What Is Pay-Per-Click (PPC)?

Pay-per-click (PPC) is a form of advertising in which you show ads on a website or search engine, such as Facebook or Google, and you pay for the advertising based on the number of times people click on your link. The main benefit of pay-per-click is that you only pay for qualified leads—people who are likely to be interested in purchasing your product—and you don’t have to pay for the ads shown to people who scroll past without noticing them. 

Pay-per-click is part of digital marketing strategies used with search engine optimisation (SEO), content marketing, and other marketing channels like email, social media, and affiliate marketing. Targeted ads and carefully selected keywords help pay-per-click advertising reach customers who are interested in purchasing your product or receptive to your message. 

How to create a successful pay-per-click campaign 

Much goes into an effective PPC campaign, from setting goals to analysing results. Follow the following four steps to optimise your next pay-per-click campaign.

1. Set your company goals.

The first step in a pay-per-click campaign is understanding what you want to happen. For example, you may want to drive sales or increase brand awareness. Defining goals first helps you stay focused on what matters most while planning the rest of your campaign. 

 2. Plan your ad campaign. 

When planning your ad campaign, you will need to determine your target audience, where your ads will appear, which keywords you will use, and the overall budget of the advertising campaign. These planning components rely on one another. For example, the better you understand your audience, the easier it is to select keywords that will appeal to them and drive traffic. 

3. Write your ad copy.

This step requires you to create your advertising content. You will need an ad copy that uses your selected keywords, but you will also need a compelling landing page for the customer to visit after they click your link. The landing page will need a call to action (CTA) that drives the result you set as your goal. For example, if your goal is to get people to sign up for your newsletter, you will need to invite them to do so on the landing page. 

4. Analyse the results. 

Once you have the ad copy you need, it’s time to launch your pay-per-click ads and analyse the results. Be sure to have all your tracking metrics in place to collect data about how users interact with your ad and website. 

Related terms

• Search engine optimisation 

• Target market

• Display advertising

• Click-through rate (CTR)

Learn digital marketing with Google 

Pay-per-click (PPC) is a vital tool in the digital marketer’s toolbox. It involves compensating people to click on your link, increasing your chances of connecting with qualified leads, and increasing sales. 

Learn more about how pay-per-click and digital advertising can help you grow your business with the Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate on Coursera. This beginner-level programme features seven courses, and you can complete them in as little as six months while developing your skills in marketing, e-commerce, display advertising, email marketing, and SEO from the experts at Google.