Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is arguably the most dominant mode of marketing on the internet. Also referred to as cost-per-click (CPC), PPC has grown in popularity over the past decade or so, largely thanks to Google’s successful foray into the market. Following the efforts of several other firms, Google launched AdWords, now the leading provider of PPC, in late 2000. After employing a CPM (cost-per-thousand-impressions) price model, Google introduced a PPC version of AdWords two years later, a decision that would prove extremely popular with private and commercial users.
So, what exactly is PPC and how does it work? Essentially, PPC is a system for supplying targeted ads at a fixed cost. Unlike the earliest and most traditional forms of advertising on the web, PPC offers measurable, controllable results. PPC advertising is also more affordable than older methods of marketing, not least because PPC campaigns are usually assigned a fixed budget for a specific period of time.
PPC advertisements appear to web users in various forms, the most popular of which include those supported by Google AdWords, which displays targeted ads comprising text and links to users of its search engine and those browsing affiliate websites. Although a PPC ad can be displayed numerous times to many thousands of users, the client is only ever charged when somebody clicks on one of the ads. PPC campaigns are said to be measurable in this context because the client can better judge the success of an ad by its click-through rate than by the number of times it has been loaded on a page containing other content. PPC advertising is so popular because it is an extremely targeted and precise form of marketing.
PPC advertising is sometimes referred to as CPC advertising because the associated costs tend to be influenced by market conditions. Whereas one keyword might cost only £0.05 to achieve top billing on the first page of Google’s search results, another might cost substantially more. “Insurance”, “loans”, “software”, “credit”, “degree”, “hosting”, “claim” and “lawyer” were among the web’s most popular (and therefore expensive) keywords in 2011, with CPC values ranging from £3.00 to £30.00. PPC managers are able to provide guidance on how best to deal with CPC.
Google AdWords provides the client with a relatively simple interface through which management of PPC campaigns can be effectively implemented. Unfortunately, an application-based PPC manager merely provides the means by which management of PPC can be undertaken; it does not outline advertisement strategies and it does not automatically update copy in line with consumer trends.
To achieve effective management of PPC campaigns, users are advised to opt for a professional PPC management company.
There ought to be no hesitation in hiring professional PPC management services, if only because doing so is likely to generate greater success. Whilst professional management of PPC campaigns might not be necessary for all users, particularly private advertisers, ensuring that PPC campaigns are employing the most effective and up-to-date tactics can help to maximise results. In this context, maximising results does not merely refer to enhancing the visibility of a campaign; it can also mean attracting the right kind of person to a site through PPC marketing. Obviously, the right kind of person is one who is most willing and able to place an order or subscribe to a service.
Professional AdWords PPC management can achieve good results for most types of business in most areas of trade. A florist, for example, can use a dedicated PPC manager to steer an AdWords campaign in the right direction. The PPC management company would most likely assess the needs and nature of the florist’s business before implementing and managing a targeted campaign. PPC ads would then appear alongside search results for people looking to purchase flowers in a certain part of the world (obviously wherever the client operates). Ads might also be placed on relevant affiliate sites. A smart PPC manager would also ensure that ads appear for people searching for keywords associated with anniversaries, births, deaths and so on.
Although the small to medium-sized local florist might take several extra orders each month as a result of PPC advertising, a firm that operates in a field dominated by major corporations may experience complications. As mentioned above, the presiding problem in this scenario and perhaps the main drawback of PPC advertising in general, is that the cost associated with the most popular keywords is likely to have been inflated by the firms competing at the top, thereby limiting the options of smaller operators.
A small insurance broker, for instance, is unlikely to be able to afford a successful PPC campaign that is based on the web’s most expensive keyword. Small to medium-sized loan companies and law firms could also struggle to achieve strong results with conventional PPC campaigns, which is why it is critical for companies such as these to hire specialist AdWords PPC management firms.
PPC management services are important for controlling the success of a PPC campaign over a specified period of time. If the client can afford a six-month campaign, for example, the PPC management company should strive to achieve the best results possible within this period. Delegating control to a specialist PPC manager is not only wise in terms of achieving the best results, but it also enables clients to concentrate on their businesses without worrying about bidding wars, market changes and other such variables. PPC can be a complex business, which is why PPC management services are so important.
An AdWords PPC management firm would aim to ensure that clients get value for money from PPC campaigns, which can sometimes prove fruitlessly expensive when competing against large firms. A PPC management company knows how to prevail in, or identify when to avoid, a bidding war, whilst it is able to succeed in exploiting secondary and tertiary keywords to good effect by gaining an understanding of the market and keeping an eye on how it changes over the course of a campaign.
As noted above, a specialist AdWords PPC management firm would also strive to attract the right kind of customer to an ad. There is little commercial point in bringing non-buyers or non-subscribers to a site through a PPC campaign, so a PPC manager might also ensure that ads are placed on sites with specific types of content and content that is likely to generate leads.
Finally, PPC management services make PPC advertising even more measurable. Most PPC managers offer advanced reporting to clients, allowing them to keep track of all aspects of their campaigns. Statistical analyses, keyword trends, click-through rates and other relevant data help to ensure that clients know what sort of return on investment PPC is generating for their business. In the world of internet marketing, knowledge is power and the PPC manager is king.