Pay per click marketing (PPC) is a method of advertising that allows you to pay only when your ad is clicked by an interested person online. It’s an approach that can get targeted visitors to your website very quickly, possibly even instantly.
PPC can be a highly effective way to promote your website, particularly when used on a short-term basis. This makes it helpful for new businesses that may have a hard time getting traffic when they rely just on search engine optimization. And, there are other pros and cons of PPC.
The Pros of Pay Per Click Marketing
PPC is the model of choice for many marketers. Here are some of the pros of using this approach:
- Quick results: You don’t need a lot of patience when you use PPC. You may be able to generate targeted, highly motivated traffic within a few minutes.
- You’re in control: All aspects of your PPC marketing campaign are under your control. You can spend as much or as little as you want.
- Measurability: Using analytics, it is easy to tell what is working and what is not working. You can tell how many people have seen your ad, clicked it and took the action you wanted them to take.
- Tracking ads in real-time: You can access immediate information on ads and keyword performance and your conversion rates.
- Targeted traffic: Your ads can target specific groups, especially when you use retargeting, which shows your ad to a prospect who visited your site recently.
The Cons of Pay Per Click Marketing
There are a few drawbacks to PPC marketing. Here are some of the cons:
- PPC isn’t free: If you aren’t quite sure what you’re doing, your costs may start to rise before you are actually making profits. Clicks cost you money, whether people mean to click on your ads or not.
- Bids can get expensive: The amount of money you are spending can increase if you get into a bidding war or if you are in an expensive industry.
- No guarantee of sales: In some ways, PPC is a gamble. Conversions depend on the quality of your ads and what you are selling. It is possible that you won’t make sales and will end up losing money.
- Learning PPC can be complex: There is a learning curve to coming to understand various marketing methods including PPC. There are a lot of variables involved and you may not be instantly successful.
Working with PPC Experts
After you consider the pros and cons of PPC marketing, you will be able to decide whether you think this is a strategy that will benefit your business. While PPC can be a fast way to get targeted traffic to your website, if you are inexperienced, you may run into problems such as underbidding or overbidding. Another common mistake is bidding on the wrong keywords.
It makes sense to work with experts in PPC as you begin using this strategy. For more information on PPC marketing, contact the pros at Softline Solutions.
