Pay per click marketing is a popular, effective way to gain new and different website visitors. But what advertisers soon learn is that they can receive high advertising costs, since search engines do not offer a flat rate. However, there’s no need to increase your marketing budget. With the help of our simple strategies, you can spend less on pay per click today.
What is PPC?
In pay per click marketing, or PPC, search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, charge businesses and individuals for listings in their search results. PPC listings appear right alongside organic search results. PPC ads are sold at auction through a bidding process. In Google’s AdWords, the first spot in search engine results is given to the highest PPC bidder. Like the name indicates, companies are charged at a pay per click rate not for a flat-fee like in expensive, traditional advertising.
How to spend less on PPC
Since marketing budgets for small businesses can be thin, it’s important to make every dollar count. Or in the case of PPC, too many penny ads can bust a budget. Our tips on how to spend less on PPC will help you get the most bang for your buck.
Find your niche
Since Google AdWords charges more for heavily searched words and phrases, organization can save money by playing to their specific niche. A PPC ad that targets a specific service, like “golf event planning,” would have a lower cost than a PPC ad for “golf.” Targeting a PPC campaign toward a niche will lower costs and bring more valued visitors to your website.
Catch clicks with a long-tail
Instead of focusing on narrow keywords, flesh out your topic a little more with a long-tail keyword. A keyword like “juicy hamburgers on long island” will gain more targeted visitors than simply “juicy hamburgers.” These long-tail cost less because they have lower competition.
Choose links that convert
By paying for pay-per-click, a business’ URL is prominently displayed on search engine pages. When selecting the link, why not choose a page that offers an opportunity to convert a sale? Most business opt for a homepage link, but there can be greater value in pay per click by linking to a page optimized for conversion.
Relevancy rules
If your message is resonating with your target audience, Google AdWords takes notice. Google’s Quality Score grades the relevancy of your ad campaigns. This is largely based on the click-through rates of keywords and ads. By targeting the right keywords and writing unique ads, a Quality Score increases. Even if your organization has a small budget, PPC can still make an impact. Our tips plus a sound strategy will help you earn success cheaply. Remember, follow the tried-and-true three-step process: test, learn, refine. Subsequently, website visits will spike, while you spend less on PPC.