Training Article - PPC / Search Engine Advertising For Agents!

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What Is PPC / Search Engine Advertising:

PPC means "Pay Per Click", it's a form of internet advertising, in this article we are going to discuss PPC advertising with regards to search engines.

There is also PPC advertising on many popular web sites (e.g: Realtor.Com, CNN, etc). However, most of these would not be recommended for the individual agent, as they are often more expensive and do not provide better results, also they are generally less custimizable and have fewer options.

This article will only discuss PPC advertising in the context of search engines, like Google, Yahoo, and MSN for example.

You may notice that when searching on search engines you will see "sponcered results" at the top, bottom or to the side of the "real results". These are the PPC Advertiments.

What Is PPC Advertising On A Search Engine:

* You have an advertisement (sometimes called a "Sponsored Result").
* Your ad will come up on a search engine when a person searches for a "search term".
* The ad would direct people to your web site or a particular page of your site.
* You pay money each time a person "clicks" on your ad (goes to your web site).

An Example Of PPC Advertising:

1. Let's assume that you are a real estate agent working in "Boston, Mass". You want to make an ad on Google that targets home buyers.

2. You go to Google and signup for their PPC advertising and then you make an ad that would say something like:

Go Here 4 Homes In Boston... Great Selection Of New Homes!

3. Then you use the "setting" in your advertiser account at Google to make it so your ad comes up when people search for some "search terms", maybe ones like the following:

Buy Homes In Boston, Boston Homes, Buy Homes Boston, New Homes In Boston, and so on...

4. Your advertisement will now appear on Google when people search for these terms.

5. Each time someone goes to your site (by clicking on your ad) you pay Google.

How Much Does PPC Advertising Cost:

The cost of PPC advertising can vary. The good thing is that you are in control of how much you are going to spend! You can set a "maximum" of what you are willing to pay "per click" as well as a total amount per day, week, month, etc...

Remember, with PPC advertising you are paying "per click" (each time someone clicks on your ad to go to your web site).

The cost per click depends on the "Search Terms" that you want your ad to appear for, the more popular and/or competitive the term is, the more you will pay.

Where Do I Signup For PPC Advertising:

Currently there are two companies that do this are Google (called Adsence) and Yahoo / Overture.

MSN is currently working on their own system as well - when that is fully released to the public - it will also be a major player.

Here are the links to where you can go to signup or learn more:

Google - AdSence: https://www.google.com/adsense/
Yahoo - Sponsored Search: http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/
MSN - AdCenter: http://advertising.msn.com/searchadv/

There are many other companies that do this too, many of the "smaller search engines" and portal sites but these are not recommend - as MSN, Yahoo, & Google account for over 90% of all search engine use.

Warning About PPC Advertising:

Like all forms of marketing, you don't just "Dive in" into PPC adverting without first doing your research, reading up on the topic, and learning so you know what you are doing.

• Would you do a radio commercial without first doing some research?

• Would you put up a billboard without giving any thought as to where the billboard will be placed and how many people will see it?

Unless your a fool, you wouldn't do that! The same goes for PPC advertising!

PPC advertising can be very effective or not very effective at all. Each market area is different, each agent is different in their approach, and there are many other factors as well.

Now, we're not saying don't do it! PPC advertising can get a very effective tool!

Just remember, like all other types of adverting, it is not something you do without first "doing your research" and understanding that advertising is often about "Trial and Error".

Where You Can Learn More About PPC Advertising, So You Can Make Informed Decisions And Increase Your Changes Of Success:

There are many web sites out there that can teach you about PPC adverting and give you great tips, ideas, etc. There is even "forums" and chat rooms online that people use to share their experiences and help one another. The internet is a great resource for this... if you use it!

Training Article Summary

Never ignore the power of the Internet! Like all the different "tools" that you can use to market and prospect for more listing and sales, the Internet should not be ignored.

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