50+ PPC Questions That Every New Advertiser Should Ask

Probably the biggest benefit of using PPC is that it’s extremely cost-effective. Since you only have to pay for your ads when they earn clicks, that means you’re not at risk of wasting ad spend on people who have no interest in your business. The only people you’re paying for are those who are interested enough to click.

Additionally, PPC drives fast results compared to other strategies like SEO. Organic content takes time to work its way up in search engine rankings, but with PPC, you can get your brand in front of a relevant audience immediately.

PPC ads can also be highly effective at driving conversions, when managed well. That means when you measure the costs against the results, PPC often has a very high return on investment (ROI). In fact, the average ROI of PPC is $2 for every $1 spent — and if you use Google Ads, that ROI is quadrupled.

How can I convince my company to invest in PPC?

For many businesses, the ideal strategy is to use Google Ads and Microsoft Ads together. When your ads appear in search results for both Google and Bing, you’re able to reach a wider audience, appearing in front of people no matter which search engine they use.

If you’re only going to use one, Google is probably better because of its wider reach. But if you have the budget for both, it’s likely worth the investment. It’s also worth noting that Microsoft Ads allows you to advertise in Yahoo! and DuckDuckGo search results as well, broadening your reach even further.

What PPC platforms should my business use?

The best PPC platforms for you depend on the unique needs of your business. You’ll need to consider where your target audience can best be reached, and then determine which ad network(s) best enable you to reach them there. Some of the main PPC platforms to consider using include:

• Google Ads
• Microsoft Ads
• Amazon Ads
• Facebook Ads
• YouTube Ads
• Reddit Ads
• And more!

What is social media PPC advertising?

Social media PPC advertising refers to paid advertising that takes place on social media platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn. Most social media sites allow businesses to advertise, often in the form of sponsored posts.

Some of the biggest social media sites to advertise on include:

• Facebook
• X (Twitter)
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Given how popular social media is, advertising there is a surefire way to reach your target audience. Of course, you’ll want to consider which social media sites your audience frequents the most, and focus your advertising on those sites.

How do I set up and use Google Ads?

Start by creating your Google Ads account (just go to the Google Ads homepage and click “start now”), then research keywords to target using tools like Google Keyword Planner or KeywordsFX. Next, bid on those keywords based on your budget, design your ads with clear headlines and simple landing pages centered around one call to action, and refine your targeting with negative keywords and custom audiences. After launch, monitor your campaign metrics like click-through rate and conversion rate, then adjust your budget and strategy based on what’s working.

How do you advertise on Google?

Start by setting a clear goal for your campaign (like earning conversions or building brand awareness), then conduct keyword research to find long-tail keywords that will trigger your ad to appear in relevant search results. Set your maximum budget and bid for ad placement (the average cost per click is between $1 to $2 for most companies), create a customized landing page that matches your ad content, and work to improve your quality score by ensuring your ad is relevant to the search terms. Once you launch your campaign through Google Ads, monitor its performance using the Google Ads dashboard to track impressions, clicks, and conversions.

Where can my ads appear with Google PPC?

Your ads can appear on the Google Display Network or the Google Search Network, and each offers different placements and ad formats. The Display Network lets you use image, video, and responsive ads on YouTube, Gmail, mobile apps, and affiliate websites across desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, which is ideal for remarketing and reaching shoppers at different stages of the buying funnel.

The Search Network displays text ads, dynamic search ads, call-only ads, and shopping ads on Google Search, Google Maps, Google Shopping, Google Play, and search partner sites, giving you prime real estate to target shoppers at the exact moment they’re searching for your products or services.

What does a PPC specialist do?

A PPC specialist manages your ad spend the same way a financial advisor handles your retirement money, investing it strategically to generate the best possible return on investment for your business. They build campaigns within platforms like Google Ads, target different keywords in different ways, and continuously optimize your campaigns to improve performance over time.

If your campaigns are being managed but you’re not seeing improving returns, it could mean your specialist lacks the resources or knowledge to drive results, or PPC may not be the right channel for your business.

The main difference between search and display ads is that search ads appear in search engines, while display ads appear on third-party websites and apps.

