For industrial companies we partner with at Ecreative, one of the most enjoyable pieces of their monthly SEO programs was discovering what search queries people were using in order to find their business' website. But if one thing remains the same in the SEO world, it is change. And with Google Search Engine algorithm updates in the past year moving all user queries to a secure search, it meant these specific search queries were no longer being shared. Gone was specific information on how a customer found you, leaving people with alternate, broader options of understanding visitor intake. Many of our customers miss having this search query information available to them, and have asked whether a Google Adwords Pay Per Click program is an option for them to get this information back. Undoubtedly we tell them it is an option, but simply getting the search query information back won't be the only benefit to them. In essence, Pay Per Click programs involve placing a link and information about your website in specific locations across Google's ad networks. While many other web services offer paid ad space online as well, for companies who are starting a paid program for the first time, Google is likely the best place to start. With their long history of ad services and high share of search users (
Over 70% of all searches online), you'll find the most bang for your buck here. But the real question is, should
your company start a Pay Per Click program? If you're considering it but looking for more information, here are 10 of the most significant reasons to consider running a paid search program:
1. You'll Receive Specific Keyword Information
As mentioned above, companies LOVE knowing exactly what people are searching for, and which search queries prompted a visitor to purchase something from their website or contact them to start a business transaction. With a Google Adwords program, you'll be able to receive specific search query information to provide insight on what queries brought people to your website, what queries led to people converting on your website, and which one's didn't. This can then in turn influence where you put your time and money towards improving your website.
2. Search Engine Results Page Dominance
What's better, appearing once in a search engine's Organic rankings (those rankings on Google below the search ads, typically the fourth link on the page), or right at the top of the page? Or why not both? A Pay Per Click program can help in both ways; making sure links to your site appear for queries you don't rank well for naturally, and making links to your site appear in several places on one page if you do rank well for a query naturally, increasing the likelihood a customer will click on your link over a competitors.
3. Access to Affiliate Networks
Not everyone spends their time online completing Google searches. Whether it's checking their email, reading blogs, or engaging in message boards, people can be found all over the internet. Yet you can still reach those customers by participating in a Pay Per Click program and opting in to appearing in Google's Display Network. This network is a group of affiliate websites who sell space on their site allowing Google to place ads in those spots. Your ad could appear their, increasing your company's exposure at very little cost.
4. Ability to Promote Specific Products, Services, and Promotions
A Pay Per Click program also works wonders in providing targeted, and immediate results for specific products, services, or promotions. Say you have a promotion allowing customers to buy a product online at 50% off this week. Running a Pay Per Click ad and paying to appear in search results will allow this promotion to hit audiences faster than building a page and optimizing it for Organic results. Really pushing a product or service during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year? A Pay Per Click program can make the product or service more relevant during that time, too.
5. Access to PLAs and Google Shopping Ads
Search results pages are becoming more and more complex, with more and more items fighting for a users attention. Among those features are PLAs, or Product Listing Ads, and Google Shopping features highlighting products of interest to a user. These appear above your Organic results, and come with a visually appealing image, encouraging a user to click through to your site. With
recent changes to the Google Shopping structure and increase in appearance on search results page, these types of paid options are becoming more influential than ever.
6. Clear Marketing Spend Accountability
With a Pay Per Click program comes a wealth of information. Companies will very clearly be able to realize what they spend for their ads to appear during a month, how costly each visitor to their site was from the Pay Per Click program, how expensive each business lead was who came from a paid service referral, and so much more. Over time, companies can use this information to whittle down overall advertising costs, increasing quality metrics, and creating a boon for business leads, all with a clear understanding of your return on investment.
7. Increasing Quality Traffic to Your Site
Speaking of quality metrics, a well run Pay Per Click program can also increase the quality of traffic to your site. With much search engine traffic, links to your sites can appear for anyone searching for general information about your company. These people may not be interested in buying or starting business with you, and are simply visiting your site for information, or sometimes wrongly. With a Pay Per Click program, you decide what queries show your links, meaning, you decide what type of person along the lead generation funnel you want to pay to have visit. In this way, you only have to pay for the people you want, not the people you don't.
8. Capturing Visitors at Various Lead Generation Funnel Points
But not everyone is ready to buy at any given time, right? With a strong Pay Per Click program, you can run several ads targeting different people along the lead general funnel. People who are doing research on a project are much different than a person getting a quote on a part. But both people could turn into big business for you. No problem! With paid advertising, you can target search queries and write relevant ad copy that would be attractive to both users.
9. Versatile and Small Investments Provide Big Results
Pay Per Click programs are made to benefit you, wherever you are. Does your advertising budget change quarterly? No problem. You decide how much you want to spend. The Pay Per Click programs are based on a bidding system, meaning you get to decide how much any specific search query is worth to you and your company. Too rich for your blood? Don't pay for it. Want to spend a lot of money on new potential business? No problem! A Pay Per Click program offers this versatility.
10. PPC Can Help SEO Practices
But Pay Per Click programs don't run in a vacuum. You can gain insightful information on how users are searching for your services through your Pay Per Click program and apply it to your SEO practices. Maybe you discover your paid search visitors looking for a specific part are converting higher than people looking for your newest part. This can help you to determine to allot more time to improving the user experience around areas of your website, benefiting all visitors. While this list could go on and on of what the additional benefits of a Pay Per Click program, we'll stop here for today. Certainly, much of this already is appealing for people curious in starting a program. However, running a Pay Per Click program is no joke. As many Paid Search Specialists can attest, if an Adwords account is set up wrong to begin with, or not given due attention to constantly be making refinements and updates, company's can easily end up wasting money instead of using their Pay Per Click programs to increase their profitability. Of course, an expert Paid Search Specialist like those found at Ecreative could help you get your program up and running, and aimed towards performance long term. If you are interested in starting a Pay Per Click program yourself,
contact us today. We'll get your campaign running.
