On its face, pay per click marketing, or PPC, is pretty simple: Search
engines and services, such as Google or Yahoo, provide listings on a per-bid
basis. This is in addition to their 'natural' search results, which are still
powered by a combination of keywords found on your site, link popularity and
other formulae.
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How it fits into your Internet marketing strategy
Adwords & Yahoo ads appear on the right side of
& above the natural search results
If you place the highest bid for a specific keyword or set of keywords, then
you rank number one in these paid listings. Every major search engine now
displays these paid ads above and to the right side of their 'organic' rankings.
If someone clicks on your PPC listing, they arrive at your web site. And you
are charged the amount you bid. So, if you bid $.15 per click on 'widgets', and
that's the highest bid, you'll show up first in line. If 100 people click on
your PPC listing, then the search engine or PPC service will charge you $15.00.
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Why PPC is Good
Pay per click advertising can generate traffic
right away. It's simple: If you spend enough, you can get top placement, and
potential customers will see you first. If folks are searching for the
keyphrases on which you bid and you've placed a well-written ad, you will get
clicks the moment the ad is activated.
So PPC advertising is fast: With some systems, such
as Google Adwords, you can generate targeted traffic within a few minutes of
opening an account.
PPC advertising is also nimble: Where natural
search engine marketing or other forms of advertising can lag weeks or months
behind changing audience behavior, you can adjust most pay per click campaigns
in hours or days. That provides unmatched ability to adjust to market
conditions.
PPC can also be a bargain: Sometimes, you can find
keyword 'niches' for which the top bid is around $.10 - in that case, PPC is a
great option, because you can generate traffic to your site for a fraction of
the cost of any other form of paid advertising.
So, balancing the good and the bad, where does PPC
fit in? As a focused advertising tool.
Pay per click marketing is a
great way to get visitors when you need traffic and you need
it now. But it's risky: With poor management, you can spend
a fortune, generate many visits, and end up with nothing to
show for it. This article will provide you with a high-level
view of pay per click marketing, provide some general
strategies and provide an example of what to do, and what
not to do.
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Niche terms: If you are trying to generate
traffic for a highly specific keyphrase, PPC can often provide bargains. For
example, you might not want to pay the top bid for 'bicycles', but 'Landshark
Bicycles' is probably a lot less expensive ($.10 per click as of this writing,
actually).
The overall rule of thumb?
Focus, focus, focus. Natural search engine optimization is a
PR-based, long-term attempt to grow your brand and image.
pay per click advertising, however, should be handled like
any other form of paid advertising: Gingerly, and with a
clear, quantifiable short- or medium-term goal in mind. In
other words, concentrate on conversions, not clicks.
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What are Pay-Per-Click
& Pay-For-Inclusion programs?
- Pay-per-click (PPC)
involves paying for your website to have a prominent position on the
relevant search results page of a specific search engine. For each visitor
that clicks on your link you are charged at a specified rate. The benefit of
a PPC program is you only pay for results.
- Pay-for-inclusions (PFI)
simply involves paying to get your website listed on a specific search
engine. It does not guarantee prominent rankings. You will still need SEO to
achieve high rankings. PFI gives you an opportunity to gain a top spot, but
without an SEO strategy, it’s effectiveness is limited.
