You might have heard the term ‘PPC Specialist’, and wondered – what the hell do they actually do?
It’s pretty simple. Let’s jump in and break it down!
What Does PPC Stand For
PPC stands for ‘Pay Per Click’, it is a type of internet marketing where advertisers pay each time their ad is clicked.
PPC channels include search, social media and display networks. Some of the most popular are listed below.
Popular PPC search channels
- Bing
- Yahoo
Popular PPC social media channels
Popular PPC display channels
- Google Display Network
- AdRoll
- Criteo
For each of these channels, the ‘click’ that triggers payment can be for a variety of different actions.
On social it can be when a user clicks a sponsored social media post, for search when someone clicks a listing on a search engine results page (aka SERP), and display when users click a banner advertisement on a website.
Why Use PPC
PPC is one of the most popular, and important forms of digital marketing. It allows advertisers to target both by user intent, behaviours and demographics.
This precise targeting means it has some of the best ROI of any digital marketing approach.
And since you can easily see how much you spend with PPC, your results can be accurately measured relative to the revenue they generate.
What Is a PPC Specialist?
A PPC specialist is an individual or agency that specializes in running PPC campaigns. PPC Specialists is a broad term that covers a lot of different practice areas.
For example, some PPC sepcialists only work with Google Ads, while others will work across social media also. Again, some might specialize in B2B marketing, while others work in B2C.
Breaking it down further, a PPC specialist might focus on a certain industry, like construction or roofing. So you have to factor this in also if you’re looking for one.
Finding the right PPC specialists depends entirely on your requirements. But you should aim to find someone with experience working with companies of similar sizes and industries, and with a focus on the most effective PPC channels for your business type.
PPC Specialist Responsibilities
A PPC specialist looks at a few different areas, but bear in mind that not every practitioner will have the same skillset. But in general, their responsibilities are as follows:
- Keyword research
- Marketing strategy
- Campaign creation
- Landing pages
- Copywriting
- Bid management
- Conversion rate optimization
- Ad optimization
- Campaign optimization
Do You Need a PPC Specialist?
If you don’t have the PPC skills in-house, it makes sense to hire a professional. At least when you’re starting out, as they can help build your campaigns using best practice and years of experience.
If you find the right PPC marketer or agency, you’ll be able to see an immediate ROI, if you don’t see returns within a few months max, you should either a) fire them and find another team or b) reconsider whether PPC is a fit for your business.
How Do You Become a PPC Specialist?
Most PPC specialists hone their chops in a digital marketing agency. Junior hires usually start as a PPC analyst, before working their way up towards specializing in PPC and doing actual work on client accounts.
If you’re interested in a job in digital marketing, Google Skillshop is a great way to learn Google Ads (arguably the most important and in-demand PPC channel). Udemy also offers a whole host of PPC advertising classes to get you up-to-speed in no time.