Top 4 Misconceptions About PPC

Have you had reservations about investing in online advertising? Maybe you heard a few horror stories from your peers or read horrible stories online. Pay Per Click advertising has been growing in popularity in recent years. And smart businesses know that they need to invest in online advertising.

We’ve decided to share the top 4 myths we’ve commonly heard from our new clients–and let’s be honest, you’ve probably had these same thoughts run across your mind at one point!

1. “Once I’ve Set it Up, I Can Leave it to Run on Its Own”

This is far too common, and something we go into quite a bit with our clients. The initial setup and structure build-out is just the beginning. To get the best return on your investment (ROI), your ad copy, keywords and landing pages need to be constantly reviewed.

Continuous A/B testing is built into the major platforms, but nothing substitutes a dedicated professional checking in each week. There should be a huge influx of data once you’ve started running ads – data that can be used to eliminate wasted ad spend and better target your ideal customer.

The other important thing to remember is that Google changes its algorithm frequently – more than you probably realize. So, if you’re frequently keeping up to date with the changes, and know the status of your PPC accounts, you’re not going to get caught out!

2. “People Skip the Ads”

If this myth were true, Pay-Per-Click Advertising would have died a long time ago. This is actually the way that Google and Facebook account for almost 90% of their revenue! So, you have to believe that people are clicking those ads since advertisers only pay on most ads when they are clicked.

With professional planning, your ads will relate directly to your target audience. This means there’s a much higher chance of a click through and the all-important conversion than ads created on impulse. Be sure to invest some time into looking at what your competitors are doing, and thinking about what your target audience wants to see. This will help ensure you make the most of the real estate at the top of the page.

3. “PPC Ads are Too Expensive”

Business owners and their accountants can be scared of the ‘pay per click’ element. They panic that a huge bill will run up by people clicking through and bouncing off their site.

Well, there’s no need to worry – you, and only you, set the PPC budget. When working with an agency, they will likely advise on what budget will be most effective based upon market research. But ultimately, the monthly budget is down to you.

The best part of online advertising is that you can adjust budgets on the fly, unlike traditional marketing where you have a huge lump sum investment up front. If something is working well you can invest more; when things are quieter, you can slow it down.

There will be times when you don’t quite see the ROI you expected, but you need to be patient. It’s no good trying it once, seeing a loss and ruling it out. Given the time and nurturing it deserves, Pay Per Click can really pay off.

4. “I Can Do It Myself”

So many business owners we’ve talked to have been proud of their achievements with AdWords and Facebook Ads. With an analytical mind and careful eye, you can master the Pay Per Click platforms and do really well. However, you have a million other areas of the business to manage, so it’s unlikely you’ll have the time to do a full in-depth weekly review on a regular schedule. Not only this, but you probably won’t have the time to keep up to date with the newest innovations and changes in software platforms. Constant A/B testing takes more time, which can take an additional several hours per week most business owners have to find.

In our experience, businesses who invest in a professional Pay Per Click agency to assist them with their online advertising see a much higher ROI and  drive growth into new areas, instead of just maintaining their current levels of business.

Bottom Line: PPC Marketing is Extremely Effective

Pay-Per-Click Marketing is an effective way to maximize your brand exposure and see a rise in your incoming leads. There are some areas you must take into consideration, such as budget and advertisement monitoring, but don’t let that intimidate you. If you take the time to ensure your ads are relevant to your audience, then it can be a very profitable way to generate new business.