How do you get your business exposure and attract new customers? It’s a question many small business owners ask themselves everyday. There’s always the good ol’ fashion way of advertising: billboards, radio spots, TV commercials. But if you want to reach thousands of people at once, using these methods can cost you an arm and a leg (literally).
If you’re on a budget, there’s only one solution: Pay per click marketing. PPC is an easy, effective way that can have your business showing up before everyone else in the search engines without the hassle of trying to create ads on your own or manage a staff of ad designers. All it takes is money and some time every month to manage your campaigns.
What is PPC Marketing?
PPC marketing stands for pay per click, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. It allows you to buy keywords or phrases that people search on Google, Bing, Yahoo etc., and when someone types in one of those words or phrases, your ad will pop up at the top of the list. This is why it’s called pay per click, because you only have to pay when people actually click on your ad and visit your website.
Now customers can’t just type in anything they want and expect your ad to show up every time, so you’ll need to set up a strategy for bidding on keywords that are relevant to your business. For example, if you run a restaurant and you bid on the keyword “pizza delivery,” there’s a chance that your ad will show up for people looking for pizza delivery in general. But if you take the time to research keywords related to your specific location (ex: pizza delivery Stamford CT) then the chances of someone in Stamford clicking on your ad will be higher because they’ll see it’s relevant to them.
Doing proper keyword research is very important in PPC marketing, and one of the things you’ll need to keep track of when running your campaigns. You can find out more about setting up an effective pay per click strategy here .
Why should you use PPC marketing?
There are many benefits to using pay per click marketing for your business, including:
– You get top ranking in search engines – PPC allows you to “buy” your way to the top of the list. Your ad will show up before organic (non-paid) results when people search related keywords, so it’s the perfect way to get exposure.
– You only pay when people click on your ad – The average cost per click (CPC) is usually much lower than other forms of advertising, because you’re only paying for clicks and not impressions like with billboards or TV ads.
– You can measure results easily – PPC campaigns are set up to be measurable, which means you get a lot of data that can help you improve your campaigns and marketing strategy. You’ll get information about things like impressions, clicks, bounce rate, keywords clicked etc., all in one place.
– It’s easy to set up – PPC is also quick and simple to set up if you have the right tools. You can have a campaign up and running in a matter of hours with these simple steps .
– It’s targeted – PPC is one of the most targeted online advertising methods out there, so even if you’re on a tight budget, you’ll only be reaching people who are likely to need your services or buy your product.
How long does it take to see results?
The time it takes for your campaign to show results can vary depending on a lot of factors, like how much you’re spending and the competition in your industry. It’s always good practice to keep track of your campaigns and check in once in a while to make sure everything is running smoothly. Best, if you get the services of an SEO company where you are located, for example, Cincinnati SEO. But if you do this and make sure not to overspend on your campaigns, then it can take anywhere from a few days to several months for your ads to show the full impact.