Ad space in newspapers and magazines also has to be purchased as part of a contract that may take months or years to complete; this leaves no room for fluctuation during slow business periods. PPC, by contrast, allows you to adjust the budget as needed based on traffic levels: reduce your budget during slower times and increase it back up when demand picks up again. Not only is this more convenient, but it’s also more cost-effective.
2) It targets the right people.
PPC is an excellent way to target potential customers because you can choose keywords that relate directly to your business. This means that when someone searches for a term related to your industry, they see your ad. For example, if you own a bakery and wanted to target people who live nearby looking for a place where they could pick up something sweet, you would input “bakery near me” as one of the search terms for your campaign. A PPC ad allows you to hone in specifically on those who will be most interested in what you have to offer.
3) Results happen faster.
Another benefit of PPC advertising is that results happen fast. You get to see how many clicks you’re getting in real-time, so you can make adjustments on the fly if needed. If you want to increase your budget because of positive feedback from customers, there is no contract or approval process involved like with traditional print media advertising. Additionally, organic search results don’t work in real-time; when someone searches for a term you have listed in Google Ads, they may not click on your ad right away. This means that it could take weeks or months before you see any significant traffic. This is a great alternative in the meantime.
4) People spend more time looking at their screens.
PPC ads are displayed when people are actively searching for something online, so they are more likely to notice your ad than they would be with other forms of advertising. 67% of internet users are more likely to buy something after they have researched it online, so you are reaching people at the exact moment that they are most interested in your product.
5) It can be used in conjunction with other advertising methods.
Like any marketing campaign, PPC is most effective when used along with other types of ads. You may want to start by using only ads on Google or Bing, for example, while testing different keywords and ad copy to see what works best for your business. Once you know what kinds of campaigns get the most clicks and conversions, you can choose whether or not you want to try additional digital marketing tools like social media or email marketing.
Conclusion:
PPC is a great way to reach customers in a cost-effective and targeted manner. The five main advantages of PPC are that it’s less expensive than other forms of advertising, targets the right people, results happen faster, people spend more time looking at their screens and you can use them in conjunction with other types of marketing like print media or SEO. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not this form of digital advertising is for you, feel free to reach out to us!