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Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: What It Is and How to Get Started

Discover how to create effective pay-per-click (PPC) marketing campaigns that drive results. Learn key strategies, platform options, and tips.

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Key differences

Feature SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) PPC (Pay-Per-Click)
Traffic type Organic (non-paid) Paid
Speed Works slowly and can often take months to see an impact Works fast with traffic starting as soon as ads go live
Payment model Free to click, but requires time, tools, and expertise You pay each time someone clicks your ad
Strategy type Long-term strategy Short-term strategy
Visibility Earned over time through content and optimisation Paid for via bidding for ad placements.
Sustainability Offers ongoing results without paying per click Stops once the budget runs out
Best for Building authority, generating leads, long-term growth, and evergreen content Fast traffic, generating leads, product launches, and time-sensitive campaigns
Use case Gradually increases brand visibility and trust Quickly generates leads or conversions
Combined strategy Complements PPC for lasting visibility Complements SEO for immediate impact

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FAQs

There’s no fixed cost – it depends on your chosen keyword and the level of competition you’re facing for it. A good ballpark expects to spend around $2-$4 per click in Australia, though prices can easily range from $0.50 for low-value keywords to $50+ for highly competitive industries.

Again, costs vary. Expect to spend around $2-$12 per click. Again, though, it all depends on your keywords, industry, and competition. And remember that you should only spend what makes sense for your business. If a keyword doesn’t align with your budget, get more specific and choose another.

Here are a few to consider:

  • Clicks: Naturally, you’ll want to track the clicks your ad receives.
  • Impressions: You should also assess how many views your ad receives in total.
  • Click-through rate (CTR): Compare clicks to views to measure effectiveness.
  • Return on investment (ROI): Measure the ROI of your ad spend.
  • Conversion rate: How many customers who visit your landing pages follow through?
  • Quality score: Keep an eye on your quality score and look to increase it as much as possible.

No. The auction-based pricing structure is very common to encourage a level playing field, but it isn’t the only option. Some platforms prefer to use a flat-rate model instead, where you pay a fixed cost-per-click for a specific keyword as set by the ad platform. Examples include AdRoll (in some situations) and BuySellAds.