PPCPPC Myth-Busters: 5 B2B Folklores Debunked

PPC Myth-Busters: 5 B2B Folklores Debunked

Can PPC save a dying business? Is Google AdWords too expensive? Time to explore some common PPC fairy tales.

We’ve all heard the tall tales – PPC stories passed down from colleague to colleague or business to business. Hearing these stories is a bit like playing the game “telephone,” where details become morphed as they travel from one person to the next.

Today, I’ll debunk some common PPC myths for B2B companies advertising online in hopes that we all have a happier ending to our PPC stories.

Myth No. 1: You Don’t Need Ongoing PPC Management

“Let’s just set up our PPC account well, and then it can run on its own,” said no successful advertiser, ever. The reason is that there are so many elements that go into PPC management that range from very simple tasks to more complex strategies. If you don’t have the resources in house, expect to see a downturn without ongoing support. Case in point: We recently had a client with a public relations crisis. It caused a surge in online searches related to an employee’s name and the name of the company. Normally, this company spent about $10 per day on their branded campaign, but the surge in interest online caused people to click on their ads from the search results, subsequently racking up $300 by the end of Day 1. We were able to catch it quickly, but the client had not even thought of this being a side effect. There are certainly other reasons aside from the occasional crisis event. Just have a look at this big list of PPC operational tasks to see what goes into it all.

Myth No. 2: PPC Can Save a Dying Business

Paid search can drive targeted leads and revenue for B2Bs, but a company on its last leg expecting online advertising to save it will be disappointed. Last December, I shared a story about a company in dire straits, when the owner hoped PPC could help them recover after a Google penalty. We were able to lift the PPC account to produce 25 percent more ROI than previously, but sadly, this business had to shut its doors after a few months.

Myth No. 3: Google Knows Best

Every once in a while, we’ll inherit an account that has worked with an AdWords specialist at Google. And sometimes, the advice that flows from Google to the business is tactical and specific to one scenario. (e.g., “Only use exact match and phrase match because broad match won’t work.”) The business then uses those comments as a general rule of thumb. When trying to apply those same tips to other campaigns, the results fall flat. Time and time again, we hear: “But Google told us to do it this way!” Depending on the size of the B2B company, the owner or administrative assistant could be in charge of a PPC account. These types of people need strategic guidance, not sporadic, tactical support.

Myth No. 4: PPC Results Happen Right Away

Sure, PPC is known to show results faster than some of the other forms of Web marketing. And while it’s true that sometimes you launch a campaign and see sales the same day, you can’t always be the hero. In those instances, persistence is key. Give it some time, try different strategies and be aware that even though everything has been set up for success, programs can show lag time. As long as there is a plan to monitor, test and know when to quit, you can experiment with confidence.

Myth No. 5: AdWords is Too Expensive

The only time AdWords is really too expensive is if you’ve worked with professionals and they have done everything possible, and you’re still not seeing results. With PPC, you have to spend money to make money – but there’s always a way to laser-focus your strategy, even when clicks are $125 a pop. With all the ways to refine campaigns, you can definitely wrangle PPC budgets to ensure those clicks count. That said, it’s worth noting that PPC is not for every business. A qualified professional should be able to determine when it’s simply not a good fit.

You’ll no doubt run into folklore on your journey to successful paid search campaigns. The only way to find your “happily ever after” is to enlist that knight in shining armor – a PPC strategist who can rescue you from the fables.

Resources

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