Steps to Incorporate PPC and Inbound Strategies in Your Marketing Efforts

The landscape of paid search is changing –– that’s no secret. From the ever-fluctuating Google algorithm to the introduction of new headlines and descriptions, continuing education in your PPC (Pay-Per-Click) career has never been as integral to success as it is now. 

One of the most recent advancements in the industry is the use of PPC to support your business’s inbound marketing efforts. In fact, 68% of marketers incorporate PPC methodologies in their overall digital marketing strategies. 

Although inbound marketing is the direct opposite of paid search, the harmony between them is often understated. In this post we take a closer look at the value PPC and inbound bring to your business and what steps you can take to implement both in your marketing plan.

The Value of PPC and Inbound Strategies in Your Marketing Campaigns

A popular belief is that PPC is costly. What needs to be understood is that you are in control of how much you spend by setting your own budget. With PPC, you only pay when your advertisement is clicked. This differs from traditional advertising, where you pay for space regardless of whether you generate conversions or not. 

The advertisements you create and the landing pages you drive them to is ever-important. Think of it this way, PPC is the fishing pole, and inbound is the hook that reels them in to convert. When you create an enticing landing page with engaging form fills that promote a positive user experience, you will catch their attention and drive conversions that increase revenue and the RIO for your clients.

Steps to Incorporate PPC and Inbound Methodologies: 

1. Assess Your PPC and Inbound Marketing Goals

You can’t just incorporate inbound methods into your paid search campaigns if you do not plan properly. In order to properly implement your inbound marketing strategy with your paid search efforts, you first have to decide what exactly you want it to look like. 

Ask Yourself These Questions: 

• Does this fit within your marketing scheme as a whole? 
• Do you have the right tools in place to properly integrate Inbound into your PPC efforts?
• How will it tie into your overall marketing plan? 
• How will you measure the success of the campaign as a whole? 

By answering these questions, you will be able to decide whether or not a combination of PPC and inbound marketing will work for your business. 

Strategic sessions are necessary to guarantee proper implementation. Once you know you have everything in place to move forward with a dual inbound and PPC campaign, you can begin planning a more detailed approach. 

Let’s Strategize!

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2. Stay PPC Oriented With an Inbound Marketing Mindset

Know that everything in the paid search realm works in tandem to accomplish a goal. Excellent ad copy, compelling creative assets, and a stellar landing page all come together to form a successful PPC campaign. If you are missing any of these three components, expect your overall efforts to suffer as a result. 

When creating your paid search campaigns and crafting your advertisements, keep in mind the core tenants of the inbound methodology. Your goal should be to provide interested users with the information they need in order to solve their problems. On the landing page, offer a call-to-action (CTA) and if the consumer is interested, they will follow through and complete the desired action. 

Most importantly, don’t force things. Focus on staying educational and informative to build trust with your target audience. Remember, many people perceive advertisements on the internet as intrusive. Trying to bait in potential customers with deceitful ad copy or overly aggressive messaging will only harm your metrics in the end. While you may experience a month of positive results, this will level off. Ensuring your ad copy is educational and light-handed will benefit your PPC campaigns far more than any aggressive messaging will. 

3. Understand How Inbound Marketing Can Boost Your PPC Metrics

When it comes to inbound marketing, taking the time to A/B test the copy between two display campaigns or test the effectiveness of different content offers help marketers get to know their audience –– thus improving the way you communicate with them. Similarly, optimizing your bidding strategies and ensuring the steps for proper campaign creation is essential for beginning paid search campaigns. 

There is a certain level of harmony between ad copy, content offers, keyword research, and landing pages. Everything works in unison. PPC metrics, like conversion rates, are affected by how enticing and well-placed form-fills are on landing pages. Similarly, the completion of goals through good inbound marketing efforts will help to boost conversion rates. This, in turn, can help boost the overall cost-per-acquisition.

Driving the bottom line is one of the most critical things you can do for your clients. If we’re being candid, the cost you pay per new acquisition is fundamental to the success of your campaigns –– especially if you’re executing a marketing strategy for an inbound marketing client. Enticing ad copy plus a landing page that draws the customer to complete an action is an excellent way of lowering the amount you pay for a new client.

Why does this lower cost?

Well, conversions are a lot like buying in bulk. You pay less the more you buy. If you are only generating 20 or 30 conversions a month, your cost per acquisition will be markedly higher compared to if you were generating 60 or 70 conversions per month.

Driving your conversion numbers up will drive your cost-per-acquisition down, ultimately boosting your bottom line. Paid search experts often live and die by the metrics. You can have all the hope in the world for your campaigns, but if your metrics don’t align with your promises, you won’t be given the time of day.

This applies to clients you are currently working with, as well. If your metrics continually decrease, in all likelihood, they will turn to someone else to handle their marketing efforts. In essence, if you are running a PPC campaign with an inbound infusion, if your inbound methods aren’t up to par, your PPC metrics will suffer as a result.

Create a Strategy for Your PPC and Inbound Marketing Efforts

When it comes to digital marketing, each piece of the puzzle must come together to execute a complete strategy for your business’s success. If not, your efforts will not be as successful. If all three of the above steps are in place, then you are ready to incorporate inbound into your PPC campaigns. 

At Pinckney Marketing, our team of experts work hand-in-hand to create a lead generating machine where website design, SEO, paid search, and inbound marketing all come together to attract, engage and convert high-quality leads for your organization. Take the first step today and let the professionals create a strategy for you! 

If you are looking for other ways to give your inbound marketing campaign an extra push, be sure to check out our Top Offers Bundle. 

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This post was originally written on November 15th, 2018, and rewritten on December 18th, 2020.