John Wanamaker once said “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is that I don’t know which half.” But if we consider the situation today, the overwhelming presence of the internet does not pose this problem anymore. The internet has given us smarter and more cost-efficient methods of advertising where you know exactly where your ad budget is benefiting you.
Pay Per Click: A great option
Pay per click advertising is a method of advertising on the internet where you pay for each ad clicked. This model is used to direct more traffic to your website. Simply speaking, it is the amount spent to get one advertisement clicked on the internet. If your ad budget is not that great and you cannot afford television commercials and outdoor advertising, pay per click is a great option for you. While being totally worth your investment, pay per click advertising is not difficult to do.
How you can start
This kind of advertising usually happens via advertising platforms like Google Adwords. You will have to bid on certain keywords to have your ads appear on those particular sites. Make sure you pick the keywords relevant to your target market. Most sites will charge you a fixed price on each click your ad gets. Simple right?
Once you have selected the keywords, sites that show up on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) may display your ad when they are opened. When users clicks on your ad, they will reach a landing page on your website, where they can make a purchase from your company. Note that theses kind of ads work the best when you are offering some kind of benefit to the customer.
How it can work for you
If used well, pay per click advertising can prove to be very advantageous for your business. But you need to be careful that the keywords you bid for are relevant to your business. If this is done carefully, this kind of advertising can drive traffic to your website, increase brand awareness and also generate sales.
How it can backfire
While opting for this kind of advertising, make sure that you grab the attention of your customers instantly. Your banner or display ad needs to provide them with a benefit that makes them immediately click on your ad. If the ad is not interesting your customer may just see it as a hindrance to their internet use. They may not just ignore the ad, but worse may have negative associations with your brand.
To avoid these drawbacks of pay per click advertising it is best that you make your ads attractive and useful to the customer. When used well, this form of advertising promises the best results of your advertising budget.
Does your small business use pay per click advertising as one of its methods of marketing to customers? Let us know in the comments below, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.
About the Author: Jessica Davis is an expert on content strategy and is associated with Godot Media. She helps businesses with their content marketing strategies and works with Godot’s copywriters for content creation. She is also a blogger and likes to write about her experiences in the content marketing domain.