WHAT IS PAY-PER-CLICK IN DIGITAL MARKETING?

Pay-per-Click (PPC) is a type of digital marketing where businesses pay to have their ads appear in search engine results and on various other channels such as YouTube advertising segments during a video, Google Shopping campaigns, Facebook timeline or Instagram reels (to name a few).

The pay-per-click model means that businesses only have to pay when someone actually clicks on their ad unlike traditional above-the-line advertising (like a billboard) where you pay regardless of whether someone takes action or not.

This makes it a very effective way to reach potential customers, as businesses only have to pay for ads that are being seen and clicked on by people who are interested in what they have to offer.

WHY RUN A PPC CAMPAIGN?

PPC is relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of advertising, making it a great option for businesses on a tight budget, and no matter your ad spend, you can near enough guarantee results (or at the very least, data).

Social media marketing for example can rack up large costs for content production, management and no guarantees of results; whereas PPC helps keeps budgets tight and specific. SEO marketing while powerful and effective has a much longer timeline to achieve results than a Google Adwords campaign would.

Additionally, paid advertising, like google ads, is an effective way to reach your target market. You can target consumers by their location, demographics, interests, and even what type of device they are using. This level of targeting ensures that your message is reaching the right people, at the right time and that your website traffic is relevant.

For example, if you are a business that sells winter clothing, you would want to target consumers in areas that are currently experiencing cold weather. You can also target consumers who have shown an interest in winter clothing or who have recently searched for winter clothing items.

PPC is also a great way to test out new products or services. You can run a short-term campaign to gauge interest and get feedback from your target market. This is valuable information that can help you make decisions about your product or service offering.

Achieving your business goals couldn’t be quicker with PPC campaigns, since it allows you to scale winning campaigns, and cut the budget of poor-performing campaigns. This laser precision forms the basis of your digital strategy and has allowed businesses to grow their marketing budget without the fear of not knowing where the budget has been spent.

THE REALITY OF DIGITAL MARKETING & PPC CAMPAIGNS

Digital marketing is an ever-moving beast, and there are a number of reasons why running and scaling a PPC campaign can be difficult. As your business grows, so does the sophistication of your target market. This means that the keywords that worked a few years ago, might not work now.

For example, if you are targeting millennials, you need to ensure that your ads are reflective of their interests and needs in a world where trends change monthly.

• Firstly, it takes a lot of time and effort to create effective ads and landing pages.
• Secondly, you need to constantly monitor your campaign to ensure that it is performing well and making the most of your budget.
• Thirdly, you need to have a good understanding of how PPC works in order to make the most of your campaign.

The good news is that there are a number of ways to stay ahead of the curve. A PPC company will have a team of experts who are up-to-date with the latest trends and changes in the digital marketing landscape. This allows you to focus on running your business, while they take care of your PPC campaign.

There are a number of questions to ask before making a hire though. Which PPC agency is right for you? Is Google Shopping more appropriate, or is app marketing? What about display advertising? How do you measure your PPC performance? Are they a Google partner? What other digital marketing services do they have to offer? How long have they been running PPC ads?

Fortunately, we have broken down the key steps in hiring a PPC agency into 5 easy to follow steps, so you can make the right choice quickly, and can start focussing on your paid media budget, without getting caught up in the day-to-day running of a paid search campaign.

Here are our tips to help you get the most out of working with a PPC agency:

1. HAVE A CLEAR MARKETING STRATEGY & DEFINED KPI’S.

Before you start working with a good PPC agency offering, it’s important that you have a good understanding of your digital strategy (and offline too for that matter). What do you want to achieve with your online advertising? Is it to increase lead generation? Feed an email marketing campaign? Get sales? Be clear and concise about what you want, so your PPC agency can work with you to maximize results.

What are your targets? Many businesses don’t set KPI’s other than “get as many sales as possible” and while there’s no single answer to the question of “what makes a good KPI?”, the best indicators will vary depending on the specific goals and objectives of the organization. There are some general guidelines you can follow to ensure that your KPIs are effective.

To start with, your KPIs should be aligned with your overall business strategy. This means that they should be focused on key areas that are important to your company’s success. For example, if your goal is to increase sales, then a KPI that tracks conversion rate optimisation of your google shopping campaign is probably more appropriate than monitoring your website’s SEO.

It’s also important to make sure that your KPIs are specific and measurable. This will help you to track progress and identify areas of improvement. For example, rather than simply setting a target for “increasing sales,” you could set a more specific goal of “increasing sales by 10% over the next quarter.” PPC agencies are very used to working against targets and shouldn’t balk at this.

Finally, your KPIs should be reviewed and communicated to your PPC marketing company on a regular basis to ensure that they are still relevant and effective. As your business goals and objectives change, so too should your KPIs.

By regularly reviewing and updating your KPIs, you can ensure that they continue to be an effective tool for measuring and achieving success.

