Often, owners and managers of local businesses find that they don’t know much about online marketing, paid search, or other digital marketing techniques because they’re focusing on their day-to-day business operations. This Q&A walks even the most inexperienced marketers through the paid search process.
Q: What exactly is Paid Search Advertising, anyway?
A: Paid search advertising is a strategy Internet marketers use to direct traffic to their websites by delivering their information to specifically targeted buyers. Search engines use a complex algorithm to deliver the most relevant products and information to buyers when they search for something. Traditional searches display results based on organic search results, but companies can utilize pay-per-click searches to deliver their ads to target specific audiences.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: There is no exact answer to this question because the cost varies based on the keywords used. Advertisers set their daily budget and type of campaign, then the search engine delivers the website to as many people as that budget will allow. Advertisers are provided with analytics data, which allows them to adjust their strategy, bid, and keywords according to performance. Google’s most expensive keyword costs just under $55 per conversion, with many that cost much less.
Q: OK, I get it, but really, does my business need paid search?
A: If you’ve found that you’re still asking yourself this question, you should know some of the benefits of paid search to decide for yourself. Paid search allows your company to instantly appear at the top of search results, thus directing more traffic to the website. Eventually, you can start optimizing your content based on the pay-per-click search terms with the highest conversion rates in order to gain more organic reach. Since paid search is effective around the clock, it offers a simple way to put your message in front of potential buyers when they’re looking for your product, whether that’s on their lunch break or in the middle of the night. It allows you to deliver the most relevant messages to your different target audiences, providing each potential customer with a message customized to those demographics.
Remember, when you ask yourself, “Does my business need paid search?” that almost 65 percent of website visits are generated by pay-per-click advertising. The benefit of paid advertising is that it allows small businesses the chance to compete with major retailers like Amazon or Target. Contact us for more information on this effective tool.