The major search engines offer programs whereby advertisers can display advertisements directly on search engine results pages and, if required, in advertisements ‘blocks’ on other peoples’ websites. There is a charge each time a reader clicks on the advertisement link, hence the name ‘pay per click’ or PPC.
CPC advertising is not for everyone. It requires a daily budget, and the charge per click can make this channel to market unsuitable for some low-value products. On the other hand, a well-managed PPC campaign can provide a controllable flow of leads, fast market research, geographic targeting and cost accountability at a price point well below any other form of traditional marketing.
The work we do in this area is, by its nature, highly variable. We can’t guarantee results because so much depends on the nature of the offer and the competition in the market.
It’s an unpredictable process, and even though we don’t make performance promises our incremental testing procedures ensure your campaign is the best it can be.
How We Manage a PPC Campaign
The starting point is prior research; specifically, we need to have web analytics in place and we need to have keyword research completed.
On your behalf, we configure a Google Adwords campaign under our Client Manager account. Using a selection of keywords from our earlier research, we organise multiple Ad groups, write adverts for each, and provide your web development team with copy for landing pages. We configure conversion tracking, and we provide the necessary code to your web team for implementation on your website. Once everything is ready, we initiate the campaign.
Once underway, we closely monitor all metrics and use a ‘beat the control’ testing regime to fine-tune advert copy, landing page copy, and bid prices. We will also research additional keywords, if necessary, to capture relevant ‘long tail’ search terms.
Google’s PPC costs are controlled to a specified maximum spend per day. The flow of business to your website can be controlled by increasing or decreasing this figure, and after a few weeks of fine-tuning will decrease (for the same amount of business). This is the benefit of ongoing testing and incremental improvement.
In the longer term, the flow of business can be controlled to match your capacity to service that business. Increase or decrease your daily spend, or even pause the campaign to let your sales team catch up.
Website traffic from a PPC campaign is immediate, and may be paused or halted just as quickly.