When it comes to setting KPIs, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The best indicators will vary depending on the specific goals and objectives of your organization. However, by following these general guidelines, you can ensure that your KPIs are effective and relevant to your business and ensure

Having a clear understanding of your digital strategy and KPI’s will help ensure that the PPC management team you work with understands your needs and can help you achieve your desired results and should result in a much more effective paid media strategy.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE PAID SEARCH

We’re not talking about in depth keyword research. We mean basic ‘are they good enough’ research. There are a lot of PPC agencies that offer PPC services, so it’s important that you do your research and find one that is a good fit for you and your business. If you’re in the United Kingdom, perhaps consider working with a PPC agency also in the United Kingdom for better communication.

Ask around for recommendations, read online reviews, and get in touch with the companies you’re considering to get more information about their services.

When you’re talking to potential PPC agencies, be sure to ask about their experience, case studies, and results. You want to work with a company that has a proven track record of success and is able to show you concrete results that they have achieved for other clients.

3. PPC MANAGEMENT COMPANIES: FEES

Once you’ve found a few PPC management companies you’re interested in working with, be sure to get proposals from each of them. This will allow you to compare the different companies and see which one is offering the best services at the best price.

When evaluating proposals, be sure to look at the overall cost, the services included, and the company’s experience. It’s important to find a balance between price and quality when it comes to choosing a PPC company. You don’t want to overspend on PPC services, but you also don’t want to cut corners and end up with subpar results.

Bare in mind the location of the PPC agency as well, for example; a London ppc agency (United Kingdom) PPC agency may charge a lot more for running PPC campaigns simply because they have greater overheads, such as increased office rental charges or staffing costs. Bare this in mind as the more you pay in PPC management fees, the less PPC advertising spend you have.

4. ASK: WHAT’S THE MARKETING STRATEGY FOR YOU?

A good PPC management agency will have a clear and well-defined digital strategy for your campaign. They should be able to explain their thinking behind the keywords they’re targeting, the ad copy they’re using, and the bid prices they’ve set.

If a potential PPC company is unable to clearly articulate their strategy, it’s a good sign that they’re not as experienced or has the subject knowledge you’d like them have. You need a marketing agency who are PPC specialists that have worked on many existing campaigns. Ask for examples of previous works: Such as the CPAs from a previous Google ads campaign, or maybe, how profitable was their last google shopping campaign? Maybe they can give you a run through some winning video campaigns, or a paid search campaign that helped win more customers online. Don’t be afraid to be specific, ask lots of questions and be confident the PPC campaign you will be paying for is right for you.

5. WHAT OTHER DIGITAL SERVICES DO THEY OFFER?

When considering different PPC agencies, be sure to find out what digital marketing services they offer and what’s included in their offering. Some companies may only handle the initial set-up of your campaign, while others will manage your campaign on an ongoing basis.

Some PPC agencies may also offer additional services such as conversion rate optimisation, web design, SEO services, social media marketing, and copywriting. These additional services can be beneficial, but note they come at an extra cost. Each service you add is guaranteed to be cheaper than hiring a full-time staff member but will add budget to your overall campaign.

Be sure to ask about all of the different services a potential PPC marketing agency offers and get a breakdown of the costs for each service. This will help you accurately compare the different companies and choose the one that’s right for you. In our experience, successful PPC campaigns have a 360-degree marketing approach with each piece of the digital marketing campaign forming part of a well-oiled machine. This typically looks like:

• PR: Helps with organic website traffic, credibility, and brand awareness.
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Helps attract organic website traffic and feeds the traffic funnel for your digital agency to retarget later
• Influencer marketing: Helps bring targeted website traffic, quickly.
• Social Media Marketing: improves credibility and nurtures your customer base
• Email Marketing Campaigns: Helps drastically increase the Customer Lifetime Value
• PPC campaigns: Helps scale up your online sales or lead generation campaigns (These include, but are not limited to: Google Ads (Google AdWords), Other Search Network Campaigns, Google Shopping ads, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, Reddit, Twitter and just about any social media marketing tool that can help you acquire targeted traffic.

6. WHAT’S THEIR REPORTING LOOK LIKE & HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET IT?

Most PPC agencies will provide some sort of reporting to their clients. This reporting can be helpful in understanding the results of your campaign and making necessary adjustments. Without a decent reporting structure, how will you tell a successful ppc campaign from a bad one?

When considering different PPC agencies, be sure to find out what kind of reports they provide and how often you’ll receive them. Some companies may only provide monthly reports, while others will provide more frequent reports. It’s important to find a company that will provide you with the right level of reporting frequency for your needs.

Be sure to ask about the format of the reports as well. Some companies may only provide basic Excel spreadsheets, while a top PPC agency will provide more detailed reports in Data Studio or other formats. It’s important to find a company that provides reports in a format that’s easy for you to understand and use.

For some of our own clients, we provide weekly reporting for our PPC ads, that our marketing coordinator sends each Monday! Others, don’t want to see detail as granular, so receive their Google ads report monthly.

7. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU STOP WORKING WITH THE PPC AGENCY?

When considering different PPC companies, it’s important to find out what happens if you decide to stop working with them. Some companies may require you to sign a contract with them, while others may not. Most agencies worth their weight in salt will be under contract, however, and this is to protect you, the client, and them, the PPC services provider.

It’s important to find a company that will allow you to cancel your PPC services with reasonable notice without penalty. This will give you the flexibility to change agencies if you’re not happy with the results you’re getting and ensure you’re not tied in for a long period of time.

8. HOW DO THEY CHARGE & WHAT’S THEIR FEE STRUCTURE?

The fee structure of different PPC companies can vary widely. Some companies may charge a flat monthly fee, while others may charge a percentage of your ad spend or revenue. It’s important to find a company that charges a fee structure that’s comfortable for you.

In our experience, the best PPC companies will charge a flat monthly fee plus a percentage of your ad spend. This ensures that they’re incentivised to get you the best results possible and ensures you’re only paying for results.

9. DOES THE PPC AGENCY HAVE GOOGLE ADS & BING ADS CERTIFICATIONS?

When considering different PPC companies, be sure to ask about their Google Ads and Bing Ads certifications. These certifications show that the company has been vetted by Google and Bing and that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to run successful digital marketing campaigns on their platforms.

The Google Ads certification is divided into two parts: the Google Ads Fundamentals exam and one of the following specialized exams:

SEARCH ADVERTISING

You know when you type in a search term on Google, and all of a sudden an ad appears at the top for the exact thing you were looking for? That’s Google Ads. Search advertising is a form of online marketing that allows businesses to place ads on search engines. When someone searches for a keyword related to the business, the ad will appear in the search results. This can be an effective way to market a business, as it allows potential customers to see the ad and learn more about the business. Search advertising can be used to target potential customers who are already interested in the product or service, and it can be a cost-effective way to reach a large audience.

DISPLAY ADVERTISING

Display advertising is a form of online marketing that involves placing ads on other websites. These ads can take many different forms, including text, images, and video.

VIDEO ADVERTISING

Video advertising is a form of marketing in which businesses create and share short videos with the goal of promoting their products or services. These videos are typically shared on social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, or on websites and blogs.

Video advertising can be an effective way to reach potential customers, as it allows businesses to tell their story in an engaging and visually-appealing way. In addition, video advertising can be highly shareable, meaning that it has the potential to reach a wide audience through social media and word-of-mouth.

TIP: There are a few things to keep in mind when creating video ads, such as making sure the videos are creative and engaging, as well as making sure they are properly optimized for each platform on which they will be shared. With a little planning and creativity, video advertising can be an effective tool for promoting your business.

SHOPPING ADVERTISING

Shopping ads are a form of advertising that allows retailers to promote their products on Google.com and other Google properties. Shopping ads consist of two parts: product listings and shopping ads. Product listings are the individual product pages that appear in search results, and shopping ads are the sponsored ads that appear above or beside the search results.

10. BUDGET FOR YOUR AD SPEND

How much are you willing to spend on paid search? This is an important question to answer before starting any paid media campaign, as it will determine how much you can realistically spend on your campaign. PPC such as Google ads should be considered a cost sale, so don’t be afraid of large numbers!

There are a lot of factors that go into setting an effective budget for your campaign, including the goals of your campaign, the size of your target audience, and the competitiveness of your keywords. Once you have a good understanding of your budget, you can start talking

11. ARE THEY THE RIGHT PPC AGENCY FOR YOU?

It’s important that you feel comfortable working with the digital marketing agency you choose. Be sure to ask questions and get to know the PPC team you’ll be working with.

You should feel confident that they have your best interests at heart and that they’re committed to helping you achieve your goals.

When you’re working with a digital marketing agency, it’s important that you feel comfortable with the team you’re working with. Be sure to ask questions and get to know the people you’ll be working with. You should feel confident that they have your best interests at heart and that they’re committed to helping you achieve your goals, plus have a good understanding of your business offering.

Choosing a good digital marketing agency is essential to the success of your online marketing campaign as they will become an extended part of your internal team.

12. BE PREPARED TO PAY FOR RESULTS.

PPC management companies typically charge based on results, so be prepared to pay for their services. However, it’s important to remember that you’re investing in your online advertising, so you should expect to see a return on your investment. If you’re not seeing results, don’t be afraid to ask your digital marketing agency what they’re doing to improve your campaign.

The right PPC management company can make or break your business. Choose wisely and investigate thoroughly to ensure you are making the best decision for your company.

By following these tips, you can be sure that you’ll get the most out of working with a digital marketing agency company. With the right team in your corner, you can achieve great things with your online advertising.

If you need assistance with your Paid search (such as Google Ads), Search engine optimization, or web design, then we may be able to assist.

W2 Solutions is a performance digital marketing agency based in Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom. We have the knowledge, team, and resource of a London PPC agency, without the cost.