Digital advertising is big business – huge, in fact. CNBC outline the gigantic $147 billion that Google made from their ad service alone in 2020-2021, a clear demonstration of how important getting digital advertising right is for businesses across the world. With the market as competitive as it is, and with so many different avenues to investigate, it can be difficult to establish where digital advertising efforts should go. Arguably, they should start with the simple – PPC.
PPC optimization
PPC, or pay per click, is the simple process that powers Google ads. Every time an ad of yours is clicked, you pay a fee – simple. Alongside organic searches, PPC forms the backbone of any digital advertising operation. Unfortunately, PPC is often woefully mismanaged by businesses, making proper PPC management a must-have process in any advertising strategy. The key to doing this is through active management. As Forbes highlights, that involves using the data pulled by your campaign to assess what is and isn’t working – and change it, quickly. A good example of this is negative keywords. If you find your business comes up in a lot of junk searches associated with a certain word or term, you can opt-out of appearing in those searches; a straightforward process indicative of how the wider PPC process works.
Organic searches
Alongside PPC comes organic searches. This is where your webpage is discovered naturally, through being the most relevant result for any given search. Your webpage will not be flagged as sponsored content or as a promoted result, and will instead have a natural ranking in the algorithm. Of course, this can – and should – be tailored, too. Start with NAP – name, address, phone number. Accuracy held across the various registers of your business will give Google a clear indication as to your reliability and the ranking you may deserve. Develop further by packing your website with relevant and focused content, such as a detailed and regularly updated blog.
Wading into social media
Social media is an area in which incredibly potent marketing can take place. No one company is too good for social media marketing, and even national governments get involved; as FutureScot found, the Scottish government spent $3 million alone on their counter-COVID efforts in the UK. The reach and power of social media can’t be underestimated, and is relatively simple to get off the ground – when it comes to Instagram, even having the correct metatags will take you far. For long term influence, look to consider hiring influencers who use your product to get the good word out there. A single name can be enough to elevate a product or service to new heights and capture entire new markets.
PPC is all about honing your craft; organic searches about adapting to the market and producing new content. Social media, above all, is about moving with market trends and finding ways to appeal to new viewers. Underlying all of these methods is a key principle – flexibility.
