Category Archives: AdWords

SEO Vs. PPC: Which Brings The Best ROI?

AdWords, PPC, SEO, Small Business Marketing, ,

seo-vs-ppcPay Per Click advertising used to be the best possible way to encourage the search engine gods to work in your favor. PPC, as it is commonly called, is a method of purchasing spots within search results. They are listed as sponsored results, but are still relevant to the users initial search string.  For website owners looking to gain web presence, pay per click advertising is an easy way to generate traffic.

The Benefits of PPC

There are some significant reasons why anyone would use pay per click advertisements in order to gain website traffic. First of all, they immediately get your name out in front of a lot of people. On top of that, those people are the right people. PPC targets internet visitors who are searching for what your website is about. For website owners, it is a jump to the front of the line button that puts them in front of the consumers we are all competing for.

The Drawbacks of PPC

As good as PPC is, it has been limited by the behaviors of internet users. They know the result is sponsored and choose not to click it. According to web usage studies, the majority of users will not click on a search result if it has been sponsored.  It is also very expensive. Even though PPC is delivering its promise of getting your website to the front of the line, what value does that serve if no one visits it?

How SEO Differs

Search engine optimization (SEO), is the practice of using techniques to appear at the top of the list without buying the spot.  Called organic results, search engine results from websites that have been optimized read exactly like those that have not. Internet surfers, therefore, are just as willing to click on those as they would any other site.

Everyone Can’t Be In the Front

SEO can get you to the front of the line, but it can just as easily get someone else there too. Because of that, staying in front can be a competition that requires regular work. This is because the secrets of SEO are publically available. With a little time and motivation, anyone can be listed on top. Unlike PPC, which guarantees the spot, SEO spots must be maintained.

When to Choose Which

Because PPC will immediately put you in front, and maintain that spot for a certain amount of time, it is best suited for new websites. During that time, they can be exposed to users, even though they will most likely receive fewer clicks than the organic results.  SEO can be used for any website that is comfortable with taking the time to not only develop into the top spot, but also maintain it.

Ultimately, the choice you make will depend on your website or company’s marketing budget and time to enter the market. If you just created a new product and are launching the website in the middle of November you may not have enough time to use SEO effectively to reach the holiday online shopping crowd.

On the other hand, if you created a hot holiday item and it is the middle of March; go for SEO. It will take a little bit longer to reach your top spots, but the returns will be exponentially higher than PPC, with higher click-thru ratios to your site. In this scenario, it is also important to look at the budget and make sure it is feasible. Shop around for SEO companies and find the most competitive rate.

Our guest blogger, Ryan Duncan, has been practicing website design and search engine optimization for the past 7 years and founded Funnel Boost Media in 2011. FBM is focused on providing a unique online marketing experience to it’s clients that brings results and focuses on branding at the same time. Located in the San Antonio, Tx area, Funnel Boost Media provides internet marketing solutions to businesses all over the South Texas region.

Reasons Behind Successful Local PPC Campaigns

AdWords, Google AdWords, interactive ads, Mobile Marketing, SEO, Small Business Marketing, , ,

local ppc campaignsWhat are the things which affect PPC campaigns in different parts of the world? Culture and language are no doubt the biggest obstacles, but there is more than just that. Let us look at some of them and know why these campaigns are not a success, as compared to local ones.

Understanding Your Customer

Obviously, anywhere you go you have to settle in and become a part of that place before you actually start doing business. The rules, laws and business practices undertaken are different in different places. You need to understand this and your customers first, before you begin with anything. For example, people in South Asian countries will have a different taste as compared to Europeans. Selling something to the former will be very different from selling the same product to the later.

Use Correct Words, Don’t Just Translate Existing Ones

Keywords play an important part of every website and all of you know that. But when campaigning in another place, you need to search for keywords which exist and work in that particular place. Words can have different meanings in different places, therefore you need to research thoroughly and use keywords which are apt in that place.

Invest In Local Search Engines

Every place has some local or commonly used search engine. Make sure you target that search engine and set-up your campaign on that search engine. You will get a better response from people if they come across your campaign on a popular search engine.

What About A Market And Competitors For Your Product

One major reason campaigns don’t succeed is because either there is no market for your product, or there are already a number of people selling the same thing. If you are campaigning for a product which is already being sold by say around 10 people, and that too at a price lower than yours, how can you ever expect your campaign to be successful? This is an important factor to keep in mind before setting up a campaign in a new place.