However, the intent behind these ads is different, too. Display ads are targeted to individuals who might have an interest in your products or services based on past browser activity or the websites they visit, whereas search ads are targeted to people who are directly searching for information related to your business.

That means search ads could be categorized as “pull” advertising, while display ads qualify as “push” advertising. Ultimately, using both types of ads together is a great way to reach a wide audience for your business.

What is display advertising?

Display advertising is the process of serving your company’s ads through a display network to appear on other websites, targeting specific audiences based on their browsing history and cookies. Your visually appealing ads appear on websites with available ad space, and when visitors click on them, they’re directed to your website where they can convert into paying customers.

What’s the difference between native advertising and display advertising?

Display ads are obvious promotions (like banner ads) that appear on web pages and are clearly identifiable as advertisements, while native ads blend into a website’s content by matching its tone, style, and format. Native ads include labels like “Sponsored” or “Promoted” to distinguish them from editorial content, but they’re designed to feel less intrusive and more like natural content that visitors would expect to see on that site.

Which is more effective: native advertising or display advertising?

Neither option is universally better since each works best for different campaign goals and audiences. Display ads are better if your target market visits multiple sites with different formats, you want to use ad networks for easier placement, or your primary goal is retargeting, while native ads work better if you want a creative campaign, your audience frequents a handful of specific sites, or you want to increase brand loyalty and encourage content sharing.

What is the difference between programmatic ads and display ads?

The difference between programmatic ads and display ads is the purchase process. Programmatic advertising uses automated software to purchase ad space across multiple ad exchanges, while display advertising typically uses a single ad network like Google Ads. The two terms refer to different aspects of digital advertising, so they can overlap. Some programmatic ads are display ads, and some display ads are programmatic, but you can also place display ads manually instead of using automation.

What are programmatic ads?

Programmatic ads are online ads that advertisers purchase and place using software instead of manual methods. This automated software allows advertisers to purchase ad space, choose ideal ad locations, target specific audiences, and place bids without negotiating with human representatives or manually requesting individual ad placements. Programmatic advertising offers advantages like efficiency through automation, precise targeting based on demographics and interests, real-time reporting and optimization, and improved ROI.

What are dynamic search ads?

Dynamic search ads are dynamically generated ads that Google automatically creates to match a user’s search query with specific products or pages on your website. Instead of selecting keywords yourself, Google crawls your site and matches search terms closely related to your content, then generates a headline and landing page that match the user’s search intent. These ads help fill gaps in your keyword-based campaigns by reaching people who use different search terms to find your products, and they work best for web pages that are in stasis rather than pages that change rapidly (like daily deals pages).

What are the benefits of using dynamic search ads?

Dynamic search ads offer five key benefits: they save time by eliminating the need for constant keyword research and landing page creation, they automatically update as Google crawls your site for changes, they create relevant headlines that drive better results, they give you control over targeting by letting you show ads based on your entire website or specific pages and categories, and they help you capture more traffic by reaching people using different keywords to find your products. For example, you can prevent ads from showing out-of-stock products and ensure your audience only sees available items, which results in more conversions and less frustration for potential customers.

Can I use images in PPC ads?

Yes! Not all PPC ad formats support images, but many do. Display ads, for example, are typically quite visual, making some kind of image or graphic essential. You can also include images in certain types of search ads, like carousel ads for specific products.

Ultimately, whether a given ad campaign can support images depends on the platform, channel, and format you choose for that campaign.

What are PPC ad extensions?

PPC ad extensions are additional snippets of information that you can include in paid search ads beyond the title tag, URL, and meta description. These snippets appear below the meta description, and may include info like:

• Links to specific pages on your site
• Contact information (like your phone number)
• Pricing for your products or services
• The address for your physical location(s)
• Ratings or reviews
• And more!

In Google Ads, you can implement some of these extensions below some of your ads, offering additional context to users. That additional context could lead some people to click where they otherwise might not.

Which is better, Google Shopping or Bing Shopping?

It depends on your business goals, target audience, and where you want your ads to appear. Google Shopping ads reach a more diverse international audience with 70% market share and availability in over 40 countries, making it best if you’re targeting multiple demographics across different regions.

