It's quite likely you've already heard of PPC but you might not be entirely sure what it is? If so, then you’re in the right place as we’re going to explain everything PPC-related.
PPC is a great tool for small businesses, as it is a brilliantly effective way for businesses of all sizes to gain quick exposure online.
However, please bear in mind, that although PPC is a somewhat easy way to get exposure, there is always the risk of overspending and exceeding your budget. Therefore, to achieve an effective campaign and a worthwhile ROAS (return on ad spend), you need to put in the leg work.
Here at Audience, our team has been working hard to put together all our top tips on how to successfully navigate the world of PPC. With the help of this guide, you should have the full PPC rundown, you will know what it is, why to use it, how it works, and how to optimise your campaign.
SO, WHAT IS PPC?
PPC is a form of online advertising, where the creator of the ad pays a fee when the link gets clicked on.
These types of ads will most commonly be found at the top of search engines pages.
You may be wondering why you would ever pay for this when you can appear on search engine results pages for free.
Well, when you set up a PPC campaign your website or PPC 'ad' link should appear as the very first result on the search page. A small ‘ad’ symbol will also be shown next to the link so that users know the placement has been paid for.
If you decide not to use PPC, then you will need to rely solely on unpaid SEO strategy to appear high up on the search engine results page. SEO is another effective marketing strategy, but it can be a lengthy and time-consuming process.
The choice on whether to use PPC or SEO will depend on your objectives, timescales, and budget.
We already have a guide on SEO, so please check that out if you’re interested!
WHY USE PPC?
1. IT WORKS QUICKLY
According to estimations, using PPC advertising can help raise brand awareness by a massive 80%. This type of paid advertising can be a brilliant way to introduce your brand to new audiences.
Again, it’s worth pointing out that PPC is fast and efficient but should be considered a financial investment. Despite SEO being free, some may argue it is a more long-term solution and may even lead to lost opportunities.
2. REFINED AUDIENCE
PPC means you can target specific audiences. When you set up your PPC ads, you can choose certain demographics which will determine who will see your ad.
As with most paid advertising, the more targeted your approach, the more effective it will be. This is just one of the many joys of personalised ads.
3. EASY CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT
With a lot of online marketing campaigns, it can be very tricky to work out effectiveness. Fortunately, PPC provides users with very clear data, to track success.
To monitor your campaign, we would definitely recommend using Google Analytics. When you launch a social PPC campaign, Facebook has an Ads Manager tool, which provides a clear table with customisable data with fields, such as reach, impressions, and amount spent. This valuable information can be used to measure the success of your ads.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
There are various ways to run a PPC campaign across the internet, but as this is a beginners’ guide then let’s take a look at the main way – which is through Google Ads!
1. GO TO GOOGLE ADS
The first step will be to log into your Google account. If you don’t have one, then don't worry, as you can sign up for free here.
So, go to Google Ads and press ‘Get Started’. Then you can start filling in the PPC form with your campaign and business details.
2. COMPLETE CAMPAIGN SET-UP
You will need to enter information on your business, audience, ad content, budget, and billing info.
Once you have agreed to terms and conditions, then you’re ready to press ‘submit’ and set your PPC campaign live!
HOW TO OPTIMISE A CAMPAIGN
Exciting, your campaign is live! The next step is to ensure your campaign is performing at its best.
Commit to spending some time researching your target audience. Once you have decided on the correct audience, you will end up saving a lot of time and money.
Not only do you need to know your audience, but you should research what kind of thing they will be looking up. This will help determine which keywords you should use in your campaign.
In an ideal world, your campaign will be achieving the highest clicks with the lowest spend. To get to this point, you will need to hone in on keyword/term selection and the ad copy/content, by using Google Keyword Planner.
Here are some of our top tips on how to optimize your campaigns:
Focus on small ad groups, in order to keep your campaigns concise
Perform a keyword search, so you can find and exclude certain words
Creating a clear call to action (CTA) is incredibly crucial, in driving an action to get conversions
It’s important to keep an eye on your campaign and make regular adjustments. PPC campaigns and ongoing tweaks need to be optimsied, so don’t forget to do this or you could run wildly over budget!
And that’s it, your beginners’ guide to PPC. Our team here at Audience, are PPC experts, so make sure to drop us a note at hello@getaudience.co.uk and let us know if you have any questions.
PPC is a fantastic way for your business to gain exposure but remember to put in the hard work when you are researching your audience and keywords, to ensure your campaign is targeted correctly.
Don’t forget about your campaign, as it needs continual monitoring and optimising!
