Online Advertising Aka PPC

Pay Per Click advertising or marketing by chance

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PPC stands for “Pay-Per-Click,” and it is a digital advertising model where advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. It is a way of buying visits to a website rather than earning those visits naturally or organically. PPC advertising is quite a phenomenon now and prevalent on search engines, social media platforms, and various websites. PPC marketing also known as Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is online advertising and marketing over search engines that allows businesses to appear on top in search results when customer search through a particular keyword. Online Advertising Aka PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising or marketing is by chance and marketers bid to appear when people/customers search using a particular term aka keywords.

Here are some simple steps to start a PPC advertising online or use a built in feature in apps to create ad online:

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Ad Creation

Advertisers create text, image, or video ads that are relevant to their target audience and include keywords related to their products or services.

Keyword Selection

Advertisers choose a list of keywords or phrases that trigger the display of their ads when users search for those terms on search engines. This is particularly common in search engine advertising.

Auction System

In many PPC systems, including major search engines like Google and Bing, ads appear in an auction-style system. Advertisers bid on the keywords they want their ads to be associated with.

Ad Placement

The ads are displayed on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) or on websites and social media platforms, depending on the advertising network and its policies.

Payment

Advertisers only pay when users click on their ads. Hence the term “Pay-Per-Click.” The amount paid per click is determined through the bidding process.

Budget Control

Advertisers set a daily or monthly budget to control how much they are willing to spend on their PPC campaign. Once the budget is exhausted, the ads are typically no longer displayed.

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Advantages of PPC

Quick Results: PPC campaigns can generate traffic and results quickly, especially compared to organic methods like SEO.

Targeting Options: Advertisers can target specific demographics, locations, and interests to reach their desired audience.

Measurable and Trackable: PPC platforms provide detailed analytics and metrics, allowing advertisers to track the performance of their ads and campaigns. It allows for ad testing as well.

Control over Ad Spend: Advertisers have control over how much they spend each day or month, helping them manage their budget effectively.

Flexibility: PPC campaigns can be adjusted, paused, or stopped at any time, providing flexibility in response to changing circumstances or goals.

Disadvantages of PPC

Cost: Depending on the competitiveness of keywords, PPC advertising can be expensive, especially in highly sought-after industries.

Dependency: Once you stop paying for ads, your visibility diminishes. It does not have the long-term impact that organic strategies like SEO can provide.

Learning Curve: Managing PPC campaigns effectively requires understanding the platform, keyword research, and continuous optimization. This can be a challenge for beginners.

Popular PPC platforms include Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising (formerly Bing Ads), Facebook Ads, X Ads, and more.