The e-commerce sector has been booming for the last few years, but it’s played an essential role in the lives of consumers during the pandemic. As we prepare for what’s on the horizon, it’s clear that e-commerce will only continue to increase in popularity. And with so many e-commerce businesses popping up, you’ll need to find a way to stand out for the right reasons.
When you need a competitive edge, PPC ads can become a vital part of your digital marketing strategy. Let’s take a closer look at why pay-per-click advertising is so critical when embracing a fully-realized digital marketing plan.
You Can Quickly Drive Sales Traffic to Your Site
One of the perks of PPC advertising is that it’s a great way to drive traffic to your site within a short period of time. Other aspects of your digital strategy will likely take a while to really show results, but PPC is far more immediate. Once you know you have a website that can meet your customers’ needs, you can run PPC campaigns to increase traffic (and conversions) right away. As long as you’re setting up ads correctly and running them consistently, you’ll have a regular stream of site traffic coming in. Not only can this help you to increase sales, but it can also allow you to improve your brand awareness and perception. Although this is key at any point in your journey, it’s especially so when you’re first starting out in the e-commerce space.
You’ll Get More Out of Your Advertising Budget
There are a number of ways to advertise your e-commerce business online, but PPC ads often give you the most for your money. You’ll have an easier time qualifying your traffic with PPC advertising, as you’ll have more options to target the right audiences with your ad copy and keyword bids. With display ads, you won’t have much control over who sees your ad or what the user is interested in. When you’re able to be more specific in your targeting, your ads will generally be more successful. Typically, PPC ads offer a significant return on investment. Assuming they’re being managed correctly, this positive ROI can mean big things for your business.
PPC Provides You With Actionable Data
PPC is extremely valuable to e-commerce businesses, even on the national level, because it provides ample data insights. PPC can tell you how well your website actually converts and even allows you to perform A/B testing to find the best possible strategy. When you know what works (and what doesn’t work), you’ll be in a much better position to compete with other e-commerce retailers. Other ads won’t provide you with nearly as much data on both the what and the why. With PPC, you’ll have the evidence to make more informed decisions about your digital marketing.
Pay-Per-Click Ads Will Support Your Other Marketing Efforts
Of course, PPC is just one part of your e-commerce digital marketing strategy (albeit an important part!). But the great thing about PPC is that it can be used in conjunction with other marketing techniques to build an even stronger brand. PPC can be highly effective on its own and can be an excellent starting point, but you don’t have to be limited only to PPC. Because PPC starts working immediately, that can buy you some time to work on your on-site SEO strategy or your link-building. Together, these tactics can facilitate long-term growth — but without PPC, you’ll be missing a big piece of the puzzle.
When it comes time for your e-commerce business to lean into its digital transformation, PPC will provide you with the undeniable power to reach the next level.