Pay-per-click marketing for small or local businesses can be challenging, but it can also be an excellent way for them to promote their products or services to a local audience. It has become an essential tool for businesses looking to drive targeted traffic to their websites and to achieve a higher return on investment (ROI).
Our PPC account managers explore exactly why PPC is important for local businesses, and provide some valuable tips to help them maximise their ROI with actionable solutions.
Why Pay-Per-Click is Important for Local Businesses
PPC marketing allows local businesses to reach a targeted audience with specific ads, while only paying for the clicks received. This allows smaller organisations to compete with larger ones, generating leads and sales while also increasing brand awareness.
PPC’s ability to drive fast results makes it desirable to smaller businesses, over other channels such as search engine optimisation. As such, PPC is one of the most cost-effective marketing options and is a brilliant channel for smaller businesses that do not have the same budget as their larger competitors.
Set clear campaign goals
Before launching your PPC campaign, it’s important to define your campaign goals. Are you aiming to increase website traffic, generate leads, or boost online sales?
By setting these clear objectives, you can align your strategies accordingly. For example, if your primary goal is lead generation, focus on creating compelling ad copy and landing pages that encourage users to take action.
Establish the right keywords
Keyword research is the foundation of any successful PPC campaign. Identifying and targeting the right keywords will guarantee your ads are shown to searchers actively looking for products or services in your local area.
You should be using location-specific keywords to target these customers. Tools like Google Keyword Planner will help you identify relevant keywords and estimate their search volumes.
Take advantage of local ad extensions
Local ad extensions are powerful tools that will enhance the visibility and relevance of your ads to local searchers.
This includes ad extensions such as location extensions, call extensions, and review extensions – all of which provide searchers with valuable information directly in the ad. This will not only increase your click-through rate but also boosts user confidence and encourages them to engage with your business.
Don’t send ad traffic to your homepage
Don’t be tempted to send your ad traffic straight to your homepage. At the very least, we would recommend directing the PPC traffic to a relevant service page on your website.
Google analyses the landing page against the keyword that led to that visit, and if there isn’t relevant content, you will end up paying more than other advertisers for the same keyword.
Advertisers that have great ad copy and well-built landing pages will win the auctions at a cheaper rate than those with generic content and copy.
Localise ad copy and targeting
When targeting locally, tailor your ad copy and targeting to resonate with the local audience.
Use location-specific language, references to local events, or promotions to connect with local searchers. Segment your campaigns based on geographical locations to allocate budgets effectively and customise the ad copy for each specific location.
PPC marketing agency topclick has an excellent team with proven experience setting up, optimising, and maintaining PPC ads across Google and Bing. We understand that no client is the same, so our campaigns are tailored to each individual goal.
Our team has experience across multiple industries generating leads, calls, sales, traffic, and app installs. Drawing on our wealth of knowledge we can help you decide what type of campaign best suits your needs. Contact us today for more information.