How to Increase Web Traffic with PPC
Introduction to Pay-Per-Click Marketing
Pay-Per-Click, or PPC, is an online marketing model in which businesses can display ads on search engine results pages (SERPs). Ads are displayed based on keywords that the business has selected. When a user clicks on one of the ads, the business will then pay the amount they have bid for that keyword. PPC can be an effective way to drive traffic to your website and generate leads. However, it is important to note that PPC is a very complex marketing strategy and should only be executed by those with experience.
How PPC Works
Paid search works by bidding on key phrases that users are likely to enter into a search engine when they are looking for products or services like yours. When someone searches for one of your targeted key phrases, your ad will appear in the results. If the user clicks on your ad, they will be taken to your website or landing page where they can learn more about what you have to offer. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad, hence the name "pay-per-click."
PPC Keywords
The key to success with PPC is choosing the right keywords. You want to choose keywords that are relevant to your business and that people are actually searching for. There are a number of tools you can use to research keywords, including, Ubersuggest, SEMrush, Google Keyword Planner, and more. Once you've chosen your keywords, you'll need to create separate campaigns for each keyword group.
PPC Ads
Once you've chosen your keywords and created your campaigns, it's time to write your ads. Your ad should be attention-grabbing and relevant to the keywords you're targeting. It should also include a call-to-action so that users know what they should do next (e.g., "Learn More," "Sign Up Now," etc.). Finally, don't forget to include a tracking URL so that you can track the performance of your ads.
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PPC vs SEO
PPC and SEO are both methods commonly used methods for optimizing website traffic. While PPC is a form of paid advertising, SEO focuses on improving a website's ranking organically in search engine results through tactics such as keyword research, link building, and overall improving the usability and content of the website.
Advantages of PPC:
If you are interested in reading an introduction to Search Engine Optimization, check out my previous blog post
How the WWU MBA Program Can Increase Enrollment with PPC
After a quick Google search, you can see Western Washington University is currently not using PPC to increase traffic to its MBA program website, while many of its direct competitors like WSU, Eastern, and Gonzaga are. In fact, Western's MBA landing page doesn't even show up on any of the first 10 pages when searching for "MBA program in Washington" or "MBA program near me" while some of the other schools are (that are not ads). So the argument that Western doesn't need PPC because they already have great SEO would be incorrect. The only way the Westerns MBA landing page shows up is if you are already specifically searching for something like "Western MBA".
There are a few steps to take when creating a PPC campaign. The first is to identify your goals and conversions. In this case, Western would likely want more visitors to its website, and a conversion could be completing their Interest form or application. After creating a robust landing page, the next step is keyword research. Keyword research helps you pick out the specific words people search that will trigger your ad to appear. Western MBA could include keywords like "Washington MBA" or "Washington masters degree". And finally, after ads are set up and running, the last step is to analyze and improve. Using Google Ads, and Google Analytics, you can track information like what people searched before clicking your ad and who is actually converting. This can provide valuable insight on any changes you should make like adding new keywords or even negative keywords (keywords that remove your ad from showing up), like "WWU undergraduate".
