In the vast chasm that is the internet, having your brand’s content seen is key—and not just seen, but seen by the right audience. Pay per click (PPC) advertising is a form of marketing where the marketer pays a specified amount of money each time a web user clicks on the advertisement in an effort to drive traffic to websites. Pay per click is a function available on a variety of platforms including social networks like Facebook and Twitter, but it is primarily used on search engines like Google. Here, we’ll look at Google’s pay per click ads, called Google AdWords.

What is Google AdWords?

Ever type something into Google and see those results that appear at the top marked “ad”? Those are the results of Google’s pay per click ads, aka, Google AdWords. Broken down, the ad is a headline, description and link that will appear when people search for certain keywords associated with your ad. The idea is to help you reach people who are searching terms related to your business.

For example, if someone searched “chiropractor in Auburn,” then a Google AdWords listing that an Auburn chiropractic clinic set up could appear there. The clinic would have set a budget, and a portion of that budget is used every time someone clicks the link. As Google says, you “only pay for results, like clicks to your website or calls to your business.”

Google’s pay per click ads can also appear in other formats, such as image ads, mobile ads and video ads. By default, search campaigns also appear on Google’s Display Network, placing your ad alongside relevant websites, YouTube videos, mobile apps and in Gmail. The Display Network serves to, “help you capture someone’s attention earlier in the buying cycle,” and just like when your ad appears on a search, you only pay for clicks or other actions taken, not per impression.

Why use Google AdWords?

Google’s pay per click ads better your chances of being seen beyond organic reach. It can be difficult to come out on top organically, especially when you are dealing with multiple competitors. Here are a few other benefits of Google AdWords:

• It’s a cost-effective way to drive qualified leads to your site. You set the budget, so you only spend as much as you want to. It’s also free to start an account.
• You can control the appearance of your search result listing. Having more control allows you to craft your targeted messages more specifically.
• You have access to tools that measure the impact of your Google AdWords campaigns. The tools track factors like how many times your ad appeared in search results, how many users clicked on your ad and more.
• You can edit and readjust your ads at any time to test what works best. This includes your budget—you are not locked into a contract.
• Google offers a free AdWords Keyword Planner that can help you search for and select keywords related to your business.

Getting started

When you get started with Google’s pay per click ads, you are essentially bidding against other advertisers for keywords. Here are a few steps for getting started:

• Make a list of keywords you would like to bid on. Make sure they are relevant to your business and desired audience.
• Choose a landing page. Your homepage is not always the best landing page for your ad. Sometimes a purpose-built landing page is best. If you’re building a campaign around a limited-time offer, for example, you may wish to create a landing page with links to all the relevant products, or categories, that the offer applies to.
• Write engaging ad copy. Your copy will need to attract people to click on your ad. It also contributes to your Quality Score, which (along with your bid) contributes to your ranking.
• Launch and track your ads. It’s a good idea to have multiple running at once so you can test them against one another.

Using Google’s pay per click ads is an effective way to drive traffic to your website beyond the confines of relying on organic reach. Need help? McNutt & Partners is a full-service advertising and digital marketing agency. Contact us today for your marketing needs! Call 334-521-1010, or visit our contact page.