Platforms like Google, Bing, and Facebook make it relatively simple to set up a PPC campaign. Just log in, choose your parameters, set your bidding prices, and you’re up and running. To boot, their analytics tools offer plenty of ways to monitor progress.
But don’t be fooled. User-friendliness does not equal expertise. PPC is a sensitive, dynamic procedure. It involves careful analysis, constant adjustment, and data-driven optimization. Sure, you can set up the campaign, but to manage it well requires a full-time commitment — especially if you’ve not done it before.
This is where the value of an agency comes in. Agencies who specialize in PPC generally come with dedicated staff members who know the ins and outs of the platforms and can work them efficiently. More importantly, high performing agencies come with a wealth of historical data and professional experience they can deploy to benefit each client. There’s value in scale here. What you may take a year to learn, an agency can figure out in a week.
Ad Position — There are several places where an ad can show up on a search engine results page (SERP). Ad position depends on your maximum bid and quality score.
Automatic Bidding — When setting up a PPC campaign, automatic bidding allows you to set a daily budget and let the platform’s AI automatically adjust your maximum bids on individual keywords.
Cost Per Click (CPC) – The average amount the advertiser pays for each click.
Click Through Rate (CTR) – The ratio of ad appearances to times visitors click through to your site.
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) – The added cost of all the clicks it takes to net one client acquisition.
Conversion Rate (CVR) – The percentage of visitors who take action (sign-up for your email list, submit a contact form, etc.) after clicking your ad.
Manual Bidding – This allows you to set different bid amounts on individual keywords within an ad group.
Maximum CPC Bid – The highest amount you’re willing to pay for a click. This number, along with the quality score, will affect your ad position.
Quality Score (QS) – The score ensures advertisers create content that is relevant and valuable to searchers on Google. This forces advertisers to develop high-quality content and to only bid on relevant keywords.