MAR
The Internet is a fibre society, governed by a schedule of mathematical algorithms. In this 3 part series, we will be exploring the advantages and disadvantages of Internet advertising favourites, SEO and PPC. Read part 1 here.
The Value of Your Dollar
Traditional advertising relies on strategic saturation; billboard placement, expensive scheduling; newspaper spreads; magazine clippings; posters and extraneous memorabilia. Admittedly, each component is a dysfunctional cousin of Adwords, boosting brand recognition and public credibility. While this is certainly a facet of modern advertising, its traditional tropes are reminiscent of the Mad Men golden age. Advertising is no longer exclusively for the rich, well-connected or socially affluent; your business can succeed with Adwords exposure, whether your home office is basement bound or a high-rise – Google is not subject to class, just results.
Adwords or PPC (Pay-per-Click) is a quick and hard fix, earning a website instant exposure, ideally on the first page podium. PPC earned its acronym by being built on consumer principles; each time a sponsored ad is clicked by a user, the advertiser is charged an allocated price, victorious in a mini-bidding war.
Each keyword has a maximum Cost per Click (CPC) preset in Adwords; this isn’t necessarily what you’ll pay for that triggering keyword, but the maximum budget. Quality Score and Customer Experience also influence where you place at the end of the bidding race.
Wait, Quality Score?
From Google: “A measurement of how relevant your ads, keywords, and landing page are to a person seeing your ad.”
Hint: Before Eightball Media set up a campaign, we research the average cost of keywords according to your industry. This gives us an idea of how to manage your budget effectively, highlighting those services you’d really like promoted.
The Advantages:
- Fast results, tangible clicks, less effort.
- Immune to SEO algorithm updates – your campaign will remain in one piece.
- Around 50% of search traffic favours sponsored ads.
The Disadvantages:
- Expensive.
- Sales rely on the mentality of your customers.
- Click Through Fraud. An internet no-no, some of your competitors may feel a touch greedy, clicking through your placement to eat up your budget and block revenue. At Eightball Media, we guard against this activity
If you’re aiming to be a long-standing, reputable business, Eightball Media can help. Tune in next month for our final chapter, the collision course between SEO and Adwords. Will they ever be able to live in harmony?
