Feeling overwhelmed by the array of PPC platforms? You're not alone.
Each option boasts unique strengths and weaknesses, says Ascensor PPC specialist Conor Crummey.
PPC stands for pay-per-click and is a marketing model that sees you charged each time a user clicks on your ad, driving traffic to your site or landing page.
To understand what a PPC ad looks like, just type a search term into Google or Bing.
You’ll see ads displayed at the top of the results page - they can easily be identified as PPC ads by the tag ‘sponsored’ above them.
There are a multitude of different platforms in which PPC can be utilised, and each platform comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.
But which are the best for your product or service?
In order to maximise conversions, it’s essential that you choose the optimal channel for your campaign, otherwise you could potentially waste a lot of budget and get disappointing results.
Let's go through some of the most popular PPC platforms to simplify selecting the right one for you.
Search
Search campaigns are served when search engine users enter particular keywords or phrases that advertisers have bid on. This triggers their text ads to be shown at the top of the results page.
Through my experience in PPC I have seen consistent success throughout this campaign type and would highly recommend paid search for companies offering a specific service - for example painters and decorators, dentistry or personal fitness coaching.
The main goal of a search campaign is finding keywords that are highly relevant to your product or service with a low cost per click.
One advantage of paid search campaigns is their targeted reach. Paid search campaigns allow advertisers to precisely target their audience based on demographics, interests, location and search intent (keywords).
This targeting capability ensures that ads are shown to users who are more likely to be interested in the product or service being advertised, increasing the chances of conversion and maximising return on investment.
One disadvantage of paid search campaigns is their cost. While paid search campaigns can yield high returns, they can also be expensive, particularly in competitive industries where the cost per click (CPC) can be high.
Advertisers must carefully manage their budgets to ensure they are getting the most value from their investment and continuously optimise their campaigns to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Display
Display campaigns serve visually engaging ads in the form of photos or video on the Google Display Network.
The Display Network helps advertisers reach people as they browse millions of websites, apps and Google-owned properties such as YouTube and Gmail.
Display campaigns make the most sense for advertisers who wish to drive high volumes of traffic and awareness towards their site. They also work best for companies who sell a wider appeal product such as fashion or travel.
One advantage of display campaigns is their high brand visibility.
Display campaigns offer a wide reach, allowing advertisers to showcase their brand and products across a vast network of websites and apps. This increased visibility helps to raise brand awareness, attract new customers and reinforce brand messaging among target audiences.
A downside is their potential for ‘ad blindness’. Display ads are often perceived as intrusive by users, leading to ‘blindness’ where viewers ignore or actively avoid engaging with the ads.
This can result in lower click through and conversion rates, making it challenging for advertisers to achieve their campaign objectives.
Additionally, display ads may contribute to negative user experience if they disrupt the content consumption flow on websites or apps.
Paid social
Paid social ads are displayed on social media platforms and promoted through payment.
Advertisers target specific audiences and pay for their ads to appear in users' feeds, aiming to increase brand visibility, drive traffic, generate leads or promote products and services.
Businesses that rely on online visibility, customer engagement and lead generation can greatly benefit from strategically using paid social advertising to reach and engage with their target audience on social media platforms.
An example of this could be a local independent food outlet, which can utilise paid social’s high visibility and targeting features.
One advantage of the paid social PPC platform is its precise targeting capabilities. Advertisers can target their audience with remarkable precision based on demographics, interests, behaviours, locations and other relevant factors.
This targeting capability ensures that ads are shown to individuals who are more likely to be interested in the advertised products or services, improving the effectiveness of the campaign and maximising ROI.
But in social media environments where users are exposed to hundreds of ads daily, there's a risk of ad fatigue.
This occurs when users become accustomed to seeing the same ads from the same advertisers repeatedly, leading to diminished engagement, click through rates, and overall effectiveness.
Advertisers must continuously refresh their ad creatives, messaging and targeting strategies to combat ad fatigue and maintain campaign performance.
Performance Max
Performance Max is a Google Ads campaign type designed to maximise ad performance across multiple Google properties, including Search, Display, YouTube, and Discover.
Also known as PMax, it also utilises Google’s shopping platform.
I highly recommend this platform for companies that operate in an ecommerce environment and sell physical products - for example cosmetics, clothing and collectables.
One advantage of Performance Max is its enhanced reach and efficiency, leveraging Google's vast network and machine learning capabilities to maximise ad performance across multiple channels and devices.
This expanded reach allows advertisers to connect with a broader audience and potentially drive more conversions.
Additionally, the automation features help optimise ad placements and bidding strategies, improving campaign efficiency and reducing manual management efforts.
One disadvantage of Performance Max is its limited control and transparency.
While PMax offers automation benefits, advertisers may have less control over specific targeting options, ad placements and optimisation strategies compared to other campaign types.
This reduced control can lead to limited transparency into how ads are being displayed and optimised across various channels, making it challenging for advertisers to fine-tune their campaigns or troubleshoot issues effectively.
Every platform has pros and cons
PPC advertising offers a versatile and effective way for businesses to drive website traffic and achieve their marketing objectives. However, choosing the right PPC platform is crucial for maximising conversions and ROI.
Search campaigns excel in targeting specific audiences based on search intent, though they can be costly in competitive industries.
Display campaigns are great for high brand visibility but risk ad blindness. Paid social ads offer precise targeting but can suffer from ad fatigue. Performance Max provides enhanced reach and efficiency across multiple Google properties but may lack control and transparency.
Remember, the perfect PPC platform isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. By understanding each option's nuances, you can craft a targeted campaign that resonates with your audience and fuels your digital success.
Ascensor’s PPC experts are here to help if you need ad campaign support. Just drop us a line and we’ll be more than happy to discuss it with you.