Every good business owner knows that you need several tools in your marketing toolbox to reach more clients. And Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is just that: a power tool for leads and website traffic. So, when do you start using it, how much do you spend on it, and what else should you know about it? That’s what we’re here for… read on to learn more.
What Are You Already Doing?
You may not know it, but there’s an order of operations you should follow regarding your marketing and when it should be introduced. Think of it like PEMDAS for you math nerds out there. We talk about it at the YellowTelescope Annual Seminar, but the general order of operations goes in-office, your website (design and SEO), and from that point, you can go down either the PPC route or the social media route.
So before your practice even thinks about starting a PPC campaign, ask yourselves, is my staff working at their highest efficiency? If not, you shouldn’t be starting a PPC campaign yet. Is your website fresh and new, or old and crusty? If it’s not up-to-par or better, you shouldn’t start a PPC campaign. Do you already have a solid SEO strategy in place to boost your rankings on the SERPs? If not, don’t you dare think about starting a PPC campaign.
Once you have all the previous pieces set in place, then you can start to consider if you should start a PPC campaign.
Target Audience Research
One of the keys to successful PPC advertising is knowing your target audience. Yes, this means the typical kind of audience research like identifying the demographics, interests, and online behaviors of individuals seeking businesses like yours. You can do this through information you’ve gathered in your business, or tools like Pixels. But you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. The real audience research we are talking about is: Is Google where your clients will find you?
For the overwhelming majority of individuals, the answer may be yes, but it’s still something you need to look at. Chances are, your audience is looking for a service like yours online, but are they likely to engage with ads? Understanding your target audience’s digital habits will help determine if investing in PPC is a viable option for reaching and attracting potential buyers.
For example: did you know that while 21% of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers will click on an ad strictly because it is at the top of the SERPs, Millennials are only clicking for that reason 13% of the time? That may seem bad, but Millennials lead the pack when it comes to clicking an ad if it answers a question at 33%. Doing your research ensures that you’re making the best ads for your market and ensuring they have the highest chance of clicking.
Budget Considerations
Determining your PPC budget is a crucial step in planning your advertising campaign. Consider your financial resources and allocate a budget that aligns with your goals. Start with a reasonable amount and gradually increase it as you see positive results. The question you need to be asking to determine your budget is: “How much money do I need to spend to make sure we are hitting our goal?”
If your goal is to get 3 sales per month and you know that 1 out of every 15 leads actually converts to a sale, then you know you need to bring in at least 45 leads per month. So how much money do you need to spend to bring in those 45 leads? That number is going to determine the minimum amount you need for your budget.
If you’re looking at your budget and you don’t think that you have enough to invest, then it may not be the right time for you. Sure, the goal of PPC advertising is to make money, but it might take time for your campaign to build up steam and start generating revenue. Especially if you’re doing it yourself.
On the flip side, if your current PPC campaign is making you money, why keep it the same? You know what they say: “There’s never too much of a good thing.”
Take one of our clients, for example. They initially started with one $1,500 campaign that expanded into 2-3 campaigns for 1 product. We slowly increased budgets until the spend was ~$12,000/month across 4-5 different geo-targeted PPC campaigns within a 10-mile radius around their business. It was highly successful, giving them a remarkable return on ad spend (ROAS).
But, we didn’t stop there. We increased the ad spend again, until they ran out of opportunity within the 10 mile radius, and then we increased to a 15 mile radius… and the ROAS continued to rise! We stayed on this path until we found the point of diminishing returns, and adjusted the campaigns accordingly.
Then, we moved on to create additional campaigns for other products with this client, and we saw the same results! Now they’re up to spending $60K/month across several products and making $1.25 million per quarter from those ads. This just shows what is possible by investing strategically in PPC.
Seasonality and Trends
Consider the seasonality for specific products and services. Certain products may have higher demand during certain times of the year, such as bathing suits being popular in the spring and summer. If there is a particular product or time of year when demand is typically higher, invest in PPC during those periods to maximize increased interest and engagement.
Also, don’t miss out on trends. A prime example: fashion companies capitalizing on T-Swizzle (or Taylor Swift for you non-Swifties). The paparazzi capture shots of Ms. Swift in public, and fans go wild for her outfits, slay queen.
So what are those companies doing about it? They’re advertising Taylor Swift’s clothing to her fans. And the products are selling out. So, bottom line: take advantage of times when your product or service is in high demand, which is often due to the time of year or a current trend.
What’s an example of doing this for plastic surgeons? We know that some procedures are more popular to get in certain times of the year, and we should capitalize on those times. If your practice sees an influx of rhinoplasty procedures in the winter, start running a PPC campaign during the fall so those people who were already thinking about it can secure their spot.
Investing in PPC advertising for your business can be a game-changer, but timing is key. When done strategically, PPC can help you attract more clients, increase brand visibility, and achieve your business’ growth objectives. If you need help with your own PPC efforts, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a chat. It’s what we do for a living, and can take the stress out of it for you!