10 Expert Answers to Common PPC Questions

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is one of the fastest and most effective ways to drive targeted traffic to your website and generate leads or sales. However, managing a successful PPC campaign requires strategic planning, ongoing optimisation, and a clear understanding of how the different elements work together. As experienced PPC specialists, we’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions about PPC and provided detailed answers to help you maximise the return on your ad spend.

What is PPC?

PPC (Pay-Per-Click) is a form of online advertising where advertisers pay a fee each time someone clicks on their ad. Instead of relying on organic traffic (which requires time and consistent effort), PPC allows businesses to buy visits to their website.

PPC operates through an auction-based system, where advertisers bid on specific keywords that are relevant to their products or services. When a user enters a search query matching those keywords, the search engine (such as Google or Bing) displays the ad in the search results. If the user clicks the ad, the advertiser is charged a fee based on the competitiveness of the keyword and the ad’s quality score.

Why PPC Matters

• Immediate visibility at the top of search results.
• Highly targeted traffic based on user intent and behaviour.
• Greater control over budget and campaign performance.
• Fast and measurable results compared to organic search.

PPC is a valuable tool for businesses looking to generate leads, increase sales, or build brand awareness quickly.

How does PPC work?

PPC works through a bidding system where advertisers compete for ad placements based on keywords. The process follows these key steps:

1. Keyword Research – Advertisers select the keywords they want their ads to appear for.
2. Campaign Setup – Advertisers create the ad copy, choose the target audience, and set the budget.
3. Ad Auction – When a user enters a search query, the search engine runs an auction to determine which ads are displayed.
4. Ad Rank Calculation – Ad placement is determined by:
   • Bid Amount – How much the advertiser is willing to pay per click.
   • Quality Score – Based on the relevance of the ad, landing page quality, and historical performance.
   • Expected Impact of Extensions – The value of additional features like site links or callouts.
5. Ad Display – The winning ads appear at the top or bottom of the search results.
6. Payment – If a user clicks the ad, the advertiser is charged based on the cost-per-click (CPC) bid.

The combination of bid amount and quality score ensures that the most relevant and valuable ads are displayed, not just the highest-paying ones.

What platforms are best for PPC campaigns?

The most effective PPC platforms depend on your business goals and target audience. The most commonly used platforms are:

1. Google Ads

• Largest PPC platform, handling over 90% of global search traffic.
• Ideal for search-based intent and product discovery.
• Offers various campaign types (Search, Display, Shopping, Video).

2. Microsoft Ads (Bing Ads)

• Covers around 3% of global search traffic.
• Less competition than Google, often resulting in lower CPC.
• Similar functionality to Google Ads but reaches a different audience.

3. Facebook Ads

• Ideal for targeting users based on interests, demographics, and behaviour.
• Strong for visual and brand-awareness campaigns.
• Allows advanced audience segmentation and retargeting.

4. LinkedIn Ads

• Best for B2B marketing and professional services.
• Allows targeting based on job title, industry, and company size.

5. TikTok Ads and Instagram Ads

• Effective for reaching younger audiences through short-form video content.
• Strong for influencer marketing and brand engagement.

Each platform offers different targeting capabilities and audience behaviour patterns, so the best platform depends on your product, audience, and campaign objectives.

How do I choose the right keywords for PPC?

Choosing the right keywords is crucial for PPC success. Effective keyword selection ensures that your ads appear for relevant search queries, maximising click-through rates (CTR) and conversions.

Steps to Choose the Right Keywords:

1. Define Your Goals – Are you trying to drive sales, leads, or brand awareness?
2. Use Keyword Tools – Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs provide search volume, competition levels, and cost-per-click data.
3. Target High-Intent Keywords – Focus on transactional or commercial intent keywords (e.g., “buy running shoes”).
4. Avoid Broad Keywords – Broad terms often result in irrelevant traffic and higher costs.
5. Include Long-Tail Keywords – Longer, more specific search terms often have lower competition and higher conversion rates.
6. Analyse Competitor Keywords – Identify which terms competitors are bidding on and where opportunities exist.

Effective keyword research ensures that you reach users at the right stage of the buying journey, improving the overall ROI of your PPC campaigns.

What is remarketing in PPC?

Remarketing (or retargeting) is a PPC strategy that allows you to show ads to users who have previously interacted with your website or app.

How PPC Remarketing Works:

• A tracking pixel (or tag) is added to your site to collect data on visitor behaviour.
• Users who visit specific pages or take certain actions (e.g., adding an item to their cart) are added to a remarketing list.
• Custom ads are then shown to these users across platforms (Google, Facebook, Instagram) to re-engage them and encourage a conversion.

