PPC – Smart for Small Businesses
Should your small business explore pay per click (PPC) advertising? Well, that depends –
Do you want to drive targeted traffic to your website?
What is PPC?
First, it’s important to understand what PPC really is and what it is not. PPC stands for Pay-Per-Click and it is a way to advertise your website to prospective clients and customers via search engine results.
In short, you can pay Google (or Bing and Yahoo) to put you at the top of the search results list – the coveted page one.
However, PPC is not a magic trick. It is not a scheme or a shortcut. It is a sophisticated process that requires time and thought.
How does it work?
PPC is effective because it brings your company to the people who are looking for what you have to offer. Your ad will not appear to someone who types in something other than your keywords, so unlike many advertising mediums, you do not have to pay to advertise to people who just don’t care.
PPC is targeted. YOU decide who sees your ad, by deciding on which keywords you would like to advertise for. You only have to pay if someone clicks on your ad. And if someone clicks on your ad, chances are pretty good that they are interested in what you have to offer.
PPC and Conversion:
However, the PPC process does not end with that coveted click. You need to make sure that the keywords you are advertising for cooperate with the page(s) your visitors land on.
If they cannot immediately locate what they are looking for, they will bounce, and you will have wasted your time and money.
A well-executed PPC campaign will make sure that your traffic converts. A well-executed PPC campaign begins in keyword research, and carries your small business all the way through to sales. Otherwise, there is no point.
PPC, SEO and Conversion Rate Optimization:
Can PPC and SEO (search engine optimization) and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) work together? They should go hand in hand. These three marketing methods work wonderfully together when done well.
PPC provides immediate results, while SEO takes a little longer, and provides long-term results. Conversion Rate Optimization makes sure that the traffic you drive to your website from either source turns those visitors into sales or leads.
Successful small business marketing campaigns will work with all three strategies, which will lead to the most traffic and the most profitable website.
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