What is Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising?

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising Basics for SMBs

If you’re running a website for your business, you may be wondering why it’s not getting more traffic. Anyone can access it, so why aren’t more people doing so?

In all likelihood, the problem is that people aren’t aware your website is there. To draw users in, you have to advertise your site where your audience spends time online in search results and on popular websites.

The best way to do this is through pay-per-click advertising, or PPC. PPC can take different forms, from banner ads on websites to ads in Google search results.

At DC Web Design & Marketing, we strive to be the best PPC company available. Our team of over 200 experts will help you create and optimize PPC ads that drive leads and revenue.

Ready to learn more about what PPC is and how PPC can work for your business? Just keep reading, or sign up for our emails for the latest PPC and digital marketing tips!

What is PPC?

PPC refers to paid advertising strategies and PPC can take numerous forms depending on the platform you use to run your PPC ads.

Generally, PPC ads appear in search results above organic SEO listings.

ecommerce ppc search ads

They can also appear as banner ads on websites. And they’re used to encourage people to click to visit your site and learn more about your products and services.

Example of a ppc banner ad

How does PPC work?

Now that you no longer need to ask, what is PPC, let’s talk about how it works.

The basic premise of PPC is right in the name pay-per-click. If you create a PPC ad, you only have to pay for it when it gets clicked on, which ensures that you aren’t paying for ads that aren’t doing anything for you.

It starts with keywords, or common phrases that people search. Not just any keywords, though relevant ones.

If you sell printers, it wouldn’t make sense to target the keyword cheap farmers market. You want your ad to be displayed to people who are looking up things about printers, which is why it’s important to formulate a good PPC strategy.

PPC ad example on search engine result page

To make that happen, you have to bid on the keywords you want to target. Ultimately, your bid and quality score determine your ad placements. With PPC, you only pay that amount if someone clicks on the ad. Because of this, PPC frequently offers a good return on investment (ROI) and fast results.

How can you get started with PPC?

Getting started with PPC isn’t all that difficult once you understand the process described above. You start by determining which keywords you want to target. Try typing terms related to your business into the Google search bar and looking at suggested results, or use tools like Keywords Everywhere.

Then you have to create ad content to use. The ad will usually first appear above the Google search results, but it will need to link to a dedicated landing page on your site. Each landing page needs to be written with enticing copy and a clear call to action (CTA).

Once you’ve done those things, you have only to bid on your desired keywords with Google Ads or a similar platform to get started.

How can you make the most of your PPC advertising?

Getting started with PPC is easy, but maximizing your paid ad ROI is more challenging.

One of the most important elements of a good PPC strategy is to focus on keywords that you actually have a shot at winning the bid on, ideally those that are highly specific and have the least competition.

If you truly want to unlock the potential of your PPC, though, you may want to consider pursuing a relationship with a PPC company like DC Web Design & Marketing.



Get started with PPC services from DC Web Design & Marketing

As a Google Premier Partner with over 20 years of experience in the industry, we know all the ins and outs of PPC and can develop ad content that will let your business reach new heights.

To get started with us today, give us a call at 202-370-7515 or contact us online!