Pay Per Click Cream of the Online Advertising Crop

Is your business implementing the most effective advertising method available to it? You might think you are, but if you're not leveraging pay-per-click advertising, you're probably not maximizing your marketing performance. At least that's the conclusion of an April 2009 survey conducted by Practical eCommerce.

A provider of resources and insights for online business owners, Practical eCommerce asked its "readers to grade various advertising methods based on how effective they were at increasing online sales or increasing web traffic. The advertising methods queried were PPC ads, banner advertising, online rich media, online video, podcasts, print advertising, radio ads, television ads, catalogs, and direct mail."

An overwhelming majority of the survey's respondents put pay-per-click advertising at the top of their list in terms of "effectiveness in promotig an e-commerce store and improving sales." The hard figures? "The survey found that 79.3 percent of those participating believed that pay-per-click (PPC) advertising was an effective way to increase sales, with 27.6 percent of those same respondents saying PPC advertising was 'very effective'."

Does this group of select individuals' assessment hold water? MoreBusiness.com, the one-stop small business resource center, thinks so. The website agrees that PPC can be an effective marketing strategy and outlines the following pay-per-click pros:

1. A good PPC campaign is "easy to develop and implement."
2. Because they are "typically moderate in size," PPC ads easily attract "sponsors that will allow you to post on their sites."
3. You only have to pay for PPC ads "when a potential customer takes action and clicks your advertisement."
4. Because PPC ads are easy to track, "you can tell who is looking at your ads," thereby making "it easier to get feedback and tailor your ads to the tastes of [your] customers."

Nevertheless, there are some caveats to look out for when implementing a pay-per-click advertising campaign. For instance, regardless of whether a click-through generates a sale, you still have to pay for it. Also, since web visitors almost always ignore the left side of the screen, positioning your ads on the right side of the page is vital for success.

You don't have to learn these lessons the hard way, though. A web design, web development and SEO specialist who is thoroughly versed in the ins and outs of pay-per-click advertising can help you implement a PPC campaign that is cost-efficient and effective from the get-go. In fact, such an expert can capitalize on the fact that PPC has a huge advantage over traditional print media in that it better targets your audience while providing many more impressions for a fraction of the cost.

A pay-per-click marketing service provider can provide you with quick, targeted traffic by leveraging sponsored ad services such as Google AdWords and Yahoo! Search Marketing. Such an expert can also help you hone in on the most important considerations when doing PPC: effective ad copy, a compelling landing page and comprehensive keyword selection. Employ the services of a PPC specialist and watch your online business advertising strategies rise to the top of the heap.