PPC Advertising: Why Google’s Display Ads Aren’t Always The Best Choice  

When you engage in a PPC advertising campaign, you need to start by considering your goals. Not every type of ad is compatible with every marketing goal. Display advertising is not a good match for many desired outcomes. Choosing display ads at the wrong time can lead to a negligible or negative return on investment, poor traffic quality and a massive waste of your money.

When Display Makes Sense

This isn't to say that display ads are always a bad idea. In some cases, they are exactly the tool that you need. When you are working to build awareness of your product or business, display is an excellent tool to accomplish this and maximize impressions. It allows you to reach new audiences and boost their awareness of your brand. However, because these ads are less targeted and may be less relevant to the people who see them, the traffic that you get from display ads can be far less qualified than search ads.

When Search Is the Better Pick

If, on the other hand, you are more interested in conversions, search ads are a far better pick. Search ads are the form of PPC marketing that people are most familiar with, where your ads appear next to search engine results for relevant keywords. What many people do not know though, is that the control available on these kind of ads gives you the ability to be highly relevant to your target customers.

With this in mind, the traffic that you get from search ads can be better qualified for your goals. You have more power over who sees your ads. And, since these ads are keyed to active and qualified searches, the person who clicks is a more qualified prospect who is more likely to convert. If you are pursuing any of the following goals, a paid search campaign is more appropriate:

• Revenue generation. If your goal is to bring in direct revenue, you need a campaign that is more suited to generate a positive ROI. With more refined targeting, greater overall control, and higher relevance, paid search ads fits the bill.
• Lead generation. Does your sales team need fresh leads? Paid search advertising has been proven as a crucial lead generation channel. Simply brainstorm your target market’s pain points, and what they might be searching for related to what you provide. Then you can swoop in and offer your solution at the integral moment!
• Increasing sales. Everyone shops online, for every variety of service and product. As a channel known for closing sales, paid search is necessary to market your products when people are ready and hungry to purchase.

To recap, display ads and search ads each have their place, and each can effectively accomplish different marketing goals. You should always start by defining what goals you are looking to accomplish before begin picking any advertising.

Every day we help our clients define these goals, build out effective paid search and display campaigns, and drive successful results. How can we help you?