PPC Search engine marketing is a great way to get noticed in search engines, when your web site just doesn’t seem to be making it to the top of the search results as fast as you thought it would. PPC allows you to essentially bid on keywords that you think people who would like to find your site would type into search engines to find you.
For example, if you had a web site about internet marketing, then you would bid on keywords such as “internet marketing” “internet marketing seo” and “internet marketing strategy”. When a search for your keyword is entered into a search engine, your ad then appears on the top or right hand side of the search results, under the sponsors section.
The more you bid for a particular search phrase determines how high you are placed in the sponsored results. For example, if you bid $0.75/click then you would fall below anyone who bid $1.00/click but above anyone who bid $0.50/click. If a user sees your ad, and then clicks on it… you then pay for the amount you bid on per click for the referral of that visitor.
The adage, “You get what you pay for,” applies to a new form of Internet marketing – Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Search Engine Marketing.
If PPC is done properly, your Web site will more than make up the amount paid to purchase visitors or clicks from a search engine. If not managed well and kept up to date, the PPC form of advertising might cost you more than anticipated.
The general premise behind PPC – the alternative to natural or organic search engine optimization (SEO) – is to allow a Web-based business to immediately receive top search engine placement by bidding or paying for keywords related to its product or service. When someone types the keyword you choose into a search engine, your ad appears at the top immediately. It will appear under the sponsors section found on the top, or right hand side of the search results.
The pros of PPC include the ability to quickly attract new customers, which may lead to increased sales. Unlike SEOs, which optimize a Web site by increasing link popularity through acquiring links to the site, the PPC method is much faster to gain popularity.
The cons include losing money by not managing the PPC correctly and getting the most out of your marketing campaign. Also, competition is extremely strong. You must be able to challenge a similar business that is bidding more for a PPC ad from a search engine such as Google and Yahoo.
The best option for small businesses that are just getting started is to use PPC advertising to get immediate name recognition. Trying the SEO method is cheaper but it will take your business days and weeks longer to get noticed. And if time is money, how costly is even a week before your company is noticed as a viable entity on the Internet while other similar companies are drawing in customers everyday through PPC advertising?
To get the most out of your PPC advertising, utilize search engines that are widely used the most by visitors.
Google’s AdWords, Yahoo’s Search Marketing and MSN’s AdCenter are three of the leading search-engine marketing programs on the Web. Google is the most popular, with Yahoo and MSN running behind. Many other search engines exist and they too are exploring PPC advertising programs with Internet-related businesses.
Yahoo upgraded its Search Marketing program three months age to allow the ability to target ads geographically. Google already offered that feature.
Small businesses ready to embark on PPC advertising would be wise to hire individuals or businesses experienced with Internet marketing. A recent Web site search revealed companies such as sendtraffic.com, pointit.com and addvisors.com as leaders of that field. Many others exist.
They have experienced Internet marketing personnel on their staff who will be working for you to get the most out of your Web site visibility. Again, like the adage “you get what you pay for” suggests, the money you put in will be very valuable to what you can get out of it.
Paying for PPC advertising, utilizing the most popular search engines, and hiring a Web-based marketing business that specializes in this field, can lead to more traffic to your Web site and a more lucrative operation.
Ultimately, the advent of the PPC advertising is beneficial and a more powerful marketing tool than SEOs. If your Web site does not rank well with the search engines, PPC allows you an immediate upgrade for visibility. The wider the audience you reach, the more profitable your business becomes.