For businesses that utilize pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns as part of their overall advertising efforts, it’s essential that they maximize their return on investment (ROI) on such campaigns. To do so successfully, having an effective PPC management strategy is vital.
PPC management essentially refers to the process of handling a PPC strategy. It involves a set of activities that aim to optimize the PPC strategy to increase a business’s ROI. This may be done by the company itself, or it may seek help from a PPC agency or expert. Businesses may also choose to use a PPC management software to stay on top of their ad strategies.
What Is Pay-Per-Click?
Pay-per-click is a marketing model where advertisers or businesses pay every time an ad gets clicked on. Businesses use this model to drive traffic to their websites. They would run ads, and they would pay a partner publisher (usually the owner of a website or a search engine) whenever their ad gets a click.
There are various types of PPC ads, but the most common type is the paid search ad. Users can search for things like local services, establishments, or items, and relevant PPC ads would come up. PPC ads are prevalent on three platforms: search engines, websites, and social media platforms.
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Search engines
Advertisers would bid on keywords that are relevant to their target audience and pay the search engine for each click. This involves popular search engines, mainly Google, Microsoft Bing, and Amazon.
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Websites
A network of third-party websites publishing PPC advertisements will showcase ads when a user’s search query matches a keyword on the advertiser’s keyword list. It will also show ads if a site has relevant content to what the advertiser has to offer. These appear as sponsored ads or links.
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Social media platforms
Major social media platforms—such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn—use pay-per-click as an advertising model. The amount they charge for PPC marketing depends on ad quality and how much the advertiser would want to pay for each click. Generally, the higher quality an ad is, the lower its cost turns out to be.
What Does PPC Management Entail?
PPC management, as mentioned, can be done in-house or by a PPC expert or agency. Efficient and effective PPC management entails the following:
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Analysis of Keywords
Part of PPC management is targeting specific keywords that consumers are likely using to find what they need online. This means doing keyword research and studying the business’s target audience.
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Channel Strategy Development
This involves assessing different channels where PPC ads can be shown. Brands and businesses should consider if they wish to advertise in search engines, content websites, or social media platforms and study the best practices for each individual channel.
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Constant Tracking and Monitoring
For an effective PPC management strategy, close monitoring of search term reports is needed to see which ones are typically used by consumers online. This process works hand in hand with keyword analysis.
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Analysis of the Competition
To get a full grasp of a PPC strategy’s performance, it’s crucial to look at the tactics being used by key competitors. By doing so, businesses can gain insight on competitive gaps or how to compete for a certain search query.
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A/B Testing
A/B testing, also known as split testing, is important to see which strategies and ads are the most effective. Doing so will optimize PPC campaigns, and it will allow businesses to discover the best way to reach and resonate with users across the Internet. Through A/B testing, advertisers can test out different variables to see which ones are the best fit for their target audiences.
Types of PPC Management
PPC management is crucial to the success of an advertiser’s PPC campaign. There are two ways a brand or company can go about PPC management:
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In-House PPC Management
A benefit to handling PPC campaigns in-house is that the in-house team can dedicate its full commitment and attention to the organization’s PPC efforts. However, this takes up more time from current employees, which could be more costly in the long run.
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Outsourced PPC Management
PPC management companies typically offer businesses various PPC services. While this option may seem expensive, it’s a more cost-effective choice in the long run. It also saves up more time.