Check Out Rules And Regulations Of Law

You need to do things legally wherever you go, or you might just fall into trouble and be sent right back packing! If your competitors come to know that you are doing things in a wrong manner, they will definitely use it as a weapon against you. Even though a search engine allows you to do something, it does not mean it is lawful. For example, the law in Europe does not match up to Google’s policy.

Deliver On Time

When somebody order’s something from your website, make sure you deliver it as soon as possible. If other local business deliver products within a couple of days, while you take a week or two to do that, people will obviously prefer buying it from the others. So make sure you deliver goods quickly.

These are some of the ways in which you can create a successful PPC campaign in various places and with effective results.

Scott, an expert in PPC management, considers PPC as a very essential tool for ensuring the success of any business. To know him better, click here.

6 Tricks To Create Killer PPC Ads That Convert

AdWords, PPC, SEO, Small Business Marketing, , ,

You might think that writing ad copy is simple compared to writing a blog post or a landing page for a website, but it’s not.

In fact, it can be much more complicated. When you write a blog post, there are no restrictions as to how lengthy it can be. You get to decide how much space you need to share your message across. When it comes to PPC ads, you’ll need to squeeze your message in a short and catchy ad and that can be quite a challenge.  For example, if you choose to advertise on Google, you ad copy needs to be comprised of:

• 25-character headline

• Two lines of 35-character description

• A URL that sends users to your landing page

That’s all you get! Sounds like a lot of pressure, doesn’t it?

But don’t panic. Even if there’s little space, there are ways you can make the most of the limited space. Read on for the top six tips and tricks to write killer PPC ad copy for your campaign…

1. Make Your Headline Count

Take as much time as you need to write an eye-catching headline for each ad. This is the first thing people see so make it count, otherwise your ads will just be ignored.
You have 25 characters you can take advantage of so use them wisely. Use strong keywords, numbers, percentages and power words that will grab users’ attention.

Be specific in your headline and make sure it reflects exactly what you’re promoting. This ensures users know exactly what they’re clicking on and what they will find once they land on your site.

2. Use Powerful and Relevant Keywords

PPC advertising is about bidding on keywords so make sure yours are as powerful and as specific as possible. Make them relevant to what people are searching for online when they’re looking for your services or products.

After all, when people type in a keyword or keyword phrase, that’s exactly what they want to see. In other words, being predictable can give you a better chance of earning some clicks.

In addition, use your keywords sensibly throughout the copy so it looks natural and not stuffed.

3. Always Include a Call to Action

When it comes to advertising, calls to action are vital as it tells people what they should do next to find what they’re looking for.

Effective calls to action include “sign up now”, “buy now”, “order today”, “save 80% on…”, “free download” or “get a free estimate today”.

Include a strong call to action that’s clear and specific so people know exactly what they should do next.

Exactly what kind of call to action you use will depend on what you want people to do once they’ve clicked your ad, so make sure it is aligned with the landing page you are sending them to.

4. Get Those “Power” Words in There

Most successful ads include power words in their headlines, but you can also add them elsewhere in the ad copy. For example, experiment with using words like buy, get, try, go, download in your body copy. Of course, you can use others as well but you’ll need to test them and see which ones work better for your audience.

5. Test Your Ad Campaigns For Success

Once you’ve created your ads, it’s critical to test them and see which ones perform best. Check the statistics and data and track your ads’ click-through rates to see which ones are the most effective.

There’s always room for improvement, so if an ad isn’t getting any clicks, replace it with a better one. And then keep testing and improving as it’s the only way you can ensure your ads are as effective as possible in terms of generating revenue for your business.

6. Create a Conversion-Oriented Landing Page

Don’t forget that you’re using your ads to direct potential customers to your site. The URL you include in your ad needs to redirect them to a specific landing page that’s relevant to the ad. You should never link your PPC ads to your homepage.

You landing page is an extension of your ad, so when users click on your ad it means you’ve captured their interest and your conversion-oriented landing page needs to close the deal and convert them into sales. Take the time to create a landing page that includes your offer, clear call-to-actions and no other distractions.

Following these six tips will help you make the most of the limited space you have when creating PPC ads.

This guest post was written by Alex Gavril, who is part of the 123-reg blog team. The company is the UK’s largest domain name registrar and also provides a range of other services, including PPC management.

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