Pay-Per-Click Ads 101: What is PPC?

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can be a powerful tool to target motivated sellers. Many real estate investors try or consider using PPC to boost their number of leads, obtaining mixed results. The reality is that most don’t fully understand what PPC is or how to use it.

Here are the basics of PPC, so you can determine its value and know what to expect.

What is PPC?

Pay-Per-Click is a type of advertising wherein marketers only pay when an online user clicks their ad. The most common types of PPC ads are those seen at the top or bottom of search result pages, which is why many confuse PPC with Search Ads.

What Are the Different Types of PPC Ads?

You are probably familiar with the Pay-Per-Click ads that appear in search results, but that is only one of the three types of PPC marketing ads. Here are the three types:

Text Ads, Including Search Ads

These ads are 100% written copy, following the format of the advertising platform and character limits. Search Ads are the most common. Searches on Google or Bing trigger these when there is a keyword match within the PPC campaign.

Why are Search Ads worth considering? They reach leads who, based on their searches, show the right intent. Finding truly motivated sellers with a short timeframe to sell is easier. However, limitations depend on the market competitiveness and budget.

Suppose you are in a very competitive market with a limited budget. In that case, it can become more challenging to have a good percentage of visibility and in the most desired locations on the page. To make the most of your budget, retarget the users who clicked but did not convert, instead of simply looking for new clicks.

Display Ads

A display ad has a visual component, usually an image or motion graphic. These ads follow specific content requirements and show up on the affiliate-networks of the advertising platform. A prime example is Google, where, as of 2021, display ads could appear on Gmail, on Pixel phones in the News section, or on any device that has Google News, as well as on any website in their network.

Display ads work well for retargeting as well as brand awareness. Although not ideal for finding motivated sellers, these ads can be a great tool to re-engage sellers that showed intent, may have even started filling a form but didn’t actually submit it.

Shopping Ads

These don’t apply to real estate investing, but they are still worth mentioning if you ever try another venture. Shopping Ads appear as a result of a search with a shopping intent. The ads usually have an image of a product and price on it, and frequently show reviews or other specifications.

What Are the Leading PPC Platforms?

There are many different platforms, but the main ones used for real estate investing are:

Google Ads

The most popular is probably Google Ads, which offers pay-per-click advertising on its Search Network, Search Partner sites, and its Display Network, including YouTube.

A common place to start PPC advertising in your market is Google Ads, setting up Search Ads and adding them to complementary retargeting PPC campaigns.

Microsoft Advertising

Remember Bing Ads? If you don’t, it’s okay because it is now Microsoft advertising. This platform allows pay-per-click on its Search Network (Bing.com) and Search Partners (including Yahoo.com and DuckDuckGo), as well as Microsoft-owned properties like MSN.

Depending on your available budget, Search Ads in Microsoft ads are worth adding. In 2021, the audience on these search engines skewed less tech-savvy or senior, and it showed good ROI in some market areas.

Pay-per-click advertising is a complex digital marketing channel. Still not sure if it's the best lead generation tactic for you? Then read this article to find out: Is PPC Worth It for Real Estate Investors?

GoForClose works differently today. Here is how it works now.