The Benefits of Paid Search

If you’re a small-business owner trying to grow and stay relevant today, chances are you’ve heard of “paid search.”

Paid search is a form of digital marketing where search engines like Google or Bing allow you to feature ads in the first three positions at the top of their search results pages. This is also commonly known as a pay-per-click or cost-per-click model. In other words, you pay only when someone clicks on the ad.

Paid ads allow you to reach potential clients in a more customized and targeted way than just showing up in organic search.  Paid ads can also help drive more relevant traffic to your website under the assumption that people who click on the ad are already interested in what you have to offer.

In May, I wrote about The Power of Search Engine Optimization. The main difference between the two is that paid search is immediate and requires you to spend money, while SEO is an organic process that is free but you may not see results for 90 to 120 days. So if you’re not afraid to spend a little and would like to see results sooner, paid search is likely a good option for you.

Bottom line: Coupling paid search techniques with content marketing and social media marketing make for one powerhouse of a digital marketing strategy.

Here are some other benefits of paid search:

#1: You have control over the campaign

With paid search, you have the ability to control your campaigns. In most cases you can choose how, where, and when the ad dollars are spent, in addition to who will see the ads. You get to control who your ads attract and when you want to attract a specific target audience.

#2: You pay for only what gets clicked on

That’s right! You pay only when someone clicks on the ad. The cost depends on how competitive a particular keyword is, and that’s determined by how many other people are trying to rank on page one for the same term. You’re also able to set a budget you’re comfortable with and can pause your campaign spend at any time if you are not seeing favorable results.

#3: You can target a specific audience

Most ad campaigns can be customized to show your ad under a certain set of circumstances. This allows you to decide when your ad appears based on day of week, time of day, what device a person is using to search, what their geographical location is, and even what zip code they’re in.

#4: You can see measurable results

A big difference between paid ads and traditional marketing methods like TV, radio and billboards is that you can see what’s working. With paid ads, you can clearly measure how many people see your ad, if they engage with it, whether those people are male or female, and what age group they’re in.

#5: You can increase brand recognition

Having your brand appear in top positions in paid search results for a targeted audience will increase your visibility and familiarize prospects with who you are. In addition to investing in paid advertising on search engines like Google and Bing, you can advertise on social media channels.

Facebook and Twitter offer what are called “boosted posts” and provide an additional platform for you to increase visibility for your brand.

Find out more about financial advisor marketing strategies from LPL marketing consultants.

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Katie provides strategic, customized marketing consultations to independent advisors, banks, and institutions on website design, content creation, and social media best practices. View full bio.