Pay per click (PPC) marketing does exactly what it says on the tin. Instead of paying for the number of views/impressions your advert gets, you pay each time your ad gets clicked.
Various search engines and platforms provide PPC services but ultimately – the PPC provider will display an advert on a search engine, social media platform or 3rd party website on behalf of the advertiser (you!).
Now you know what PPC is – naturally, it is important to understand when (& when not) to use it!
When should I use PPC?
Here are some common examples of when using PPC marketing is likely to be beneficial:
- When you’re looking to increase lead generation & sales through your website
- To get rankings when your organic listings (SEO) is poor
- For start-up websites with little traffic – this can be a quick fix!
- For time-sensitive campaigns e.g. Easter and Christmas – it’s not worthwhile investing time & resources into SEO
- To compliment other online/offline marketing campaigns
When shouldn’t I use PPC?
Conversely, below are some examples of when PPC marketing should not be used:
- When the cost of bringing on board the customer exceeds the amount you make on a sale – this may sound obvious but it is easy to get carried away & the consequences could be devastating on company profits. Examples that may fall into this category are: low value or low margin products
- When competition has made your sector too expensive – cost per click could be too high to be feasible. Examples of these industries may include IT, utilities and finance.
- If your budget is less than £5 per day (£150 per month) – it is important to have a reasonable & sufficient budget in place otherwise your ads won’t get shown as often & as consistently
So, PPC or no PPC? That is the question…
It’s time to make your decision. Is PPC appropriate for your company? Or for select parts of it, for example, certain products?
PPC can be an extremely powerful marketing tool & an excellent resource for directing traffic to your website. Don’t underestimate it!
