It can be daunting to set up and market a new small business. You could rack your brains and still not get those number of website visits or conversions. And you have to take into account the budget limitation too. One thing that will help advertise your small business online is PPC. Although it may sound intimidatingly costly, PPC will help your new business accelerate during the first few months. Here’s everything you need to know about Pay-Per-Click and some tips on using it correctly.
PPC statistics 2023
Here are some general PPC statistics for 2023:
- Companies will spend an estimated $190.5 billion on search advertising in 2024.
- Companies get $2 for every dollar spent on PPC.
- 59 percent of online buyers say they research a product online before purchasing
- 32 percent of companies invest in PPC to sell their products directly to consumers
- Small to mid-sized companies will spend roughly $10,000 oer month on PPC campaigns
- 65 percent of small to mid-sized businesses have PPC campaigns
- 46 percent of clicks are primarily for the top three PPC ads
What is PPC (Pay-Per-Click)?
Pay-per-click or PPC, is a foolproof way to gain traction online, especially if most of your audience frequents online channels. But what is PPC? And why is PPC small business investment essential in 2023?
PPC or Pay-Per-Click is an advertising system where advertisers pay money every time a user clicks their ad. It’s a widely used method to increase website traffic and gain conversions. PPC starts with advertisers bidding on relevant keywords. Once users search for those keywords, search engines display keywords based on certain factors. Some factors are relevance, page usability, source expertise, locations, etc.
Your ads’ position at the top of search engines will depend on the Quality Score. A higher Quality Score means getting top position on search engines, even with a low cost-per-click.
It offers brands instant visibility on search engine results pages, especially if the copy is done right. It also provides precise targeting based on time, user behavior, device, and location.
Measuring PPC campaigns is also crucial for the success of a brand. The best thing about PPC ads is that they are fully measurable, with quantifiable KPIs, like click-through rates, conversion rates, ROI, or cost per acquisition. By analyzing these metrics, you can gain better results and higher ROI from your PPC marketing campaigns.
What are the types of PPC ads?
You can differentiate PPC ads based on their placement and which channel or platform they are displayed on. These are the most common ones:
- Search ads: Ads you see on the topmost part of search engine results pages, with the label “Ad” on the upper left.
- Display ads: Ads on the websites that may appear on headers, sidebars, or within the copy.
- Shopping ads: Like search ads, shopping ads appear on search engine results pages with snippets from the eCommerce store. This makes it easier to bring users to the online store and shop.
- Social media ads: Social media is also an excellent place for PPC ads. You can choose which format you want to advertise, such as ads in news feeds, stories, posts, or reels.
Why small businesses must invest in PPC?
Small business owners may think that PPC breaks the bank. Although PPC is costly, it will help small businesses put their brand out there. Here are some other reasons why small business owners must use PPC:
- Provides instant visibility on search engines and results
- Marketers can set a daily or weekly limit and control budget
- Allows for precise targeting, which is beneficial for new businesses competing against more popular brands
- Increases website traffic for brand awareness, engagement, exposure, and potential conversions
- Measures results and insights
- Let marketers understand user behavior to help with crafting future marketing campaigns
- Excellent for promoting small businesses to a local market through geotargeting
8 PPC small business tips 2023
PPC ads could be a huge hit and offer your business high conversions and revenue. However, it’s not easy as you’re competing against other ads and catering to users with short attention spans. Your PPC ads must be compelling enough to make users stop what they’re doing and click on your ad. Here are some PPC small business tips for gaining followers, website visits, and conversions.
1. Set goals
Define what you want to achieve from your PPC campaigns. Setting goals will ensure you’re focused on the marketing journey, whether it’s lead generation, website traffic, brand awareness, engagement, or sales. These goals should be SMART, which means they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and finally, time-bound.
2. Do thorough keyword research
The secret to successful PPC campaigns is keyword relevance. Your bids won’t matter if you push out the wrong keywords on your ads. Conduct extensive keyword research and competitor analysis to have a good set of keywords for which users will likely search.
3. Write catchy ad copy
Once you have the keywords, write relevant and catchy ad copy. Ensure your ad is engaging, clear, and enticing enough for users to click.
4. Pair with quality graphics
On top of the ad copy, you can also include quality graphics for display ads that captivate users. Graphics and colors evoke certain emotions within your target audience and impact their actions.
5. Utilize geotargeting
Small businesses might need to target the local market initially. Using geotargeting on your PPC ads will ensure search engines show your ads in specific locations. This way, your local target audience will know about your brand.
6. Leverage ad extensions
Use ad extensions like site link, callout, location, and call extensions to offer users valuable information and encourage clicks. Extensions enhance ad visibility and offer more value to users.
7. Use negative keywords
Incorporate negative keywords to filter out irrelevant traffic, reducing wasted marketing budget and improving the overall quality of your traffic.
8. Track and analyze performance
Use tracking tools like Google Analytics and the advertising platform’s tracking features to analyze campaign performance. Understand metrics like CTR, conversion rate, cost per conversion, and ROI to make informed optimizations.
Conclusion
Testing and experimenting with PPC ads will ensure your small business gains traction online. Continuously test different ad variations, landing pages, and targeting options. A/B testing lets you understand what works best for your audience and make data-driven decisions.
