We have all heard the buzz words PPC and SEO. In this two part interview series I have teamed up with Kevin Pike from Sweet Spot Marketing to take a high-level look at each internet marketing practice. This first series will be focused on PPC marketing.

Before we get to the Q&A, a little background on Kevin. He has been working in PPC and SEO for over 5 Years in the Kansas City area. He currently works for Sweet Spot Marketing, an Overland Park agency dedicated to providing online marketing services.

Question 1. Pay Per Click (PPC) What is PPC in 100 words or less?

Pay Per Click primarily refers to the sponsored listings in search results. These ads appear in the right column, & depending on the keyword search, can also range from 0-4 ads above the SEO rankings. Advertisers bid on a cost-per-click model in a silent auction setting. Search engines rank ads based on the advertisers bid and quality score. Ad impressions are free, the only time the advertiser is charged is when the searcher clicks on the ad.

Question 2. What is the major difference between PPC and SEO?

PPC is paid placement similar to a newspaper ad. To get a PPC ad live in search results can take a matter of minutes. SEO rankings are often called organic rankings because no money exchanges hands with the search engines. SEO ranking factors are derived from complex algorithms based not only on how a site is built, but how the site is perceived in relationship to the rest of the web.

Question 3. Why should I spend money online when I already have ads inthe newspapers or phone books?

All surveys and studies in the last 8-10 years have shown exponential growth in online usage. Consider your target audience and you may find that they have not subscribed to a newspaper or looked at a phonebook in years. With the online cost model, and the amount of analysis and transparency you receive, the question today might be why are you still buying ads in the newspaper or yellow pages?

Question 4. How would PPC benefit my company?

PPC is great for 2 main reasons. 1) You can manage costs to hit your return on investment goals and show profitability in advertising and 2) PPC can reach targeted masses who are interested in you. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad, so you can be sure the advertising budget is wisely spent.

Question 5. If my product / company is already ranked pretty high in search results should I still use PPC?

Yes. You should not think in terms of SEO vs. PPC. The companies that do it right know how one can one help the other. I’m sure every company can find places where their organic rankings are weak, or the competition is strong, and having the additional real-estate on the page makes a real difference.

Question 6. Do I have to spend thousands of dollars a month like my big competitors do to get comparable results?

Most companies will keep spending money as long as they are making money. A larger budget almost always means larger sales volume, but that doesn’t mean all those sales came at the same profit margin. A good PPC manager can maximize the budget based on conversion metrics so you get the maximum number of sales, while remaining at the proper profit margin.

Question 7. Where should I advertise on the internet google, yahoo msn, or facebook?

This can be a case by case basis, and I recommend you consult your PPC manager. Facebook and other content network sites are good for certain goals. From a sheer search volume perspective, Google has more searches that Yahoo or Bing have combined, so you should likely start there.

Question 8. We are getting ready to launch a new project what is the best way to get the most coverage?

“Coverage” can mean many things. The number of keywords, geo-targeting, content network, etc… If you don’t know the answers to these question first, consult someone who can help you. For example, if you are a B2B service you may want to have a lot of keywords, but only target a certain metro from 8-5 Monday-Friday. It all goes back to what are the goals and budget. After that, someone with experience can tailor a campaign to get you the best coverage not the most.

Question 9. We have pretty good site traffic but we do not get many conversions. Why?

If the traffic keywords are relevant, consider landing page optimization. Have you tested different landing pages and call to actions to see if you can improve this?

Question 10. If I make a website will I have hundreds of sales per day right away?

Likely not. Consider your online business like a typical brick and mortar location. It may take weeks or months to attract regular clients and spread the word. As you get feedback and data, you refine processes and optimize the PPC marketing to get better over time. Eventually you become better and hit your goals.

Question 11. I did a search for my company name and it shows up on a map in the search results why does it do that?

Map listings are another way search engines are connecting searchers with companies. You can claim and verify your listing to add more information about your company and get more placements.

If  you have any more questions about PPC please feel free to contact us or contact Kevin over at Sweet Spot Marketing