Pay Per Click (PPC) FAQ & Expectations

So many acronyms, so little time. A newbie to the online advertising playing field can certainly get lost in all the PPC, CPC, and CPM jargon. That’s why I’m here…to make your life easier. I have put together a hand full of questions that I have received during my time spent in paid advertising. I hope these answers help clear up some unanswered questions that advertisers may have about using PPC and what to expect from a campaign.

What is PPC ?

Pay Per Click or PPC refers to an online advertising practice where advertisers pay every time a user clicks on their search engine ad. Advertisers target users based on keywords they select that pertain to their services/products. Once the user searches the target keyword, they are then presented with a handful of the top ads that are targeting that keyword. When a user clicks on an ad, they are then directed to the advertiser’s landing page where they can learn more about the product/service, or they can choose to contact the advertiser.

How is my budget spent?

You only pay when a user clicks on your ads.

When does Google charge me?

Most accounts are set up on an automatic billing cycle with Google. The automatic billing cycle bills you for advertising expenses, which is either the first $500 spent in your campaign or every 30 days, whichever comes first.

More about Google’s automatic billing & manual billing

What is the FMG management fee?

Our management fee covers the setup, maintenance and monitoring of your campaign during it’s entirety by one of our certified PPC experts. This includes: account setup, keyword research, daily monitoring, custom landing page design, Google Analytics integration, call conversion tracking, website form leads, competitor analysis, bid adjustments, monthly performance reporting, quality score & CTR growth, and unlimited customer service support.

How can I see my ads?

It can be tricky to see your ads while they are working, in fact I strongly advise against looking for them while they are live, for fear that it will disrupt your impression data. Your ads rotate evenly in the ad network with other advertisers who are targeting the same keywords or key phrases, so there is no guarantee you will see your ad every time you search for your target keyword. If you want to see what your ads look like, just email a member of our team and we would be glad to send them over to you.

Where can I see my ads?

Due to a recent update to Google’s ad network, ads will only be displayed in the top 4 spots and the bottom 3 spots of the search results.

How do I know what times my ads are running?

Initially we will run your ads on an 12 hour schedule for your time zone. After 2 weeks of your campaign running, this will allow us to see what times your users are converting the most. Once we have your highest converting times we will be able to optimize your ad schedule and your bid adjustments around those times.

How do I prevent spam from filling out my contact form?

Everyone will receive a spammy form submission here and there. You may even receive a gibberish request from competitors looking to click out your budget. The best way we combat this is to make sure there is a CAPTCHA added to all of your forms so anyone filling out your contact form is forced to prove they are not a spam bot. We also make your contact forms require more detailed information from the user, so that you only receive the more serious requests.

How does my ad get on page 1 of the search results?

Proper bid adjustments and a good quality score.

Google allows advertisers to bid for the top spot on the ad network, but it generally comes at a high cost depending on the keyword. In order to still compete for that top spot, but at a lower cost, your campaign needs a good quality score, generally anything in the range from 7 to 10 is best.

What Is Google’s “Quality Score” ?

Google’s quality score rating pertains to how relevant your ad and your landing page is to the searcher. Your ad copy and landing page should mimic each other so that a user can rely on your landing page to fulfill the promise made in your ad copy.

A high quality score is extremely important to maintain for PPC campaigns, especially those with a smaller budget. Even if your maximum bid is less than what the top competitors are bidding, you may still appear above them in the ad network if your quality score is better than theirs.

What should my ad copy include?

Your ad copy should always include an intriguing headline to capture the searcher, the best details about your product/service that make you stand out from your competitors, and a call to action.

What should my landing pages include?

Landing pages should always have a clean or minimalist design. You don’t want to distract the user from performing any other action than the one you want them to complete which is usually a form fill out. Include a strong page headline, a call to action, and form that is always in plain site. Also include details about your product/service and contact information for your business so the user knows how to reach out to you after they leave your page.

Any type of trust signals that you can include is also helpful, whether it is a security badge, to ensure the user’s information will be safe, recognition from an authoritative company e.g. Better Business Bureau or anything else that assures the user that they are visiting a safe place on the internet.

What expectations should I have for my PPC campaign?

PPC campaigns are always a great revenue stream for any business, especially new businesses that are in the midst of building their network. However, it’s important to not fully rely on your PPC campaign for all of your business revenue. While the leads will always come in, there is no guarantee of what kind of user is clicking on your ads.

We design your keywords, ads, and landing pages to attract the most accurate user for your needs but in the end, there is no guarantee that you will always receive a fully qualified user. This is especially important for the commercial finance industry, we DO NOT prescreen users/borrowers before they click on your ads.

Will you get deals from your PPC campaign? Yes, generally about 10 – 20% of your leads will turn into deals. Some deals will be larger than others, but another factor we cannot control is the amount of money the user is looking for. However, we have methods put in place that require a borrower to let you know their credit score, what kind of financing they need, and how much they are looking for in your contact form.

If you ever have any other questions about running a PPC campaign, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the members on our team!