Google PPC: Is It Worth It?

PPC or pay-per-click advertising is one of the many digital marketing channels used to drive traffic from search engines. It is a common practice to use PPC for small businesses as well as those more established – it helps all to increase their brand’s digital presence.

PPC can be a fantastic tool for gaining new customers, although many business owners find it confusing. That is why in this article, we are going to discuss how it works and highlight some of the key benefits and drawbacks of this type of advertising.

To start with, one of the most common PPC platforms is Google Ads, which in itself includes formats such as:

  • Search Ads
  • Shopping Ads
  • Video Ads
  • Display Ads
  • Gmail Ads

The reason Google PPC is so popular amongst marketers and business owners is simply that it provides the widest marketing reach, but the benefits do not end there.

Why use PPC?

1. Results will be quick

Through the use of Google PPC, both new and established businesses are guaranteed to start receiving clicks fairly quickly.

This is because the platform does not take longer than a few hours to get your ads approved. So, as long as the volume is there, your business will start receiving clicks much quicker when compared to other advertising techniques such as SEO.

 

2. You are in control

Another benefit of Google PPC is the ability to track and measure your returns through the platform. This gives you the chance to tweak and refine your ad in accordance with the engagement goals and the response you’re getting from your target audience

Google PPC also allows you to target your ideal customers based on your data inputs. You will even have an option to target your audience based on the devices they use, their location, their time zone, and so on.

 

3. You only pay for the clicks you get

Google PPC gives business owners the flexibility to stop and restart their ad campaigns whenever they deem necessary. This feature is useful for both strategic and financial management as you will be the one in charge of how much you spend on your Google PPC advertising.

Of course, as with anything else, Google PPC is not a magic solution and you will have to put quite a bit of work into it to achieve the results that you want.

 

4. Setting up ads is time-consuming

We did mention that once your ad is live, you will start receiving clicks fairly quickly. However, setting up the ad itself is a time-consuming exercise and will require you to carry out a keyword search. This will ensure that you only include words that are relevant, exhaustive, and expansive to increase your chances of success.

A similar point can be made about management. You have all the control and freedom to do as you wish with your ads. That said, it is also a time-consuming practice that you will have to perform once in a while to make sure you get the maximum return on your investment.

For the best results, you would need to renew Google PPC keywords, review costly keywords that are underperforming and shut them off, as well as refine your landing pages and CTAs.

So, is PPC worth it? All in all, Google PPC can be a valuable marketing tool used by new businesses to gain visibility and new customers, or for established businesses looking for new leads and higher engagement.

It is a time-consuming process, however, if you do your homework right, the results will be both speedy and rewarding.

 

To avoid some of the deadliest Google PPC mistakes, take a look at this blog from SEMrush and become fully equipped for your PPC ad campaign.