The overlaps between public relations and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising may not be as obvious as other digital marketing mediums. Still, PPC can be essential to a successful, comprehensive PR campaign. Let’s take a look at how PPC can supplement a company’s PR efforts:
First, PPC can increase your brand’s search engine visibility quickly. Effective SEO is crucial for organic search, but an SEO campaign can take time. Google AdWords allows for businesses to bid on ads for selected keywords that show up either above the fold or along the sidebar of Google (Curious? Search “Roofers in Chicago.” What do you see on the top and sides?). Through Adwords, you can then view ad metrics to see which are getting the most clicks.
Placing ads and getting clicks is only half the battle though. Once a potential customer clicks on the ad, they are directed to a landing page. Whatever the goal of the landing page (usually a purchase or lead generation), it’s important that it’s designed to convert. This is no easy feat and may require some trial and error, but when done right, the results can be huge!
Secondly, a PR campaign sometimes involves countering bad press. With platforms like Yelp or Consumer Affairs, it’s easier than ever to voice a less-than-favorable opinion online. Unfortunately, these negative sentiments have the potential to stick around for a long time and can be damaging to a small business.
PPC can be utilized to help temper these negative search results. By bidding on less competitive and conversion-centric branded keywords, a company can get their site ranked higher than the negative outlets quicker than through organic options and leverage that as an opportunity to tell their story.
For example, Roger Rabbit’s Roofing Company has been getting a bad rap lately. When customers search “Roger Rabbit’s Roofing Reviews,” links to unflattering reviews pop up. Strategic bidding coupled with a smart landing page gives Roofer Roger Rabbit an opportunity to rank above the bad press and set the record straight. Using PPC for reputation management isn’t a comprehensive strategy within itself and comes with limitations, but it can be valuable when executed correctly.
So whatever your needs—driving sales or tackling some reputation blunder—PPC can be an effective supplement to a multichannel digital marketing and PR campaign. PPC can be a bit intimidating (especially if you’re Roger Rabbit!), so let us know if you have any questions!
