Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing in 2021 has become one of the most effective sources of marketing after email, with Tech Jury reporting an average return on investment of 200%.
However, with so much conflicting information online, it can be hard to make sense of PPC. For example, some reports state 65% of customers click on PPC advertisements, compared with 70-80% of people who ignore them completely.
At Flamingo Marketing Strategies, we’re big believers in both organic and PPC marketing strategies. But only when you have a clear strategy to success in place. Otherwise, you could find yourself wasting a lot of money – and nobody wants that.
To help you understand and adapt your campaigns to great effect, we’ve compiled a list of shocking PPC statistics.
7 Shocking PPC statistics
1. Google receives 6 billion searches a day
Receiving 228 million searches an hour, Google is by far the most dominant search engine of them all. Google dominates the search engine market, maintaining a 92% share since June 2021.
Regarding PPC, 97% of Google’s £180 billion-plus revenues is made from Google Ad advertisings. So, if you’re dabbling in Amazon PPC or Microsoft Ads, you may want to re-evaluate your priorities.
2. 33% of paid searches directly answer a query
If you’re wondering why your PPC ads aren’t generating the impressions or clicks, the type of keywords you’re attempting to rank for could be the problem.
Clutch reports that one-third of people have their search engine queries answered directly by PPC ads. Getting to the source of the solution for searches and FAQs makes optimised PPC very effective.
Taken from the same report, a further 75% of people believe PPC provides the best route to find the right information on a website or search engine.
The solution? Answer questions. It’s often a cheaper alternative than going for an expensive, highly competitive keyword.
3. 79% of marketers say PPC is hugely beneficial for their business
Channel reports that 79% of marketers agree to PPC being extremely beneficial to their business. Swydo shows from a PPC 2019-2020 report that 96% of brands are spending money on Google Ads.
However, this PPC statistic doesn’t necessarily prove that this marketing form is right for your business. It’s easy to get swept up in current trends.
The key is to talk to a digital marketing expert and develop a tailored strategy, based on your needs.
4. 95% of clicks go to the top-4 search engine results
Breaking into the top-4 search engine results is essential, especially when 95% of clicks belong to these ads. Research shows that number one ads generate a third of the takings with 33%. So, if you haven’t invested in a PPC keyword strategy from a top digital marketing agency, you could find yourself losing out on thousands of visitors every month.
5. Google Ads can improve brand awareness by 80%
Don’t underestimate the importance of brand awareness. A statement from Valve and Meter reveals that PPC can improve your brand’s awareness by 80%. The more recognised your brand is, the more CTR and conversions will occur.
With this in mind, don’t make the mistake of running a single ad. The most effective PPC strategies include multiple campaigns, split-tested with different types of content to maximise reach.
6. PPC generates 50% more conversions than organic traffic
PPC doesn’t bring in more traffic (27%) compared to organic (53%). However, it does convert 50% more. This shocking PPC statistic shows us that PPC has a greater short-term conversion rate and makes an immediate impact compared to organic traffic. Organic traffic is perhaps more impressive but seen as a more long-term project.
Therefore, you need to think about your product/services and identify customer behaviours. If your top seller requires multiple touchpoints before a sale, PPC might not offer the greatest ROI. Similarly, if your customers derive from face-to-face interactions or networking, you may want to reserve your budget for other marketing forms.
7. 62% of brands set to increase their PPC budget in 2021
The State of PPC 2019-2020 reports that most brands are increasing their PPC budgets with a further 40% believing their budgets are lower than they should be. A 200% return on investment means PPC is without a doubt winning over marketers everywhere.
However, widespread popularity brings greater competition. It pays to get smart with your budget and crunch the numbers. If the keyword is too competitive or currently dominated by big brands with deep pockets, allocate your money elsewhere.
How to improve PPC performance?
Now you have a better understanding of the importance of PPC and how it can massively benefit your business, it’s time to share a few tips for PPC success.
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Define goals and bidding strategy
Being successful with any campaign depends on being organised from the beginning. With PPC, the key is to define your goals and your bidding strategy.
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Create a clear reference point from your last PPC campaign with Google Analytics
By setting a benchmark, you can track where you’re going right or wrong. Without a reference to your PPC performance, you’ll have no idea where you stand. To build for the future, you must learn from the past.
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Establish short-term and long-term goals
Before achieving the larger objective, you may need to succeed with the smaller tasks. For example, try setting goals to improve CTR before you worry about crucial conversion actions.
It’s easier to let Google do the work. But using the traditional automatic cost-per-click (CPC) can hold you back. Consider manual bidding for its customisable capabilities. The attributes of manual bidding can:
- Increase ad visibility
- Lower your cost per action (CPA)
- Enable higher-performing keywords
Keywords
Focus on achievable, relevant, and high performing keywords. Remember, over half of all Google searches contain over four words. Find the relevant searches to your brand with the main and long-tail keywords and apply them within the PPC content.
Likewise, you should also consider pausing or removing non-performing keywords. Auto-pause can be enabled to pause or stop low performing ads.
Conversion actions
Get a grasp of each conversion action to help you understand every stage of the customer’s journey. When you know the stage, you can plan the content and strategy accordingly. The four conversion action stages include:
- Awareness – Discover to reading
- Interest – Browsing to downloading
- Decision – Comparing to adding to the cart
- Action – Sale
Remarketing
Remarketing your ads can help reawaken people to your brand. This method is designed for those who may have already viewed your products, services, or website previously. See it as a little reminder to finish ordering their abandoned basket or as an opportunity to offer something for free to get them into your marketing funnel.
Creative, captivating, and compelling PPC advertisements
Once you know your keywords, conversion rates and have your PPC strategy in place, it’s time to get creative and produce engaging PPC advertisements. Try and grab your user’s attention with a snappy headline.
There’s a fine balance here between professionalism and creativity though. You want to stand out but not in a way that compromises your professionalism. Likewise, you don’t want to remain too common and miss the opportunity to grab your consumer’s attention. It’s a tricky balancing act.
Connecting with the USP of your product or service while channelling your brand identity can strike the right balance with promotion.
Speak to PPC specialists
So, there you have it! Seven shocking PPC statistics and a few handy tips.
If you require any advice with PPC marketing strategies, then contact us here at Flamingo Marketing Strategies. We know how competitive, copious, and crushing the PPC market can be. But with our expertise and track record of helping businesses “stand out in a flock of pigeons”, we have what it takes to make your next PPC campaign a success.