Bing Shopping ads hold about 10% market share but reach a valuable niche audience, with 73% of searchers under age 45, so if you’re targeting a younger crowd in countries like the U.S., U.K., or Canada, Bing is a great option.

That being said, you don’t need to choose just one platform. Using both creates more opportunities to reach your target audience where they’re likely to search.

What do I need before I can set up Google Shopping ads?

You need to set up both a Google Merchant Center account and a Google Ads account, then link them together so you can run Shopping ads. Create a shopping feed in the Merchant Center that includes all the products you want to promote (you’ll submit a spreadsheet with product ID, title, link, image link, and price at a minimum). Make sure your business, products, and website meet Google’s Shopping ads policy requirements, which are different from standard Google Ads policies.

How do I create Google Shopping ads?

Start by creating a new campaign in your Google Ads account, selecting Shopping as your campaign type, and choosing your objective and linked Merchant Center account. Set your advertising preferences including your campaign name, bidding type, daily budget, and where you want your ads to show (like specific locations or devices), then create your ad group with a bid amount and name. Your individual product ads get created automatically using the information from your Merchant Center account, so once you save your ad group settings, you can launch your campaign and start promoting your products.

Where does display advertising fit in the sales funnel?

Display advertising can fit anywhere in the sales funnel, from initial awareness at the top to final conversion at the bottom, based on your marketing goals. For example, if you’re building brand awareness, you’d use display ads with custom segments and affinity audiences to generate impressions, but if you’re targeting users ready to purchase, you’d use remarketing audiences and customer match lists with messaging that highlights your unique selling propositions. The key is matching your audience selection, ad messaging, and landing page strategy to the specific funnel stage you’re targeting.

What audiences should you target for bottom-of-funnel display ads?

For bottom-of-funnel display advertising, focus on remarketing audiences that target users who have previously engaged with your website or specific product pages, and customer match lists where you upload contacts who have completed micro-conversions like downloading gated content.

These users have already spent time on your website and engaged with your key service or product pages, so they’re close to purchase and need messaging that emphasizes what sets you apart from competitors. Your goal at this stage is to convert these users into leads for your sales team or purchasers in an ecommerce environment, tracking engaged users and your ultimate conversion goal.

How do I write an effective ad? 

Start by researching your target audience to understand their demographics, interests, and buying decisions. Choose an ad platform that suits that audience (like Google Ads or Pinterest), then create an ad with a strong headline containing your top keyword, emotional language, clear benefits rather than features, short sentences, and a specific call-to-action. Test several varieties of your ad by tweaking one element at a time (like the headline, color scheme, or CTA), monitor which performs best, and continue adjusting based on performance metrics across multiple platforms.

What elements should I include in my ad copy?

Your ad should include a strong headline with your top keyword that grabs attention, emotional words that make readers feel excited or trusting, visual elements like symbols to stand out, benefits that show how your product helps the reader (not just features), short sentences that make every word count, and a clear call-to-action that tells viewers the next step like “shop our selection” or “contact us for service.” With limited ad space, every word should impact viewers and guide them toward conversion.

What is headline pinning in Google Ads and how does it work?

Headline pinning is a feature in Google Ads that allows you to lock specific headlines to particular positions in your ads, controlling where they appear. It works best when you have specific headlines that must appear with every display. For example, if you have three displaying headlines, you can pin the ones that include your target keywords to the top and place a call-to-action at the end. You can also pin multiple headlines to the same position to ensure at least one appears in every ad in that spot.

Keyword match type refers to the way paid search platforms determine which keywords to show ads for. Suppose you bid on the keyword “manufacturers in Dallas” in Google Ads. Should Google show your ad only for that exact keyword? Or can it show it for related keywords like “manufacturing companies in Dallas” as well? The answer depends on the match type you select.

In Google Ads, there are three main keyword match types:

• Broad match: Your ads will appear in searches that include any word from your target keyword.
• Phrase match: Your ads will appear in searches that include your exact target keyword, but may include other words as well.
• Exact match: Your ads will appear in searches only for the exact keyword you targeted, with no additional words.

What’s the difference between phrase match and broad match in Google Ads?

