In the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising stands out as a powerful tool that can bring remarkable results for businesses of all sizes. For small business owners, mastering PPC can often seem like a daunting task, but the truth is, it doesn’t have to be.

This guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview of PPC advertising, offering a foundation for small business owners to harness its potential effectively. I’ll look to break down PPC, explaining how it works, why keywords are critical, and how to effectively track conversions.

We’ll delve into the benefits this form of advertising offers to small businesses and shed some light on Google Ad Grants, a unique opportunity for non-profit entities. To round up, we’ll pit PPC against SEO, contrasting these two digital marketing heavyweights.

Unravelling the Basics of PPC Advertising

Pay-Per-Click, as the name suggests, is an online advertising model where you pay a fee each time a user clicks on your ad. It’s essentially a way to buy visits to your site rather than attempting to earn those visits organically.

There are several platforms where PPC advertising can be utilised. Google Ads is perhaps the most well-known, where ads appear in search results and across various websites in the Google Display Network.

Bing Ads operate on a similar principle, though on a smaller scale due to Bing’s lesser search engine market share.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn also offer their own PPC advertising options, capitalising on the enormous amounts of time people spend scrolling through feeds.

Each platform presents unique opportunities, and the right choice depends on your business and target audience.

How Does PPC Work?

PPC is essentially an online auction where you bid for ad placement in a search engine’s sponsored links.

When someone searches a keyword related to your business offering, you want your ad to show up. Each time your ad gets clicked and a visitor is directed to your website, you pay the search engine a small fee. Hence the term, “pay per click”.

Now, the pivotal role that keywords play in this process can’t be understated. They serve as the cornerstones, guiding the right audience to your ad.

Understanding Keywords in PPC

Think of keywords as the language that connects your business with potential customers. They are the phrases and terms your target audience types into search engines when they’re looking for a product, service, or solution that you provide. By bidding on these keywords in your PPC campaigns, you can ensure your ads show up when these terms are searched for.

It’s like a game of digital matchmaker, where the goal is to align what you offer with what your potential customers are actively seeking out.

A key point to bear in mind here is that what your target customers are searching for might not necessarily be what you have in mind.

Suppose you’re Running a gardening service, ‘lawn care’ might seem like the top keyword. But what if potential customers are searching for ‘garden maintenance’? The distinction may seem subtle, but in terms of search volume, it could be crucial.

This is why thoroughly researching keywords is an important step to take when setting up your campaign.

Conversion Tracking in PPC

Once you’ve set up your PPC campaign with the right keywords, it’s essential to track how well they’re performing.

Conversion tracking is like the digital version of a shopkeeper tallying up the day’s sales. It’s the tool you use to measure the effectiveness of your ad campaign by tracking what happens after a customer clicks on your ad.

Whether they purchase a product, sign up for your newsletter, call your business, or fill out a form, these are all considered ‘conversions’.

By tracking these actions, you can gain valuable insight into what is working in your campaign and what needs fine-tuning. It’s the detailed feedback that guides you in adjusting your strategies to optimise results.

Benefits of PPC Advertising for Small Businesses

For small businesses, PPC advertising offers numerous benefits that can supercharge your marketing efforts.

Firstly, it allows for precise targeting. Just like how a store owner knows their local customers, you can tailor your ads to reach the exact demographic you want.

Secondly, provided the set up is correct, PPC is extremely measurable. This allows businesses to make informed decisions later on down the road.

Thirdly, it provides quick results. Unlike waiting for a tree to bear fruit, with PPC, you can see traffic coming to your site shortly after the campaign launches. Though the initial results are often quick, it is worth bearing in mind that refining a campaign to ensure you’re getting the best ROI can take time.

Lastly, you maintain full control over your budget. No fear of a runaway tab; you decide how much to spend daily or monthly.

Google Ad Grants: A Unique Opportunity for Non-profits

Stepping into the realm of PPC advertising doesn’t necessarily need to strain your resources.

If you’re a charity you may be eligible for Google Ad Grants. With this programme, eligible non-profits can receive up to $10,000 per month in free advertising on Google Search.

Though there are a few requirements and limitations with Ad grants, this is something I heavily recommend checking out.

PPC vs SEO: A Comparative Look

In the world of digital marketing, PPC and SEO often come up as two powerful yet distinct approaches to drive traffic and visibility (here’s more about SEO from Aubrey’s blog, last week).

I thought it would be worth touching on this to give you a brief understanding of what sets them apart. If you’d like a more detailed answer on this then be sure to check out my post on PPC vs SEO.

To summarise, it comes down to your goals.

PPC, as we’ve explored, is like a speedboat, propelling your business towards visibility instantly, albeit at a cost. You decide on your budget, your target, and your message, and Google does the rest.

On the flip side, SEO is more like planting a tree – it’s an organic and gradual process that requires time, but once it blossoms, it provides consistent, cost-free visibility.

Conclusion: Taking the First Steps in PPC Advertising

Pay-per-Click offers a wealth of potential for small business owners. From the instantaneous visibility boost to the precision targeting and the benefit of tracking tangible results, PPC empowers you to take control of your digital marketing journey.

With a solid understanding of how PPC works and its unique benefits, you’re now better equipped to take that leap and explore the wonders it can do for your business.

About the author

Jordan Farrar runs Akoca SEO, a Witney based Digital Marketing partner to small businesses. He brings a wealth of digital marketing experience, particularly in PPC and SEO. If you need assistance navigating the complex realm of digital advertising, feel free to reach out to Jordan or check out his blog for other Digital Marketing insights.