Benefits of PPC Remarketing:

• Higher conversion rates due to increased familiarity.
• Cost-effective, since remarketing lists are highly targeted.
• Helps recover abandoned carts and incomplete sign-ups.

Remarketing helps reinforce brand awareness and bring potential customers back into the sales funnel.

What are negative keywords in PPC?

Negative keywords prevent your ads from appearing for certain search terms that are unlikely to convert.

Example: If you sell luxury watches, you might use “cheap” as a negative keyword to avoid attracting low-intent traffic.

Types of Negative Keywords:

• Broad Match – Blocks ads from showing if any part of the query contains the negative term.
• Phrase Match – Blocks ads if the negative term appears in the search phrase.
• Exact Match – Blocks ads only if the search query exactly matches the negative term.

Using negative keywords reduces wasted ad spend and improves overall campaign efficiency.

How do I measure PPC campaign success?

Measuring PPC success requires tracking both performance metrics and business outcomes. Key performance indicators (KPIs) include:

• Click-Through Rate (CTR) – Percentage of impressions that result in clicks.
• Conversion Rate – Percentage of clicks that result in a desired action (e.g., sale or sign-up).
• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) – How much you pay for each conversion.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) – Total revenue generated divided by ad spend.
• Quality Score – Google’s measure of ad relevance and landing page quality.

Analysing these metrics helps optimise campaigns, reduce costs, and improve results.

How important is geo-targeting in PPC?

Geo-targeting allows you to show ads to users based on their geographic location.

Benefits:

• Improves ad relevance and engagement.
• Reduces wasted ad spend in areas where you don’t operate.
• Allows for location-specific offers and promotions.

Geo-targeting is particularly valuable for local businesses and service-based industries.

What is Google Pmax?

Google Performance Max (Pmax) is a goal-based campaign type that automates ad placements across Google’s entire network (Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail).

Benefits:

• Uses machine learning to optimise for the best results.
• Allows access to multiple Google properties from one campaign.
• Improves ad delivery and targeting accuracy.

Pmax is ideal for businesses looking to simplify multi-channel advertising.

What are ad extensions in Google Ads?

Ad extensions are additional pieces of information that can be added to your Google Ads to make them more informative and engaging. They increase the visibility and value of your ads by providing extra details that encourage users to take action. Ad extensions improve the overall performance of your ads by increasing click-through rates (CTR) and enhancing user experience.

Types of Ad Extensions:

1. Sitelink Extensions – Add additional links to your ad, directing users to specific pages on your site (e.g., “Contact Us,” “Services,” “About Us”).
2. Callout Extensions – Highlight unique selling points or offers (e.g., “Free Shipping,” “24/7 Support”).
3. Structured Snippet Extensions – Provide additional details about your products or services (e.g., “Types: Men’s, Women’s, Kids’”).
4. Call Extensions – Display a phone number directly in the ad, allowing users to call your business directly from the search results.
5. Location Extensions – Show your business location and distance from the user, making it easier for local customers to find you.
6. Price Extensions – Display the price of products or services directly in the ad.
7. App Extensions – Include a link to download your app directly from the ad.
8. Promotion Extensions – Highlight sales or special offers with a clickable link.
9. Image Extensions – Add relevant images to your search ads to make them more visually appealing.

Why Ad Extensions Matter:

• Increase Visibility – Ads with extensions take up more space on the search results page, making them more prominent.
• Improve Click-Through Rates – More informative ads lead to higher engagement.
• Boost Quality Score – Well-optimised ad extensions improve your ad’s relevance and performance, potentially lowering your cost-per-click (CPC).
• Enhance User Experience – Giving users more information upfront improves the likelihood of them clicking through and converting.

Using a combination of ad extensions increases your ad’s effectiveness and provides searchers with multiple ways to engage with your business.

Ready to Maximise Your PPC ROI?

PPC advertising is one of the most effective ways to drive targeted traffic, generate leads, and increase sales — but success requires more than just setting up a few ads. A well-structured PPC strategy involves selecting the right keywords, crafting compelling ad copy, optimising landing pages, and continuously refining performance based on data insights.

At ZEAL, we specialise in creating high-performance PPC campaigns tailored to your business goals. Whether you need help with Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or remarketing strategies, our team of experienced PPC specialists can help you maximise your return on ad spend and drive measurable results.

Ready to take your PPC strategy to the next level?

Get in touch with ZEAL today to discover how we can help you achieve better results and grow your business with expertly managed PPC campaigns.