What is Pay Per Click (PPC)?
PPC, also known as Search Engine Marketing (SEM), is purchasing ads on search engines such as Google, MSN, Yahoo! These ads are seen either at the top of the page or down the right side. Although Search Engine Optimization is a better, less expensive long term goal than PPC, using a SEM campaign can get you immediate results.
A strong campaign strategy starts by identifying keywords that your target customers will use for searching.
Then, write a strong ad that appeals to your target customers so that they will click on it. This is important not just to generate leads, but because the search engines will not show your ads, no matter how much money you pay, if your click thru rate is low.
After creating an ad, it is important to have it link to a target web page. Normally, a generic home page is not specific enough for your customer; you need to develop a landing page that corresponds directly to the keywords and ad.
After you create your campaign, be sure to continually monitor, test, and tweak it. Sometimes just changing a single word in the ad can double the click thru.
Make sure that your ad is meeting your goals - are people coming to your website? Are they converting? Are you placed in an optimal position that gets the biggest bang for your buck? By continually reviewing your campaign you will optimize your investment.
Getting Started in Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
- Identify your keywords
- Create ads that highlights these keywords
- Build landing pages to optimize conversions
- Monitor click thru rates (CTR) and conversion rates
- Monitor regularly to ensure that your ads are optimized for the dollars that you are spending
