Pay Per Click Basics: Bubbles, Boats, and Bidding Explained

Are you looking to take your digital marketing to the next level? Paid advertising is an effective way to promote your business, generate leads, and drive conversions. It’s a powerful tool for digital businesses that can help you reach your target audience quickly.

Paid ads are used on various platforms, such as search engine results pages (SERPs), social networks, websites, apps, and email inboxes. This type of advertising allows you to precisely target potential customers and create campaigns to increase your business’s bottom line.

If all of that sounds confusing, don’t worry. Our expert marketers have gathered everything you need to help keep you afloat in the confusing world of paid advertising. We’ll explain the different types of paid advertising and detail how to make your digital marketing strategy a splashing success.

What is Pay-per-click (PPC)?

Pay-per-click (PPC) or cost-per-click (CPC) is an advertising model in which advertisers run ads on various platforms and pay for each user click on the ad. It’s one of the most popular forms of digital marketing that allows you to promote your business and increase conversions. It can also be used to generate leads or drive traffic to your website or app.

When running PPC campaigns, advertisers create ads and bid on specific keywords related to their target audience. Ads are displayed on SERPs, display networks, social media, and other websites when users search for the keywords. Advertisers pay based on the number of clicks they receive and how well their ads perform.

For example, an advertiser may create a PPC campaign targeting people interested in “nautical sailing” by bidding on keywords related to that topic, such as “sailboat racing” or “offshore sailing.” When someone searches for these keywords, their ad will appear in the SERP, and they will be billed each time their ad is clicked.

The benefits of paid advertising

All businesses advertise — even small ones! According to data, 87% of small businesses advertise in some form. Quality, comprehensive advertising is essential to get your product in front of the consumer, build brand awareness, and generate sales. As the world moves increasingly online, capturing the digital market is more important than ever.

PPC campaigns are relatively easy to set up, measure results in real time, and adjust quickly. This makes it a great tool for testing different strategies and campaigns to see what works best for your business.

Furthermore, PPC advertising is highly customizable. Advertisers can choose the keywords they want to target, specify their budget, set geographic or demographic limits, create multiple ads with different messaging, and more. This allows them to tailor their campaigns to their specific needs and goals.

Other types of paid ads

There are specific types of paid ads, such as cost per thousand impressions (CPM), text ads, display ads, remarketing campaigns, and more. Let’s break down what each of these terms mean.

  1. CPM
    Cost per thousand impressions (CPM) is an advertising model in which advertisers pay for every 1,000 views the ad receives. This type of ad focuses on building brand awareness by reaching a wide audience.
  1. Display advertising
    Display ads are digital advertisements that appear on websites, apps, and social media pages. They come in various formats, such as banners, videos, or images. Display ads are used to raise brand or product awareness and can be targeted at specific locations or demographics.
  1. Social media advertising
    Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are great places to advertise your business. All of these platforms offer a variety of ad formats and targeting options that you can customize to reach the right people for your product or service. Social media advertising effectively increases brand awareness, drives conversions, and bolsters customer loyalty.
  1. Remarketing campaigns
    Remarketing is a powerful tool for targeting users who have already interacted with your business or website. By creating ads specifically tailored to past visitors, remarketing helps you reach customers who are more likely to convert and take action. It’s also a fantastic way to stay in touch with potential customers and keep them engaged with your brand.
  1. Text Ads
    Text ads are simple, short messages that appear on search engine results pages (SERPs). They’re typically used to drive traffic to a specific website or app. Text ads include a headline, description, and link to the destination page.

Paid advertising: Choosing what is best for your business

The type of paid ad that is best for a business depends on its goals and objectives. For instance, CPM ads are superb for companies looking to build brand awareness by reaching a large audience.

On the other hand, PPC campaigns are an excellent option for businesses looking to generate leads, drive conversions, and increase sales. Ultimately, it’s important to test different types of ad formats and target audiences to determine which type of ad is best for your business.

Getting started with a paid ad campaign

Now that you know the basics of paid advertising, it’s time to chart your course. Here are some tips to help you get started:

  • Do your research: Research the different types of ads and decide which one will be the most effective for your business.
  • Choose a platform: There are a variety of paid advertising platforms, such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, and more. Each platform has its own set of features and targeting capabilities that can be used to reach target customers effectively.
  • Set a budget: Determine how much you can afford to spend on paid advertising and create a strategy that will help you stay within your budget.
  • Perform keyword research: Identify high-performing keywords that are relevant to your product or service and use them in your campaigns.
  • Focus on quality: When creating ads, it’s important to focus on providing value and offering an enjoyable user experience. You want to stand out!
  • Set objectives: Set objectives you want your ad campaign to achieve. Focus on goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (SMART).

Monitor performance: Track the performance of your ads to see which ones are performing best and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Conclusion

Paid advertising is a great way to reach new customers and grow your business. However, it’s important to do your research and create an effective strategy before diving into the deep end. Otherwise, you’ll waste money and time on an ineffective campaign.

With proper research, budgeting, keyword selection, and performance monitoring, you can create successful paid ad campaigns to help your business reach its goals.

Further help

Ready to set sail but not sure how to raise anchor? Our marketing experts are here to help you create, manage, and optimize your campaigns for maximum ROI. Learn more about advanced targeting strategies, such as remarketing, audience demographics, and more by scheduling a free consultation today!

We’d love to help you navigate the digital marketing seas. Drop any questions in the chat box on our site, and our team of staff will be sure to get in touch. Alternatively, you can also read up on the latest best practices for PPC campaigns and explore our free article library for more in-depth advice.

As you learn the ins-and-outs of digital ads, Kraken Sales Funnels is here to provide the support you need. With our specialized programs and comprehensive marketing services, you can unlock your full potential and maximize every paid advertising opportunity. So anchor up, hoist the sails, and let’s get kraken!

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