Search Engine Optimization

In my opinion, PPC still has its place in the grand scheme of things when it comes to online marketing. Personally, I’ve found that PPC campaigns are great for branded keywords because it helps minimize the risks and costs that many site owners deal with. Not so long ago, SEO keywords would only cost $1 a click. That was a completely reasonable cost and I happily paid it, especially to help get Brick Marketing some national exposure. However, those same keywords are now costing me $12-$15 per click! Suddenly PPC is not as cost effective as it used to be. And what’s more, the average searcher is getting much smarter. They know the difference between an organic listing and a paid listing, and they understand a little of the game that goes into getting a PPC ad at the top of the first page. Just because your ad is positioned first, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s the right site for them.

I prefer to use PPC ads for branded keywords because I know that someone searching for my company directly is much more likely to do business with me than someone searching for “SEO.” I want my PPC ads to connect with potential customers that are further along in their buying cycle so I have a better chance at conversion.

A few weeks ago I was working with an SEO consulting client and was explaining how local SEO works. As an example, I did a search for “Boston SEO,” one of the keywords I target in both my PPC campaigns and with our organic SEO. While I was working with this client, I couldn’t help but notice that the first ad in the right hand column wasn’t for a Boston SEO company, it was an ad for Google AdWords! I didn’t point it out to my consulting client, but once our session was over I researched for “Boston SEO” and sure enough, there was Google at the top of their own ads!

Now, if it wasn’t for Google, there wouldn’t be a thing called SEO and I wouldn’t have a job. For that I am eternally grateful to Google. But just because you love someone that doesn’t mean you have to like them all the time! Am I really being forced to compete with Google for ad space positioning? At the risk of sounding a little whiny, I don’t think that’s entirely fair. AdWords is a Google product, but do they really need to be advertising on such specific keywords like “Boston SEO”? First and foremost, a PPC campaign and an SEO campaign are not the same thing, so targeting “SEO” when they are selling PPC services doesn’t really make sense. That would be like me targeting “apples” on a page about “bananas.” They are both fruits, but they are not the same thing.

For the record, I did a quick search for “online ads” and an ad (in the same spot as it was for Boston SEO” popped up for AdWords. I have less of a problem with this, since AdWords is selling online advertising space, but at the same time I can’t help but wonder; does Google really need to be advertising AdWords in the first place? I can’t imagine that AdWords is hurting for business. Even if people have cut back on their PPC budgets, I know of very few site owners that have abandoned it completely.

I can appreciate that it’s Google’s product and Google’s search engine, so they can pretty much do whatever they want, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Are there any other site owners who have noticed a similar issue with their PPC campaigns? Are you competing with Google for ad space? Or is this mostly an issue for SEO, PPC and online marketing related keywords?

For small to mid-sized businesses that don’t have $10k to drop on PPC every month, there is still some search marketing value to be had from launching a PPC campaign, even if you can only spend a minimal amount. In my experience, organic SEO produces much more long-term results than PPC, but certain elements of PPC can actually enhance your SEO.

Keyword Research
The nice thing about launching a PPC campaign is that you can get a lot of useful data very quickly that can then be applied to your SEO campaigns, including keyword research. Site owners can test the effectiveness of certain keywords with a PPC campaign and then slowly incorporate those new keywords into their SEO. Instead of waiting 3-6 months to find out if you targeted the right keywords, you can make faster headway and start your SEO off in the right direction. SEO is a long term process, but cutting out some of the uncertainty about choosing the right keywords can definitely give your SEO a boost.

Online Branding
I have found that PPC ads work best for branded searches. When someone is searching for your site directly they are already one step closer to conversion. I’d rather pay the few dollars for that click when I know that someone is actively looking for my company, and not just checking out their options. The further they are in the buying cycle the more worthwhile that PPC ad is.

Search Presence
Having a strong, branded presence in both the organic and paid search listings really enhances your overall online brand presence and helps build your trust factor. The more touch points you create with your website, PPC ads, social profiles, blogs and so forth the more likely you are to connect with your target audience, increasing your traffic and ultimately your conversion rate.

I feel like I should mention that some site owners claim that they’ve noticed a correlation between how much they spend in Google AdWords and where their site ranks; the more they spend the better they do organically. Google emphatically denies they offer any preferential treatment to big AdWords accounts, but that hasn’t done much to quash the rumors. Personally, I have yet to notice any correlation between my or my client’s PPC budget and our organic success. It will be interested to see what happens as time goes on.

Are you a business owner looking to get your PPC campaign off the ground or take your current AdWords campaign to the next level? Are you marketing professional who wants to learn how to best utilize PPC for your company or clients? Then the AdWords Advantage Online Summit is the right seminar for you!

Starting Tuesday, May 10th, this online summit spreads out over 2 weeks, with multiple sessions each week. Unlike regular marketing summits, the AdWords Advantage PPC training sessions have been designed to fit into the schedule of working professionals. Since it is online, there is no travel required! This means you can attend each learning session from the comfort of your own office or home.

The audio and video from each session are recorded and will be provided for 90 days for your convenience.

AdWords Advantage has brought in some of the best professionals in the field to teach you real world strategies for getting the most out of your PPC campaigns. Each speaker will teach you a skill, tool or technique in 60 minutes. No up selling, no cheer leading, no theory – just solid advice.

Here are a few things you can expect to learn over the two week summit:
• Personalizing keywords to meet the needs of your market
• Leveraging social media to improve your AdWords campaign performance
• Driving traffic and visibility with AdWords.
• Controlling cost and improving conversions
• And much more!

The instructors will be presenting their sessions in real time, right on your computer screen. You can listen and watch their presentations and ask questions through an interactive chat feature.

Unlike other seminars, where you may have to choose between one talk or another, all of the AdWords Advantage online lessons are scheduled at different times so you can attend them all!

Some of the summit’s sessions include:
• AdWords for Local: Sort Heads from Tails, Find Free Clicks and Calls
• Build Your Own Portfolio Forecasting and Optimization Tool Using Google Bid Simulator
• Using Your Remarketing Data to Learn More About Your AdWords Audience
• AdWords for Ecommerce: Drive Maximum Reach & Ecom Sales with PPC

All of the aforementioned sessions (and many others!) have been created specifically for this summit! Each contains insights, strategies and up-to-date tips that you can use to transform your campaigns.

Registration is strictly limited to the first 500 participants.

Register today to guarantee your spot!