How to Start a Pay-Per-Click Campaign

As the advertising power of the internet grows, more and more businesses are looking towards pay-per-click campaigns as a viable way to market their brands. In a pay-per-click (PPC) model, advertisers pay websites each time their ad it clicked by users, in exchange for advertising space on the site. Search engines usually require advertisers to bid on specific phrases and keywords, while content sites typically charge a flat rate for advertising space. Here’s some tips on starting a pay-per-click campaign.

Define your budget clearly

Your first step in beginning your new PPC campaign should be deciding how much money you wish to put into it. Once you’ve reached a figure, be sure to clearly define it to the host websites, so as not to go over budget. If you’re bidding on keywords for a search engine, try not to get caught in a bidding war that might impact the number of clicks you can afford. Remember, you’ll need to pay the web host every time a user clicks on your ad, so setting out these parameters at the beginning will help stop you from going over budget.

Use the right keywords

If you’ve decided to advertise on a search engine, you’ll need to bid on specific keywords. Once you’ve reserved these words and phrases, your ad will appear each time a user types them into the search engine. This can be an extremely effective marketing strategy, as it allows you to target only the individuals who are most interested in your product or service. To decide on effective keywords for your pay-per click campaign, you’ll first need to identify and understand your market. By distinguishing what potential customers usually search for, you can place bids on the most pertinent terms to maximize the efficacy of your campaign.

Landing Page

Once a user has clicked on your advertisement, you’ll need to provide them with a strong introduction to your business. The first page they’ll see after clicking is called the “landing page.” This webpage should be specially tailored to create the best first impression possible for your business. Rather than simply linking to the homepage, the landing page should be relevant to your ad and give a brief overview of your best products and deals. If you’ve spoken of a specific product or service in your ad, be sure to include information about it on the landing page, to remind the customer why they clicked in the first place.

Monitor Clicks

Once you’ve launched your PPC campaign, it’s crucial that you monitor its success. By finding out which keywords and websites are most successful at producing clicks, you’ll be able to design more effective campaigns in the future. Monitoring clicks will also provide critical data on the ROI of your PPC campaign. If the return is too low, you may wish to consider alternative marketing strategies in the future.