Advertising these days can get pretty trendy. Options seem endless and it is difficult to determine how to allocate limited marketing dollars between so many different resources. Some people tout the importance of social media. Some claim SEO as the best long term option. Some people think the internet is just a “fad” that won’t last long… Well maybe those people are few and far between at this point, but the point is that the many variations of online marketing now consume a huge portion of companies’ advertising budgets and this is unlikely to change.
Traditional advertising is all around us all of the time. You see it in the form of billboards and hear it on the radio while driving. You DVR your favorite shows so you don’t have to watch it every few minutes on TV. Given the constant presence of traditional advertising, what is it that separates online ads to make them different. There are many differences and both traditional and online marketing have pros and cons. However for most small to medium sized businesses, online marketing is becoming more and more important in comparison to traditional mediums. As online marketing continues to challenge the status quo, it is important to consider the benefits of different forms of online advertising in order to see what will have the best ROI for you. I have outlined some of the most relevant benefits of pay per click (PPC) as a guide for those who are not yet convinced.
Cost Effective
PPC is extremely cost effective due to it’s flexible nature. In addition, factor’s such as Google’s Quality score allow for even the smallest of advertisers to compete with the big brands in the niches where they have superior relevance. PPC gives advertisers more control than any form of traditional marketing ever could. Rather than paying a flat rate to blast your message out to everyone who drives by or watches your commercial on TV, advertisers can select which keywords and phrases to bid on. This allows people only to pay for searchers who are looking for the service that they provide.
Large Reach
The reason why television still maintains its lordship over advertising mediums is due to it’s enormous reach. As more and more people begin using the internet as a part of their daily lives in addition to the growth of tablets and mobile browsing devices, online advertising will increase it’s already sizable reach which leads me into my next topic.
Targeted
Quality over Quantity. While TV may reach more people, it is not always as effective in accomplishing specific goals due to the lack of targeting.
Measurable
Agile
Remove Gut Feeling From Marketing