Pay-Per-Click – 5 Steps for PPC Success

Pay-per-click (PPC) is an “online advertising payment model in which payment is based solely on qualifying click-throughs” as defined by MarketingTerms.com; it is sometimes referred to as Cost –Per-Click (CPC). In simple terms, you are bidding for position and paying for that position only when sometimes actually clicks on your ad link.

Why is PPC used? PPC has really taken off in the last 5 years primarily because more and more companies are finding real value in reaching consumers where they begin their new home search…online. According to the National Association of Realtors, nearly 90% of all homebuyers begin their search online, even when they intend to use a Realtor.

PPC campaigns can be a vital part of a thorough Search Engine Marketing (SEM) strategy which should also include Search Engine Optimization (SEO). PPC is particularly effective when you have a specific promotion, but SEO is a far better long-term strategy because you don’t always have to pay for positioning and the results tend to provide a stronger ROI.

So how do you go about setting up your PPC campaign? Here are 5 key steps for building an effective PPC campaign:

STEP 1: Select Your Targeted Search Engine(s) for your campaign – there are three main ones: Google AdWords, Yahoo Search Marketing, and MSN AdCenter.

STEP 2: Build a Keyword or Keyword Phrase List that you want to bid on. WorkTracker.com provides a great service that will tell you how many times those keywords or keyword phrases have been searched online.

STEP 3: Analyze the CPC for each of your top 10 keywords/keyword phrases. Google will project how much it will cost you to maintain your position. The rule of thumb is Yahoo will cost you about 40% of Google.

STEP 4: Create your budget for the month and by day. In order to determine how much money you should reserve for specific days of the week and for different times of the day, review your website’s analytics. If you don’t have website statistics available, consider using Google Analytics. It’s a free service and you can track up to 5 campaigns.

STEP 5: Create your contextual ads. Your ads should be specific to your product, your geographical area, your industry and your promotion. Be sure to test your ads and to track them to see which ads perform better. Refer to your web stats to help with that. If setting up your own PPC campaign isn’t your cup-of-tea, try working with an Internet company that can help you create a campaign and consult with you on how to manage your own.

How can Web Resource help you manage your Pay-per-click marketing? Click here for our PPC process and pricing, or contact Web Resource 1-800-277-0601 today for a custom quote. 

Back to Articles