Phrase match requires the entire keyword phrase (or a close variation) to be present in the search query for your ad to show, while broad match displays your ad for searches that include your keyword plus synonyms, related terms, and variations. With phrase match, users can’t insert unrelated terms between your keyword terms, but broad match allows your ad to appear even if the search doesn’t contain your exact terms at all.

When should I use broad match instead of phrase match?

Broad match works best when you’re launching a new campaign and need to gather performance data quickly, or when reaching a wide audience aligns with your goals (like brand awareness campaigns). It’s particularly useful for testing ad variations since the broader reach helps you collect enough data to draw conclusions, and it can reveal keyword opportunities you hadn’t considered.

What are negative keywords?

The exact formula that Google uses to determine Ad Rank is not public knowledge. However, it’s known that your ad placement is heavily influenced by your maximum bid and your Quality Score. If you outbid your competitors and achieve a higher Quality Score than them, your ads will likely outrank theirs.

Why are my ads not showing?

Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to use your website’s homepage as a landing page. That’s because landing pages should be highly specific and actionable, which homepages are not. Whereas a homepage typically features general information about your business, a good landing page will highlight a specific product or service, along with a single CTA that it directs users toward.

How can I improve my Google Ads landing page to generate more leads?

Improve your landing page by making it fast (users expect two-second load times or less), relevant to your ad content, and easy to navigate without pop-ups or confusing elements. Use PageSpeed Insights to identify technical issues like render-blocking resources, coordinate your landing page messaging with your ad copy (if you advertise red sneakers at 50 percent off, your landing page should emphasize that exact offer), and make your contact information and conversion path obvious.

Google evaluates landing page quality when determining your Ad Rank, so a better landing page can lower your cost-per-click and increase conversion rates.

PPC campaign set up and management FAQs

Learn how to set up a PPC campaign and how to manage an effective one in this section!

What are PPC goals?

PPC goals are the specific objectives you set for your pay-per-click campaigns to align with your company’s needs and overall business objectives. For example, if you’re a new business focused on increasing brand awareness in your first three months, your PPC goals should aim to maximize visibility and reach, but after a few months, you might shift your goals toward generating leads and pushing sales for specific products. These goals are sometimes referred to as objectives and key results (OKRs).

How do you set PPC campaign goals?

Start by identifying your business needs and determining what results you want from your paid search campaigns, making sure your PPC goals align with your overall business objectives. Next, set both short-term goals (weekly or monthly benchmarks) and long-term goals (quarterly or annual targets), then ensure all goals are results-oriented and SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). According to best practice, you should continuously measure your campaign performance against these goals to identify what’s working and make strategic improvements based on data from previous campaigns.

What are the best digital advertising tips to drive results?

Start with SEO optimization (using target keywords and improving page speed) and launch PPC campaigns through Google Ads where you only pay when users click your ads. Create compelling content like blog posts and videos, run social media ads where users spend most of their time online, and know your target audience so you can limit ads to people who fit your customer profile. Use clear calls to action, display customer testimonials to build trust, retarget visitors who left without converting, apply consistent branding across all advertising, and track key performance indicators like conversion rate and cost per lead through Google Analytics to see what’s working.

What should I include in my PPC campaign checklist?

Start with setup tasks: research long-tail keywords (15-20 per ad group), create custom landing pages for each keyword, adjust targeting settings for location and demographics, implement tracking codes in Google Analytics, and build a negative keywords list. Daily, check KPIs like ad spend and click-through rate, then pause underperforming keywords. Weekly, review your budget and bids, run search query reports to find irrelevant keywords, and check display ad placements. Monthly, maintain landing pages and links, analyze visitor metrics like bounce rate, observe competitor ads, and monitor keyword trends in Google Trends to adjust your campaign as search patterns change.

How do you manage a successful PPC campaign?

Managing a PPC campaign involves four key steps: select highly targeted long-tail keywords that reflect searchers’ intent to become customers, create landing pages built around those keywords to provide in-depth information, write ads with headlines that include your target keyword and strong calls to action like “buy now” or “sign up now,” and track your results to refine your campaign over time.

For example, instead of targeting a broad term like “ladders,” use specific keywords like “ladders for sale in [your area]” to attract qualified buyers who are ready to purchase. Make sure your landing pages answer users’ questions directly instead of just linking to your homepage, which creates a poor user experience.

