Four Tips for Running an Effective B2B Pay-Per-Click Campaign

If you have never considered a pay-per-click B2B marketing campaign, you are not alone. Many people today still believe that PPC is only appropriate for B2C.

The truth is that PPC can work equally as well for B2B marketing. The key is to keep in mind that B2B campaigns typically take more time to be successful. Remember, the B2B sales cycle is longer than the typical B2C sales cycle so it makes sense that a B2B PPC campaign will take more time to demonstrate its true ROI.

If you have decided give PPC for B2B a try, chances are you will be happy with the results. However, there are some things you need to understand before you launch such a campaign:

1. 1. It’s about more than just conversions. While conversions are the most important element of B2C campaigns, when it comes to B2B PPC campaigns you need to focus on more than just conversions. You also need to pay close attention to where your leads are originating from and what keywords are the most successful.

1. 1. The cost-per-acquisition is higher for B2B. It can be tempting to invest in cheaper keywords to keep costs down but since B2B keywords are more expensive, you need to be willing to make a larger investment in those keywords. By concentrating on the keywords that will lead to closed sales, even if they cost more, your campaign will be more successful in the long run.

1. 1. Tracking data is the key to success. By carefully tracking your PPC campaigns you will be better able to determine what you need to concentrate on moving forward. Conversion rates help to pinpoint how many leads you need to generate to close a particular number of sales. By tracking this information you will be able to more accurately determine how much you need to budget in keyword costs to meet your future sales goals.

1. Precision counts. B2B PPC campaigns always need to be organized in tight ad groups that include similar keywords. Broad campaigns often mix expensive keywords with cheaper ones and make it hard to tell which keywords worked the best.

Running a successful B2B PPC campaign is much more challenging than a B2C campaign. That’s because many elements of a B2B campaign are not as straightforward. However, B2B PPC campaigns are definitely worth the time and investment because when done correctly they can pay off in the form of increased sales.