Pay-per-click ads, as most of you well-know, appear on the side and at the top of Google, Bing and Yahoo! SERPs. They're used to direct customer traffic to websites, funneling millions of people to the optimized landing pages of companies from virtually every industry. Pay-per-click, or PPC, is a tremendous tool for businesses that understand the preparatory best practices needed for paid search success. At Spectrum, our certified PPC specialists leverage the optimized websites we've created for our customers to implement a strategy that will yield such successful campaigns.

Knowing what to look for before you start a paid search venture is the difference between losing money on a campaign and possibly transforming your business for the better. To ensure that your paid search experience is fruitful, there are several questions you must first ask yourself about your company. Below are four big ones that'll help you and your search marketing pro build a solid PPC foundation:

1. What are your profit margins per customer?

You must calculate how much each new customer is worth to your business on average; the higher the value is the more likely PPC would be a significantly profitable venture for you. Typically, if you're company generates more than $50 in profit per customer transaction, Spectrum can make PPC profitable for your business. If your company generates considerably more than that, looking into PPC would be an especially good idea.

2. Is there a lot of search traffic in your field?

In most cases, PPC can generate more profit with search terms that are commonly searched. We would generally recommend allotting more of a budget in industries and locations where there are more searches or where customers are particularly valuable.

3. How many potential customers are in your area of operation?

Companies with a broader scope can usually make PPC more profitable. In Spectrum's experience, PPC is more likely to generate millions of dollars in sales in the following cases:

  • Your company has a chain of locations (e.g. 5-30 stores rather than 1).
  • Your company serves a geographic area with millions of people (e.g. a company serving everyone within, say, 50 miles).
  • Your company sells nationally or globally through its website.

4. Can you handle an influx of business?

If PPC increased your sales by 10% or 20% (which it legitimately could under the right circumstances), would your services be swamped? Could you keep up with the demand generated by a successful PPC effort?

Has your company ever worked with paid search? If so, what have your results been like? If you're a current Spectrum customer, contact your Internet Marketing Engineer for a PPC account review. If you're not currently working with us, we're happy to help your company reach its full potential, as well. Just schedule an appointment for a free PPC account review by calling 847.346.3619.

Other comments or questions? Leave us a note below!