By Adam Jennings
PPC has changed dramatically over the last 10 years and it has undergone numerous updates and restructures, however the fundamentals basically remain the same. Users see adverts in the search results and every time an ad is clicked, Google charges the advertiser.
In 2009 Google reported that the revenue from Google Ads was £17 Billion. Compare this to £90 Billion what they reported at the end of 2018 and we can see that PPC is only going to get bigger and we need to be engaged and adapt to changes.
Initially, Google Ads was introduced in 2000 which showed adverts on the right hand side of organic results on a high bid wins basis. This was reworked and revamped in 2002 when Google introduced Quality Score and Relevancy as factors in determining where adverts showed. Higher Quality Score (from 1 to 10) and relevancy would mean Google would reward you with a reduced cost per click
2008 saw the Introduction of the Display Network allowing graphical content to be shown on other websites. This content could be uploaded into Google’s interface and the user would choose the various websites on which they would like to advertise.
2012 saw the release of Google Shopping. This was a major enhancement as it allowed visual images, products, brands, and prices to be shown in the search results alongside competitors.
Recently there have been numerous changes to PPC such as sitelinks, ad extensions, and just recently lead extensions (currently in beta) which allow for additional links links to your website.
Over the last 12 months there have been some interesting results from PPC.
However, Google is not the only fish in the sea. Over the last few years Bing has come onto the scene and are increasing their audience. The table above shows the market place for 2019. Generally, it is cheaper to advertise on these other platforms as the competition is not as high.
Know your audience
Paid search audience targeting, is the best of both worlds. With audience targeting on paid search, you’re not only getting your ads in front of the right people, you’re getting it in front of them when they are actively searching for property.
Use Automation Rules
Google Ads (and other platforms) have several automation factors and rules that can be set up to help you a lot of time and money. However, be careful as there is still a lot of human element involved and the rules need to be set up and monitored regularly.
Marketing Funnels
This is quite a grey area because it is very difficult to pinpoint what actually led to a conversion. Most people do not convert on their first visit to a website. They may initially visit the page after clicking on a paid ad, bookmark the page, come back to it later on, via a direct link, possibly on a different device, before clicking after seeing a Social Media post. Which of these channels should be attributed to the conversion?
Having a clear attribution model will help understand what devices and platforms are aiding conversions, and which are ineffective. Understanding and monitoring customer engagement is key.
Keeping up to date
Google (and other platforms) are constantly changing their methods and introducing new features. With this in mind it is important that you keep upto date with these updates.
Be aware of other PPC Platforms
As PPC becomes more and more popular, it is no surprise that new methods and strategies are being introduced on a regular basis. Below is a list of alternative PPC methods.
Is your website under performing? Are you struggling to generate traffic and leads? Not sure if your website is reaching its full potential? Here at Property Webmasters our experts can offer a FREE PPC Audit to review how your current campaigns are performing!
Is your estate agency interested in PPC? Get in contact with us today to book a call and discuss your requirements and what products might best suit you!
By Ben Spowart
By Millie Taylor
By Ben Spowart