Do you ever wonder what PPC stands for whenever someone mentions it? Why is it such a popular term and how come people utilize it so much in their marketing?

Well, today I’ll be introducing you to the world of Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising. PPC is a form of paid digital marketing in which companies pay a fee everytime their ad is clicked on. These ads are often found on a publishers’ website, such as Google, and the publisher gets paid every time a user clicks on an ad posted. This is essentially a marketing tactic in which companies buy user visits to their website. PPC ads have been used for over a decade now, ever since organizations started conducting business on the Internet. Heavy activity surrounding PPC later began when Google launched its AdWords solution for PPC marketing.

So how do you know if PPC is a good option for your business?

As the acronym suggests, PPC requires a good sum of money to pay for advertising. You need to make sure your business has an adequate budget to cover ongoing costs. However, you will only be charged whenever a user clicks on your ad and you have the option to cancel your ad at any time.

Under PPC is a form of marketing called Search Engine Advertising (SEA). SEA allows advertisers to bid for the placement of their ads on a search engine’s sponsored link. These products or videos are then published on the search engine’s page.

Nonetheless, PPC is an effective option when your business has low brand awareness. In a matter of minutes or days, businesses can reach users searching for specific keywords related to their website. In comparison to organic search, it reduces the time it takes to earn a following or get on the first page of a search result. If gaining brand awareness if your company’s main goal, then consider using PPC to build your awareness as you work on your content and SEO ranking.

Though you are paying for a favorable spot on a publisher’s website, you still need to ensure that your ad is capable of attracting the attention of online users. Choosing the right keywords or grouping relevant keywords can help increase the click through rate for your ad. If your ad is relevant, you may even be charged less per click by search engines. By taking the extra time to ensure a quality ad, your business may realize more business in exchange of minimal fees.

There are a number of other benefits that companies can acquire through use of PPC marketing. For instance, companies using PPC can realize immense traffic, therefore giving them more data to anaylze. This data can lead to adjustments made on ads to improve click through rate. The initial investment is also quite low, as creating a PPC account is free. The only time a cost is incurred is when a user clicks on an ad. Utilizing PPC can help small, local businesses reach a broader audience. Through online advertising, these businesses can achieve global recognition.

Here’s a list of some PPC tools to help you get started:

1. Google Keyword Planner (https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/)
2. AdWords Editor (https://ads.google.com/home/tools/ads-editor/)
3. Microsoft Excel
4. SEMrush (https://www.semrush.com/)
5. Bing Ads Editor (https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en-us/solutions/tools/editor)