Why Think Twice About Pay Per Click Advertising?

You've heard a great deal about the possible benefits of pay per click advertising. You may not have heard about the wide range of possible problems and risks that are associated with this type of advertising.

What are some of the possible disadvantages of PPC campaigns?

Click Fraud

This is the first drawback that comes to mind for many who are considering pay per click as an advertising form. The reason is that it is the on that gets the most press. Click fraud is what happens when others click on your links fraudulently with no intention of buying at all and no intention of really checking out what your website has to offer. These clicks can add up and make a campaign cost more than it brings in. However, close monitoring and making quick changes can limit the damage done by fraudulent clickers. Be on guard for click fraud and make adjustments to your pay per click budget at the first signs of a potential problem.

Paying for Every Click

The one big drawback that gets little discussion is that you do pay for every click. Whether these clicks were honest in nature, fraudulent nature, or did or did not result in sales, you pay for all the clicks your ad receives. It doesn't matter the reason that the clicks aren't bringing in the sales you are paying for the clicks. It is important to know this before you get involved. Of course, there are plenty of times where this works out well for you. It is important that you are aware that this type of campaign does carry a few risks though just as it carries a few rewards.

Soaring Bid Prices

Back in the day bid prices were fairly low. It was possible to do even low income campaigns and bring in a profit with pay per click advertising. With rising competition comes rising prices. What this means for you is that bids for clicks are becoming more and more expensive. They only show signs of becoming more expensive as the popularity of the Internet and doing business online grows.

Human Error

There is no such thing as a perfect pay per click campaign, perfect keywords, or even a perfect landing page. There is definitely no magic formula that allows you to create perfection with each and every campaign you embark upon. Each campaign, keyword, landing page, and budget can bring about great success or a small disaster or two along the way. The flip side is that some of these campaigns are going to be rip roaring successes.

It always helps to enter into a new pay per click campaign or anything that is new to you with a realistic sense of the pros and cons. Keep these things in mind when you are making your plans and you should have a good idea of what you are in for, what the risks for, and how to go about guarding against them.