Research indicates that 65% of small to mid-sized businesses run PPC campaigns. Yet, many small businesses find PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising challenging due to high costs, budget constraints, unclear ROI, complex management, trust issues, and difficulty in finding the right expert.
To help you navigate these challenges, this guide provides a comprehensive overview of PPC and how to make the most of it—whether you decide to hire a PPC expert or manage campaigns yourself.
But first, let’s start with the basics:
Is PPC Worth It?
65% of people click on ads when looking to buy. Additionally, PPC has an average of 200% return on investment (ROI), meaning businesses earn $2 for every $1 spent. Additionally, the average click-through rate (CTR) for search ads across all industries is 3.52%, reflecting PPC’s effectiveness in driving engagement.
Given these benefits, it’s unsurprising that small businesses and midsize companies have been known to spend anywhere between $100 to $10,000 per month on PPC campaigns. In fact, SMBs spend seven times more on paid ads than on SEO. Moreover, 79% of marketers credit PPC for their success, and 84% of businesses plan to use Google Ads in 2024.
What About Small Businesses?
If you are still wondering whether PPC works for small businesses, then the answer is yes. PPC works for businesses of all sizes-big to small by driving targeted traffic, generating leads, and increasing sales. It provides immediate visibility, unlike SEO, which takes time. Hire a PPC expert for cost-effective campaigns, optimizing ad spend for maximum ROI. With the right strategy, your business too can compete with larger brands and scale effectively.
Isn’t SEO enough?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a cost-effective, organic way to drive traffic to your website. However, SEO is a long-term strategy that takes time to produce results. For businesses, generating leads and sustaining growth in the short term is just as important—this is where PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising comes in.
Even if your business already invests in SEO, hiring a PPC expert ensures that you have a complementary strategy to drive immediate results while your organic reach grows.
Why hire a PPC specialist?
Once your website goes live, the next critical step is driving sales—and to do that, you need quality leads. This is why focusing on PPC is essential. Depending on your industry and business type, Google Ads and social media advertising can be highly effective tools for lead generation.
However, many small businesses find managing PPC campaigns overwhelming. That’s where a PPC expert can make all the difference.
What Does a PPC Specialist Do?
A PPC specialist optimizes campaigns to ensure you achieve the best return on investment (ROI) while effectively reaching your target audience.
PPC experts have a deep understanding of ad networks and know when and how to leverage each platform for maximum results. They develop customized strategies aligned with your business goals and manage budgets efficiently, ensuring your ad spend drives growth effectively.
Additionally, PPC experts analyze ad performance and continuously optimize campaigns to maximize results. While you can manage PPC on your own, it’s a resource-intensive process that can take time away from core business activities. That’s why hiring virtual employees to manage PPC is a smart, cost-effective solution.
What is the difference between PPC specialist and SEO specialist?
Now that we’ve covered what a PPC specialist does, let’s explore how PPC differs from SEO and which strategy is best for your business. A PPC specialist and an SEO specialist both focus on driving traffic to websites, but they use different strategies.
A PPC (Pay-Per-Click) specialist manages paid advertising campaigns on platforms like Google Ads and social media. They create and optimize ads, manage budgets, analyze ad performance, and ensure businesses get the best return on investment (ROI). PPC delivers immediate results, as ads appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) instantly.
An SEO (Search Engine Optimization) specialist, on the other hand, focuses on organic traffic growth. They optimize websites through keyword research, content creation, link building, and technical SEO to improve rankings on search engines without paid ads. SEO is a long-term strategy, taking months to see results but offering sustained traffic over time.
While PPC provides quick, targeted results, SEO builds long-term online visibility. Therefore, you should ideally use a combination of both to maximize growth and reach their audience effectively. For effective guidance hire a digital marketing expert.
Why is PPC so expensive?
PPC campaigns may seem expensive, especially in the initial phase when you are setting up and testing different strategies. However, a PPC expert can optimize ad spend to fit your budget while maximizing returns. In fact, PPC campaigns have an average ROI of 200%, meaning you can expect a $2 return for every $1 invested.
If the initial investment feels overwhelming, consider this: Start by calculating the cost of acquiring one customer on a particular ad platform. Then, compare it with the average profit per customer. If the profit exceeds the acquisition cost, it’s a scalable marketing strategy where you can continue investing and still make a profit.
To ensure maximum efficiency and ROI, hire a PPC expert who can fine-tune your campaigns, reduce wasted ad spend, and generate the best possible returns.
What is a good PPC budget?
A good PPC budget depends on multiple factors, including the advertising platform, campaign duration, business goals, competition, and industry trends. For instance, Google Ads may require a higher budget due to competitive bidding, whereas social media ads can be more cost-effective.
To determine the right budget, businesses should calculate their customer acquisition cost (CAC), target ROI, and conversion rates. Hire a PPC expert to analyze these metrics, optimize ad spend, and ensure maximum returns by reducing wasted budget and refining targeting strategies. You should also hire a digital marketing expert to help them make data-driven budgeting decisions and decide on the overall marketing mix.
Where can I find a decent PPC expert?
Hiring a full-time PPC expert locally or outsourcing to an agency can be expensive. A cost-effective alternative is to hire a virtual PPC expert. However, finding the right talent—whether a freelancer or remote employee—comes with its own challenges. Many freelance platforms have low-quality contractors, making it crucial to carefully vet candidates.
To hire the best PPC expert, follow these steps:
- Technical knowledge– Ensure the candidate possesses expertise in PPC tools, keyword research, social media advertising, and campaign management. Additionally, check if they have a basic understanding of copywriting, graphic design, and data analysis—skills that enhance PPC effectiveness.
- Experience & Credibility– Look for candidates with proven experience in PPC. Ask for testimonials, case studies, or past campaign results to validate their expertise.
- Interview– Clearly explain your business goals and ask how they would structure and optimize your campaigns. Speaking to 5–6 experts helps you compare approaches and identify the best fit.
- Free trial– Before committing, request a small test project to evaluate their skills and ensure they align with your business needs.
Final Words
After setting up a website, the next crucial step for businesses is to focus on PPC to drive leads and traffic. However, many small businesses struggle to manage PPC effectively on their own. That’s why hiring a PPC expert is the best solution.
That said, hiring a freelancer can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. A smarter strategy is to partner with companies that offer remote staffing solutions.
At Remote Resource, we provide pre-vetted virtual PPC experts at a fraction of local hiring costs. Plus, we offer a one-week free trial, allowing you to test our talent firsthand and proceed only if you’re completely satisfied.
