If you're interested in Internet marketing, you have several options to choose between. First, there's of course the prospect of advertising on regular search engines like Google and Yahoo by ranking high in the result list according to certain keywords. But the search engines promise nothing, and would send SEO's packing if they could. Their focus is on relevant search result, not on the success of your search marketing. If this isn't your cup of tea you might want to consider a more controllable online marketing strategy, called PPC!
“Search engines focus is on relevant search result, not on the success of your search marketing. If this isn't your cup of tea you might want to consider a more controllable marketing online strategy, called PPC!”
Pay - Per - Click Search Engines - Devoted to Advertisements
Emerging in the late 1990s Pay-Per-Click has grown to become a force to be reckoned with in Internet marketing industry. Search Engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN and Altavista all offer PPC ads on their sites, often appearing above, below and next to the result in the SERP. When deciding to advertise using PPC you're allowed to create you own ads, implementing desired keywords and then bid on how much you are willing to pay per click. But first you have to decide which PPC search engine to advertise on!
Remember, you are never charged by the PPC search engines whenever your ad appears, only when it's clicked on!
5 Easy Steps to Get Started with PPC
1. Choose Your Pay-Per-Click Search Engine
There are several regular search engines allowing sponsored links on their result pages. Google Ads, Yahoo SM are leading the market. MSN KeyWords are expected to join them shortly!
2. Apply Your Keywords
PPC ads are connected to the keyword used in the search engine. The ad is thus only visible when the search engine displays the result of a sought keyword. As you would search optimize your website, choose you keywords and phrases and implement them into the title and body text of the ad.
3. Bid for Position
Since the ads are displayed from top to bottom the advertisement in the highest position will naturally get most attention. This is where the bidding enters the picture. By bidding on how much you are willing to pay per click you bid on the position of your ad in relation to certain keywords. The more you're willing to pay the higher you will get! While the top positions often get most attention by visitors, this is not the only factor to consider when bidding. Your ad's click value is determined on conversion ratio and how much money your product actually will generate. Let's say your conversion ratio is 1:100, one sale per hundred clicks, and your product cost $10. To break even you shouldn't pay more than 10 cents per click. Now if the bid on highest position is 20 cents you'll loose $10 on every sale. And the purpose of PPC ads is in the end to make money, right?
Nowadays you're not promised the highest position even if you made the highest bid, the ranking is primarily affected by an ads popularity factor. The ad generating most clicks according to a certain keyword will always have the highest position.
4. Create a Clean and Call-to-Action Landing Page for Your Ad
It is not enough that a visitor is clicking on your ad. If the landing page is messy or confusing your visitor will leave. Make sure that the purchase of your product can be made directly off the landing page and have detailed information available if the visitor wants to know more. You have to do everything in your power to increase the level of Call-to-Action. Without a relatively high conversion ratio your PPC ad can easily end up costing more money than it generates.
5. Control Your Ads
As a PPC advertiser you are a paying customer and that comes with benefits. With the bidding system you have complete control of your ads ranking, immediate updates and access to stats on how your ads are doing.
Advantages with Pay-Per-Click Advertisment
- PPC is widely considered to generate strong ROI.
- Pay - Per - Click ads are found to be more reliable and relevant.
- In the end they're the only type of advertisement allowed at the search engine sites. And that is a strong position to hold.
- PPC ads are often seen as search result, thus free from the bad reputation of commercial advertisements.