Top 12 PPC Questions Answered For Effective Campaign Management

25 Aug 12 Frequently Asked PPC Questions & Answers

Posted at 16:18h in SEM by Efficient Media 0 Comments

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Posted at 16:18h in SEM 0 Comments

Have you been considering running a Pay-per-click campaign? We hear you and have looked at answering some of the most Frequently Asked PPC Questions in 2021 to get you started.

As one of the most popular forms of digital advertising, generating instant results for businesses of all sizes. There’s plenty to cover:

PPC FAQs:

What is PPC Advertising?

PPC is a method of online advertising that allows users (advertisers) to place ads on specific platforms like Google. In this form of paid advertising, advertisers pay a fee only when users click their ad.

Which platforms support PPC Advertising?

There are several platforms that support PPC advertising as part of a broader digital marketing mix, and PPC campaigns commonly run across Google, GDN, Youtube, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter and Bing (Microsoft), including google ads campaigns on search networks and shopping campaigns. Performance Max campaigns automate delivery across Google channels, while app promotion campaigns are used to drive installs.

Where will my PPC Ads appear?

The point of PPC ads is to target your ideal customers, so essentially, they should appear before your target market.

On Google, they are visible in search engine results (SEM) across Google and Search partners through responsive search ads and dynamic search ads, in the Google product carousel (Google Shopping), on websites that offer banner spots within the GDN (Google Display Network) and via videos on Youtube, with ad extensions such as site links also able to appear alongside search ads.
Bing is similar to Google but across the Microsoft network for search predominantly.
Advertising with Facebook ads appears on your feeds across both Facebook & Instagram, in Stories, Marketplace, Facebook Right Column, Instagram Explore, Messenger Inbox and the Audience Network.
Within Amazon, they appear within the search results, on product detail pages or as part of an ad carousel via sponsored brands, display and products.
LinkedIn ad creative appears in Learn more about where text, Sponsored content and messaging.
Twitter Ads appear once in a user’s timeline at or near the top.

Who will see my Pay-per-click Ads?

The strategy behind any ad is to get it in front of the right people.

Google & Bing: Ads are set up to match search intent by using keyword research and a clear keyword strategy before selecting a range of relevant keywords to maximise the success of the campaign and get your intended audience to click. Each keyword match type affects how closely a search query must relate to your targeting, whether you use broad match, phrase match, or exact match. You can also add negative keywords so ads do not show for unwanted queries; negative keywords prevent ads from showing for specific terms, which helps reduce irrelevant traffic.

Facebook: Facebook, amongst other tools, allows you to target and remarket to users based on interests, demographics, location, behaviours & lookalikes. Remarketing campaigns can help re-engage past visitors, and remarketing targets users who visited but did not convert.

Amazon:

Keyword targeting is used to match a shopper’s search queries.
Product targeting using Amazon ASINs or categories both place your ads before relevant audiences.
View remarketing allows you to reengage with audiences who have already viewed your products or similar ones

LinkedIn: Ads match demographics, interests, job titles, lookalikes and retargeting (similar to Facebook, but with much more emphasis on profession).

Twitter Ads: reach people by keywords, hashtags, interests, lookalikes, retargeting and brand followers.

Do people click on Paid ads?

In short, yes, but results vary: CTR measures the ratio of clicks to impressions for ads, or the percentage of clicks an ad receives after impressions, and stronger relevance plus testing usually improve results. There are people who avoid paid ads to get the most relevant search results provided by the algorithm, but search engines have worked hard in improving the user experience for both ads and organic to bring these together.

Professionally managed ads, when placed in front of the right audience, generate a consistent stream of leads and conversions. lead generation and generating leads are common goals of well-run PPC efforts.

What PPC targeting options are available?

Amongst others, here are the most popular:

Search Targeting allows you to reach your audience when they are already actively searching for information.
Keyword targeting is employed in advertising to ensure that search engines show the ads that are relevant to the chosen keywords, and advertisers often research keywords with Google Keyword Planner while assessing search volume before launch.
Audience targeting allows advertisers to segment audience types depending on several factors such as location, interests, demographics, and gender. Audience targeting helps to understand the buyer’s journey and what they’re looking for.
Remarketing allows advertisers to engage with users who have already come in contact with your business/product/service, and frequency controls can help avoid ad fatigue by limiting repeat exposure to the same user.
Similar Audiences or Lookalikes allow advertisers to use customer lists and cookie-based users to create an audience that closely matches past customers or site visitors who are more likely to be a business’s target market.

Campaign structure often uses ad groups to keep themes tight and landing pages aligned.

Why should you do PPC marketing?

PPC marketing can be very advantageous, and with the long-term commitment and investment required for SEO, PPC is the immediate solution. Ads can support a broader marketing strategy, strengthen lead generation, and remain cost-effective, targeted, measurable to ROI and ROAS, and customisable.

How do Google Ads Work?

Google Ads displays your ad to potential customers who are interested in your product or service through an auction, where Google uses your bid amount and Quality Score to calculate Ad Rank, which influences ad position and the actual cost you pay per click. Advertisers can also choose bidding strategies based on whether the goal is clicks, conversions, or return.

How much does a PPC campaign cost?

There is no one size fits all answer to this question but what it will come down to is setting a budget from the beginning, ad scheduling, the actual cost per click varying by competition, keyword intent and bidding choices, and of course, the competitiveness of the keywords you are bidding for. On average, the cost per click in Google Ads is between $1 and $2 (Wordstream 2021).

When planning a PPC campaign, always factor in the following:

Campaign cost (Ad Spend)
Agency Management fees
PPC Management Software (if applicable).

What factors determine my PPC costs?

The factors that determine your PPC costs and overall campaign performance include performance metrics, bidding, competition for ad space, and the results you expect to achieve. On Google, a higher Quality Score reduces CPC and improves ad position.

On Google, one of the main factors which influences how much you pay per click in search is Quality Score.

What is Quality Score?

Quality Score is a Google AdWords metric (score out of 10) that rates the quality and relevance of keywords and PPC ads, and improving it can improve quality score outcomes such as lower CPC. The strength of your Quality Score determines the cost per click rate an advertiser would pay. 3 key components calculate how quality score is calculated:

Expected click-through rate (CTR), which is clicks divided by impressions,
Ad Relevance, and
Landing page experience.

Tightly themed ad groups, stronger ad copy, and better landing pages help improve quality score.

How often should I check and change my pay-per-click campaigns?

Without overdoing it, it is best practice to monitor ads daily. Check on key performance indicators proactively with conversion tracking, Google Analytics, and regular reviews of performance metrics so you can be best prepared to make the changes required to optimise your campaign, such as updating keywords, adjusting bids, and reviewing conversion data. Tracking codes are needed for accurate measurement and are often deployed through Google Tag Manager without editing site code directly. Regular ad testing, including A/B testing ad copies, and ongoing work to optimise landing pages can improve campaign performance over time.