Should I use ad scheduling for my PPC campaigns?

Yes, implementing ad scheduling can help you avoid wasting money running ads when no one is available to answer your phones or when your target audience isn’t actively searching. By default, your ads show 24/7, but for B2B businesses, you’ll most likely want to adjust your ad schedule to your business hours so you have someone in the office to answer calls from potential clients. For B2C businesses, check the Day & Hour report to identify peak hours, and remember that the ad schedule is determined by your account’s time zone, so factor in time differences if you sell to consumers across multiple time zones.

What are automated rules in Google Ads?

Automated rules in Google Ads let you make changes to your account automatically based on settings and campaign performance conditions you choose. You can set automated rules at the campaign, ad group, keywords, and ad text levels to handle tasks that are usually done manually. For example, you can schedule ads to go live at midnight for a holiday promotion, pause campaigns that spend a certain budget partway through the month, or pause low-performing ads based on metrics like CTR and impressions. Setting up automated rules takes about two minutes but can save you 1-2 hours per week in campaign optimization.

What is PPC automation and what are its benefits?

PPC automation uses technology (like artificial intelligence) to run and optimize your PPC advertising campaigns, automating tasks like research, bidding, and campaign management. The primary benefits include significant time savings by reducing repetitive tasks, improved scalability so you can run more ads without investing significantly more time, enhanced data collection that compiles information from multiple sources into easy-to-read reports, optimized performance through more informed decisions and flexible adjustments, and access to built-in automation tools that any business can use without significant upfront investment. 

What are common PPC performance issues I might not realize are hurting my campaigns?

Five common issues that may be hurting your PPC performance include incorrect conversion settings (either not set up at all or set up incorrectly), keyword intent that doesn’t match your product or service, incorrect or outdated location targeting, lack of ad scheduling so your ads run 24/7 even when no one is available to answer calls, and redirecting or broken landing pages that affect quality scores and increase cost-per-click. For example, if you’re targeting keywords that are too generic (like “recreation” for a camping products company), you’re likely wasting budget on irrelevant clicks from searchers looking for other types of recreation.

AI has changed the way advertisers approach PPC in several different areas. Some of the ways it’s impacted paid advertising include:

• Automating bidding and targeting
• Predicting user search intent
• Assisting with audience segmentation
• Detecting patterns and trends in ad data

In short, it functions as a tool for improving PPC automation and data analysis.

How do I fix conversion tracking issues in Google Ads?

The easiest way to set up conversions in Google Ads is to import them directly from Google Analytics with a few clicks. After importing, review all conversions to ensure they’re ones you want to optimize for with your campaigns, and if there’s a goal you don’t want to optimize for, click the goal name, click edit, and update the “Include in Conversions” setting. This step is particularly important if you plan to use automated bidding strategies, as Google’s machine learning will optimize for the conversions you have set up in the account.

A good conversion rate to aim for with your PPC campaigns is around 10%. The average conversion rate for PPC is 2.35%, but the top 25% of advertisers on Google Ads have an average conversion rate of 11.45%. So, 10% is a good benchmark to shoot for since it’s close to that top percentile.

How do I track PPC conversions?

PPC bidding is a system in which you set the maximum amount that you would be willing to pay for each click on an ad. For paid search ads, you typically bid on specific keywords, while in display advertising you bid on ad space. You’re also bidding against other businesses, and outbidding them gives you a better chance of your ads appearing.

As an example, let’s say you wanted to run a paid search ad in Google for the keyword “car repair services.” You might set a bid of $0.90, which turns out to be higher than the bids your competitors set for that same keyword. As a result, your ad ends up appearing in search results for that keyword. Then, each time someone clicks on it, you pay the $0.90 that you bid.

(It’s worth noting that your bid isn’t always the only factor that contributes to your ad placement, as we’ll see in some of the other PPC FAQs on this page.)

How do I reduce wasted PPC spend?

The difference between in-house PPC management and a PPC agency are the capabilities. PPC companies have greater capabilities, through team talent and ad network partnerships, while in-house management teams have smaller team sizes and fewer available tools.

What does a PPC agency do?