In the world of digital marketing, Pay Per Click (PPC) stands tall. Yet, like every tall tale or mythological creature, PPC is surrounded by myths that have taken a life of their own over time. Having been on this rollercoaster for over 15 years, allow me to be your myth-busting guide!
1. PPC is Cheap
Oh, how I wish this were true! There’s a common misconception, particularly among those new to the digital marketing world, that PPC is an inexpensive method to gain quick results. The phrase “Pay Per Click” might make it sound like you’re only parting with pennies. But let’s dive deeper to understand why ‘cheap’ is a relative term concerning PPC.
Industry Variations
Some industries are notorious for high cost-per-click (CPC). For instance, legal services, insurance, and specific financial sectors can have CPCs that reach exorbitant amounts, sometimes even over £50 for a single click. The reason? High competition and high potential customer value make companies willing to invest heavily.
Geo-Targeting & Timing
Costs can surge depending on where and when you want your ads to appear. Trying to capture the attention of city-dwellers during rush hour? That might cost you more than targeting a more rural area during off-peak times.
Ad Quality & Relevance
It’s not just about the highest bidder—for instance, Google rewards ads of high quality and relevance to the searcher’s query. If your ad isn’t optimised, you might pay more than a competitor with a better-quality score, even if they bid slightly less.
Hidden Costs
Beyond the click itself, other costs should be considered. Creating high-quality ad creatives, landing page optimisation and the tools or platforms needed to manage and monitor campaigns can add to your overall expenditure.
The Evolution of Costs
Digital real estate is becoming increasingly competitive. As more businesses realise the potential of PPC, the demand for prime ad spots has grown, driving costs up. It’s a dynamic market, so what’s ‘cheap’ today might be different tomorrow.
While PPC offers the allure of only paying for tangible results (i.e., when someone clicks on your ad), the costs associated can be nuanced. It’s essential to approach PPC with a different mindset than spending as little as possible but focus on maximising the return on your investment. It’s not about the cost of the click but the value of the customer behind that click.
2. PPC Works in a Silo
The idea that Pay Per Click (PPC) operates effectively in isolation is one of the most enduring myths in the digital marketing landscape. It’s akin to viewing a piece of a jigsaw puzzle in isolation and assuming you understand the entire picture. To truly grasp the intricate interplay of digital strategies, let’s delve deeper into how PPC interacts with other core components like SEO, content, social media marketing, and the overarching digital strategy.
Complementary Insights
PPC and SEO provide valuable data about which keywords resonate with your target audience. By examining which PPC ads drive the most conversions, you can inform your SEO strategy and vice versa.
Shared Real Estate
Dominating organic and paid search results for a keyword can significantly increase your brand’s visibility and perceived authority.
Retargeting Opportunities
Engaging content can be promoted through PPC, capturing an audience that can later be retargeted with more specific calls to action.
Unified Messaging
To build a consistent brand image, ensure your PPC ads on search engines harmonise with your promoted posts or ads on social platforms.
Audience Overlap
Social media can provide valuable demographic and interest data that can refine your PPC targeting. Similarly, data from PPC campaigns can inform which audiences to target or retarget on social platforms.
Broader Reach
While PPC often targets users actively searching for specific keywords, social media marketing allows you to tap into potential customers during their leisure time, making them aware of a need they might not have been actively considering.
Budget Allocation
Deciding how to distribute your budget across PPC, SEO, content creation, and social media marketing requires a holistic view. For instance, a new product launch might lean heavily on PPC and social promotions but gradually emphasise SEO and content as organic interest grows.
Integrated Analytics
By simultaneously evaluating metrics across these strategies, you can gain insights that might be missed if you view them in isolation. For example, increased organic traffic might be due to the increased brand awareness from a PPC campaign.
When each section plays its part in isolation, they might produce beautiful music. But when they come together under the baton of an overarching digital strategy, they create a symphony far greater than the sum of its parts. So, ensure that every element of your digital marketing strategy is tuned to the others, allowing you to create harmonious and impactful campaigns.
3. Anyone can do PPC.
You’ve probably heard someone utter the age-old phrase, “Anyone can cook!” And while that’s a heartening sentiment for the culinary world when transferred to the digital marketing domain and applied as “Anyone can do PPC!”, it becomes a recipe for… well, let’s say, a not-so-tasty disaster. Let’s unwrap this myth with a good dollop of humour and a sprinkle of wisdom.
Hitting the ‘Start’ Button isn’t Rocket Science, but…
Imagine buying a grand piano and thinking, “Hitting a key isn’t hard.” True, but playing Mozart? That’s another story. Similarly, setting up a PPC campaign by hitting the ‘start’ button might seem straightforward. But mastering it? It’s not just about launching the ad; it’s about ensuring it doesn’t crash land!
The Art & Science of balancing analytical and creative thinking
Think of PPC as a peculiar cocktail: one part data nerd, one part Picasso, and a dash of Sherlock Holmes. You need the analytical chops to understand the numbers, the creative flair to design compelling ads, and the detective skills to figure out why an ad with a cat meme isn’t outperforming a dog meme. (Hint: The internet loves both, but context is essential!)
The never-ending Classroom of PPC
This brings us to the crux of the matter: education. Even though you’ve watched a YouTube tutorial (or ten), you still need to prepare to run a full-blown PPC campaign. PPC is like a mischievous shapeshifter, constantly evolving with every algorithm update and platform change.
Education is your PPC Wand!
Foundational Knowledge
Starting with the basics is pivotal. It’s akin to learning to crawl before attempting the 100-meter dash. Comprehensive courses can arm you with the foundational pillars of PPC.
