With the ongoing recession, small business owners are desperately seeking creative ways to advertise and drive customers to their doors. Because so much business takes place online these days, business owners are turning to the internet for assistance in generating an interest in their products and services.
Pay per click and pay per call are two advertising techniques that are capable of generating results for business owners. Here are some answers to burning questions that entrepreneurs have about these two techniques, as well as some information about how they can enhance businesses.
What is pay per click?
Pay per click (PPC) has been a popular internet advertising technique for many years. A business owner pays to have their website advertised strategically, typically on search engine results. When an internet shopper clicks on the ad, they are redirected to the business owner’s website. Each time a shopper clicks on the ad, the business owner has to pay a small fee. These fees can be low at just a few cents per click, but in competitive industries, such as finance, it is not uncommon for competitive keywords to cost $20 or more per click.
PPC can definitely help to increase traffic to a business website. However, it may or may not result in increased sales, depending on how well the website converts visitors into customers.
What is pay per call?
Modeled after the PPC idea, pay per call is the same concept, with the exception that the shopper must physically pick up the telephone and dial a toll free number. The advertisements are set up with unique toll free numbers that can be tracked by the advertising provider. The business owner is charged a fee for each time the number is dialed. With pay per call, the shopper is connected to a live agent in seconds.
This advertising technique is somewhat more effective than PPC; if the customer is proactively calling the business, the odds are much higher that a sale will occur. Pay per call is especially effective in industries that are highly competitive. It is also good for local advertising because shoppers are more likely to pick up the phone to contact a business in their area.
What can pay per click and pay per call do for my business?
Depending on the nature of your business, both pay per click and pay per call have the potential to provide an extra boost in customer traffic and sales. The important thing is to evaluate the specific nature of your industry before engaging in an advertising campaign. Place pay per click and pay per call ads in strategic locations. For example, a pay per click ad is more flexible and can be posted in a wide variety of areas. On the other hand, pay per call may be more effective if you place it strategically on other websites that are geared toward serving the local area.
Regardless of the strategy you choose, it is important to monitor the results of your pay per click and pay per call campaigns. If you find that customers are not buying , not clicking or not calling, then it might be necessary to revise your strategy. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for these types of campaigns. Trial and error will point you in the right direction.
