PPC -- Make sure it's worth it

We are believers in search marketing, especially when PPC is included in your overall marketing strategy.

But as with any marketing tactic, a PPC campaign should be well thought out before implemented.

What we find nowadays (nowadays??) is that small businesses or companies who are under intense pressure to deliver big results with small budgets are turning to PPC or SEO as the magic bullet.

Yes, paid search can extend your reach, bringing prospective buyers to your web site, expanding your footprint for a low cost.

But if you're a small business -- or prepared to only spend a small monthly amount -- be sure to consider the cost per click and how many people this will actually lead to your site before acting.

Let's say you have a budget of $500. Taking the cost of your keywords into account, how many people will this lead to your site?What realistic conversion rate can you expect? What is the net profit you expect from each sale...considering these dynamics, is this the best use of your budget?

Could a national (or regional) PR program reach more people? Yes, PR takes longer to take hold and show results. But when the difference in reach is thousands of eyeballs versus hundreds (or just dozens as may be the case with search), I think PR might be the better investment.

We're not steering clients away from paid search. Not at all. We're simply recommending that marketers carefully consider the potential for results with the budget at hand. And be willing to delay gratification if the budget can yield better results elsewhere.

If you determine PPC is right for you...make sure your web site is ready to handle the traffic. Put your best foot forward, be prepared to engage and maneuver prospects through your site, measure traffic and buyer behavior and set goals that you can measure and react to.

Just a thought...