Paid Search 101

For many Internet marketers and advertisers, pay per click ads are a double-edged sword.  While their prime placement within the SERPs is ideal, the cost of PPC campaigns can be problematic for some smaller businesses with lower advertising budgets.  However, a balance can be found within most PPC campaigns that is optimal for virtually any company, regardless of budget constraints.

The Benefits of PPC
Pay per click advertising is undoubtedly the easiest way to reach the top of the SERPs, in a manner of speaking.  While there is a definite distinction between organic rankings and paid advertisements in search results, PPC is still an effective platform.  In fact, experts anticipate search advertising spending to increase by as much as 15% by the end of 2012.  Additionally, paid search provides results more quickly than organic SEO efforts and often offers a consistent ROI.  Despite all of these advantages and numerous PPC success stories, some feel that the inherent cost of PPC campaigns is a drawback that greatly diminishes their value.

A Perfect Balance
Although many small to medium-sized businesses may feel the cost of PPC advertising limits its viability on a long-term basis, some companies have seen success with short-term campaigns.  It is important for businesses to prepare and adhere to an advertising budget and monitor PPC campaigns carefully to ensure that no extraneous spending occurs.  By balancing PPC and organic SEO efforts, even smaller companies can see long-term, successful results in the SERPs.