Using PPC to Increase Traffic

First page search engine results are the best way to generate traffic to your website. They are also the most difficult to obtain organically. These coveted positions involve intense online competition, sophisticated SEO (Search Engine Optimization) processes, onsite / on-page modifications and refinements and a steady stream of new content. Further, these results can take weeks, months, and yes, years for the most competitive terms. While there is no question that SEO is essential for any credible long-term search engine marketing strategy, what is the short term strategy to get found by these same searchers while SEO is “in the oven?” PPC (Pay per Click) is the primary means of delivering first page results and increase relevant website traffic.

PPC is a paid advertising method. Under this process, website owners pay a pre-determined fee each time their website receives a visitor as the result of an advertisement they have placed via a PPC campaign. PPC campaigns have several key advantages for marketers.

1. Immediate visibility…
2. Targeted ads
a. By Keywords or Ad groups.
b. By Time of display
c. By Geography
3. 100% Accountability through sophisticated tracking and analysis of each click, each visitor and outcome.
4. Flexibility – each ad can be modified in multiple varied ways and methods.
5. Strategies easily, tested, tracked and modified.

PPC also offers the Internet Marketing Professional valuable data that actually helps guide the organic SEO process as to keyword performance and user behavior. Experienced SEO companies have great expertise not only in PPC Management but also applying what is learned through analytical software to hone and refine SEO strategy. Since SEO is the long term answer anyway, PPC provides even more value in driving increasing volumes of relevant, targeted traffic to the website.

PPC is not a new idea, but what is new, is the way that the best online marketing teams use pay per click to secure results both immediately, and in the future. PPC cannot replace organic SEO work, but when run in coordination with a strong SEO marketing plan, PPC can mean the difference between immediate results, and waiting months for new business.

A properly implemented PPC campaign will bring a targeted audience to a website or specific landing page associated with the website. By developing a campaign that utilizes the keywords of your website, you can see an increase in traffic very quickly. Careful review of analytical data, provided by your PPC Management Company, can help you to adjust your keywords, for both your website and your campaign to ensure you are using strong relevant keywords that are both unique and cost effective. This means that you only get qualified people clicking on your links, and you’ll only be paying for visitors with a real interest in your product or service.

To see even greater results, many advertisers choose to place several ads. By running ads at different times throughout the day and utilizing different keywords, campaigns can be fine tuned with great precision.

The major drawback of PPC is that it can be very expensive if not properly implemented and managed. To keep costs down, it is important to set a daily maximum for each of the advertisements you are running. Carefully controlling your keywords and frequently reviewing them will also keep costs manageable. Ultimately the best cost control when it comes to PPC, is actually investing a few additional dollars in a PPC Management Company; the justification is clear because without great management you will waste many times the fees in poorly developed PPC strategies.

Pay per click advertising is one of the best ways to increase traffic to your website over the short term; clearly you need to allocate a budget and set realistic break-even analyses and projections to justify the necessary investments. The increased traffic will be targeted traffic, potential clients who have already expressed an interest in your product or services, making new business readily available.

Contact our experts today for a free consultation on starting and maintaining a PPC campaign.