Pay-per-click, or PPC, is an online advertising model that allows you to place ads in search engine results for specific keywords. While SEO focuses on earning rankings through content and optimization, PPC essentially lets you pay for placement for your target keywords.
If you’re new to PPC, Google Ads is the best place to start, because it allows you to place ads in Google search results.
PPC works on a bidding system in which you select target keywords, then compete with other advertisers to place ads in the search results for those keywords. If your bid is among the highest, you’ll earn placement above organic search results — and if someone clicks, you’ll pay your bid amount.
One of the biggest advantages of PPC is that (as the name implies), you only pay when users click on your advertisement. This means you don’t have to worry about wasting your budget on people who aren’t interested in your business or ignore your ads.
This feature makes PPC one of the most powerful Internet advertising strategies for companies today.
PPC is also an effective advertising strategy because it can start generating results the minute you launch a campaign. Unlike SEO, which takes time, PPC can create sales and conversions immediately. As an example, an HVAC marketing strategy that uses PPC could start generating phone calls immediately, like for maintenance requests, emergency services, and more. That’s immediate revenue for that business!
PPC also works well in combination with SEO, because combining the two gives your business multiple opportunities to appear in search results. When people search for keywords related to your products or services, you want them to see your company in search results.
If you’re not yet ranking organically, PPC is a great way to reach them — and if you are already ranking organically, you have a chance to appear in two different spots on the results page.
And if you’re wondering if PPC ads are an effective way to generate traffic and conversions, the answer is yes. Out of all the results on the page, the top three paid spots receive 46 percent of the clicks. This indicates that almost half of searchers will click on PPC advertisements.
Overall, PPC is an effective online advertising channel that can work within any budget and increase your online visibility. And if you partner with an experienced PPC campaign manager, it can be exactly what you need to grow your business and increase your revenue.