Staying Updated
In the world of PPC, yesterday’s strategies might be today’s blunders. Continuous education, whether through webinars, workshops, or online courses, ensures you’re not using outdated tactics left in the digital Stone Age.
Networking
Engaging with a community of fellow PPC enthusiasts can be an invaluable source of shared experiences, insights, and occasional commiserations. (Like when you realise you targeted ads for winter coats to the Bahamas in July.) 😂
So whilst anyone technically do PPC (just as anyone can technically bake a cake by slapping together flour and water), creating successful, ROI-positive campaigns that don’t end up looking (or tasting) like a half-baked mess requires skill, dedication, and, most importantly, continuous education.
So next time someone claims, “Anyone can do PPC,” offer them a wink and say, “And I can technically play the piano by tapping one key!” But to truly make music or master PPC, you’ll need a lot more under your belt.
4. Quality Score is the be-all and end-all.
Let’s have a natter about the famed ‘Quality Score’ in the PPC universe, fellow PPC enthusiasts. Many are under the impression that this metric is the shining North Star guiding all ad campaign decisions. While it’s crucial, it’s akin to judging the Great British Bake Off solely on the glossiness of the icing without tasting the sponge, feeling the layers, or checking if the middle is, God forbid, still soggy.
Firstly, what’s this illustrious Quality Score?
It’s a score between 1 and 10 given by platforms like Google Ads, representing the relevance and quality of your ads, keywords, and landing pages about a user’s search query. A high score can lead to lower costs per click and better ad positions. Imagine it as the shiny glaze on your Victoria sponge – essential for that first impression!
But wait, what’s inside the Cake?
A cake with just a shiny glaze but no substance is all show and no taste. Similarly, a good Quality Score, while essential, is only part of the story. The entirety of the user journey, from clicking your ad to taking action on your site, plays a vital role.
Going Beyond the Gloss: Other Essential Ingredients
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): Having a catchy headline is all well and good, but are users actually clicking on it? The CTR tells you if your ad’s messaging is enticing enough to prompt that all-important click.
- Landing Page Experience: Once the user clicks on your ad, where are they headed? A relevant, fast-loading, and user-friendly landing page is crucial. It’s the delightful sponge supporting that glossy icing – work with your SEO Team!
- Conversion Rate: It’s the pièce de résistance! You’ve got them to click and land on your page. But did they take the desired action? This metric assesses the effectiveness of your overall campaign in driving results.
- Ad Position and Impression Share: Even with a perfect Quality Score, where does your ad sit compared to others? And how often does it appear for your targeted keywords?
To truly understand if your PPC campaign is the Mary Berry of digital ads or more of a baking disaster, it’s crucial to look beyond the Quality Score. Dive into all metrics, understand the entire user journey, and ensure every layer, from the first click to the final conversion, is as delightful as a perfectly layered cake.
5. Everyone should Start an Agency/Freelance
We’ve all been there, daydreaming during a particularly long meeting: “I should start my agency or go freelance. How hard can it be?” Oh, if only it were as simple as brewing a cuppa and firing up your laptop. Let’s debunk this modern myth with a pinch of realism, a dollop of wit, and a whole serving of truth.
The Romanticised Daydream
Imagine You in a trendy café, with your favourite playlist on, sipping an artisanal latte, managing high-profile PPC campaigns as the money rolls in. No boss, no dreary 9-to-5, just you and the open road of freelance freedom. Sounds delightful, doesn’t it?
The Reality is it’s not just PPC as thrilling as the freelance daydream is; the reality is a multi-layered trifle of challenges:
Business Operations:
Have you ever considered tax returns, invoicing, chasing payments, and keeping your books in order? It’s less ‘Mad Men’ chic and more ‘Maths Den’ nightmare.
Client Management
Every client is your boss when you’re alone. Managing expectations, timelines, and, occasionally, soothing ruffled feathers is par for the course.
Juggling Hats:
One minute, you’re the head of marketing; the next, you’re the customer service rep, and oh, the IT department? That’s you as well.
The Many Roles of the Solo Player
Beyond just being a PPC whiz, here are some of the additional roles you’ll have to step into:
- Salesperson: Can you sell your services and pitch to potential clients?
- Negotiator: When a client wants the moon on a string with a budget that barely covers the line, can you find a middle ground?
- Therapist: Occasionally, you’ll encounter clients who are anxious, sceptical, or need a bit of hand-holding through the process.
- Lifelong Learner: The digital landscape is ever-evolving. Can you keep up with the latest trends, tools, and techniques?
Not for everyone, and that’s okay.
In reality, running an agency or freelancing is akin to riding a roller coaster. There are incredible highs, but there are also daunting drops. While it can be gratifying for those with the right temperament and skill set, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
So, if you’re considering diving into freelancing or starting an agency, remember that it’s not just about your expertise in PPC. It’s about wearing many hats, often simultaneously, and dancing to the ever-changing tune of the digital marketplace.
Before you hand in that resignation letter and order your business cards, take a moment to consider the full spectrum of what going solo entails. It’s not just a career move; it’s a lifestyle choice that’s as challenging as it is exhilarating.
Conclusion
In the intricate tapestry of the digital landscape, PPC stands out as both an art and a science. Much like a painter interpreting a sunset or a scientist unravelling a complex formula, a PPC manager needs to balance creativity with data-driven decision-making. This dynamic arena is perpetually shifting, presenting challenges to overcome and exhilarating new horizons to explore.
Possessing the right skills becomes paramount in this journey. It is about more than just understanding the mechanics of an ad platform or being adept at keyword research. It’s about the nuanced art of reading your audience, crafting a resonant message, and assessing the data to refine and improve. It’s the delicate dance between intuition and statistics.
