So, just what is PPC?

Let’s look at a little hypothetical. You start a business, you start doing reasonably well but you want to take it to the next level. You talk to some other people who have been in your industry for some time longer and all of a sudden you’re exposed to jargon that might as well have come from outer space. PPC, SEO, ROAS, SEM, SERPs, CLV, CAC, CTR, CPM, CMS, CPC, bounce rates, pull marketing, push marketing… the list goes on! 

Now, each of these deserves its own blog but as you found your way to this article, we only have one in mind. PPC. Maybe a friend told you about it, or another competitor in your industry has used it to great effect. But what is it? 

Put simply, PPC (which stands for pay-per-click) is a type of online advertising performed through platforms such as Google and YouTube Ads where you only pay for the clicks you receive from the ad. Makes sense right?

In fact, you likely see some form of PPC advertising almost every day. If you Google practically any search term, the first results aren’t organic results; they’re ads: 

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As you can see from this screenshot of a Google search for the term ‘surfboards’, the top results aren’t organic results (that is, results that rank highly due to SEO) but a selection of ads - PPC ads (you can see ‘Ads’ written next to the results). The first organic result (The Surfboard Warehouse) appears below the ads, and you can see ‘Ads’ is not written next to this result which allows us to differentiate between the PPC ads and the organic search results.

For almost any competitive term you search for, you will find this to be the case. It isn’t just true of eCommerce. Here is another Google search for ‘advertising agency Cabarita':

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And here you can see us right at the top through one of our own PPC ads! You can also see us at the top of what is known as the ‘Local Pack’ just underneath our ad due to the inclusion of a location in the search term, thanks to our SEO efforts. 

Businesses compete for these ad positions in what is known as an ‘auction’. The way this works is that you set up a bid for the top position when setting up your PPC ad campaign. If someone bids higher than you then they usually end up in the top spot (although there are other factors that affect the order like quality, context etc.). 

Now think back to the last time you scrolled past the first few results of Google, let alone the second page… how long ago was it? It’s safe to say that most of us usually don’t make it that far (in fact, some people say that the best place to hide a body is on page two of Google…); and while SEO is a fantastic approach (and is fast becoming a necessity) to improve your online presence, PPC Ads get you right to the top of Google, immediately. Even higher than you could ever possibly get with only SEO. Are you starting to get the idea?

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What are the benefits of PPC?

PPC ads get you results fast

In creating your PPC ad campaign, a good PPC agency will perform extensive research and analysis before doing anything. Then, this research is translated into an effective strategy, with a strong focus on maximising profitability. Finally, once the agency and client are happy with the proposed strategy, the campaign is launched and you get immediate impressions and clicks that often culminate in meaningful conversions, promoting opportunities to scale. Contrast this with SEO which might take months to start gaining traction, and you can see why PPC advertising is so appealing. 

PPC ads are easy to measure, track, and improve

The first iteration of anything is rarely perfect, but with PPC ads the good news is that they are infinitely tweak-able and measurable.

You can change the wording, you can increase the amount you spend to fare better against your competitors, all the while seeing exactly how many conversions and how much revenue the ads are generating for your business. You are in the driver’s seat and you can choose exactly where you want to go. 

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PPC ads can be precisely targeted

Another benefit of PPC ads is that you can target them to precisely who or what you’re interested in. You can target keywords, you can re-market to users based on their past behaviour, or you can hone in on a specific demographic. This versatility adds an extra dimension to the metrics and you can continue to tweak and assess until every lead you generate is a good lead. On top of this, you can use the data you derive from the ads to influence your SEO and marketing campaigns - it’s a win-win all around. 

PPC ads are less fickle than SEO

While SEO is a fantastic strategy to garner organic traffic to a website, it is notoriously fickle. You could be sitting up at the no.1 spot for months or even years and all of a sudden Google releases an algorithm update and you get shafted to the bottom of page one - or even worse… page two! The worst part is that with SEO you never really know exactly why it was working one day and not working the next, and Google will never tell you. 

This isn’t true with PPC ads. PPC ads can be infinitely tweaked and improved and so long as you stay on top of monitoring them, then you should almost always be sitting in a strong position to generate leads and traffic. SEO and PPC work synergistically but it is important to not rely solely on one or the other. 

PPC complements other marketing channels

While PPC is a great way to quickly skyrocket traffic to your website and revenue to your business, it also complements other marketing channels like SEO and content marketing. You can send PPC ads to the latest blog you wrote and you can use the insights gained through your PPC campaign to influence your SEO strategy (which keywords drive traffic, which don’t, etc.). It is all part of the overarching digital strategy of your brand.

So now we know what PPC advertising is and how it works… How do you choose the right PPC agency?

Choosing the right PPC agency is no easy task. To help you along, we’ve outlined a few key points we think you should consider when trying to understand how to choose the right PPC agency for your needs.

Data-driven

The number one thing to look out for when choosing a PPC agency is if they are data-driven. Can they tell you exactly what your ROAS is? How many impressions are you getting? How many clicks? What is the click-through rate (CTR)? If a PPC agency can’t give detailed information on exactly where your campaign is at in regards to any of these metrics then run far, far away. 

At GRAVITATE, we take pride in our data-driven approach. We do not just cookie cutter our campaigns as we know that each client is different. We analyse the data and make decisions based on evidence, constantly fine-tuning and improving our campaigns - and that means better results for you. 

They Work With the Right Platforms for Your Needs

There’s no point in running ads on platforms that aren’t conducive to your business goals. If you’re main clientele are found on Facebook, the PPC agency you choose needs to have experience in running ads on there. If your main focus is Google or YouTube then they need to be experienced in those areas - you get the point. 

At GRAVITATE, not only do we have experience in advertising for Meta (Facebook & Instagram) and Google & YouTube, but we also have experience in Email Direct Marketing (EDM), Lead Generation, and Social Media Management. So whatever platform you want to target we can help, and if you’re not sure, we’ll make sure to figure it out with you first. And if that’s not enough, we can also help you with Digital Strategy & Consulting to make sure you’re ahead of the game in every way. 

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Transparency

PPC marketing (and to be honest, much of the digital marketing sphere) can be hard to understand. That’s why it’s vital to find a PPC agency that is transparent and open with their results and what they’re doing and why. 

We always put our clients first and we walk you through every step of our process from beginning to end. We work with you to determine your goals and streamline a campaign that is within budget while still getting results you could only have dreamed of. 

Evolving knowledge

Digital marketing is constantly changing, and just because something worked yesterday doesn’t mean it will work today. At GRAVITATE, we master the art of turning data into a campaign that works for you and your business. We know what we’re aiming for and we always make sure we’re on track. 

Industry experience

The ad campaigns for each industry require a different approach based on a wide variety of factors. Choosing a PPC agency with experience in your industry means they have prior experience to draw from, ensuring your campaign is a hit from the start. We pride ourselves on our knowledge and experience in a wide variety of industries and we’re always learning and expanding this wisdom to get better and better results for our clients, no matter their background. 

Choose GRAVITATE Digital as your PPC agency today 

GRAVITATE Digital are a team of thinkers, strategists, & digital psychologists. We take the time to learn your business, language and story, weaving our own digital expertise seamlessly into your brand and team. Servicing Australia-wide, we provide consistent communication as if we were in the same room as you and our PPC ad campaigns can boost your business from where it is now to where you want it to be. 

Niche but potent, we are a team of conscious PPC advertising experts that will get you the best results. So if you want to learn how to choose the right PPC agency for you, contact us today and you’ll see how easy it is.