Driving traffic to a website is a real challenge: SEO and content marketing rarely generate results overnight, whilst social media marketing can be pegged back by constant algorithmic changes. This can lead some marketers to prioritize paid web traffic (PPC) if they are launching campaigns and seeking quick results.

However, paid traffic generation certainly doesn?t guarantee quick results, as you?ll face a wide variety of factors from audience behaviors to advertising platforms. Each paid traffic source has its own price policy and requirements for the ads it presents, which means you can end up generating countless versions of ad copy, getting clicks that never convert into leads and sales, and overpaying for customers that don?t offer a good return on your investment.?

These challenges can be overcome by creating and implementing a calculated and considered paid traffic strategy that relies on a combination of manual planning and AI automation.?

In this article, I will explain how paid web traffic works, and how you can make it effective for your business with a comprehensive approach.

However, paid traffic generation certainly doesn?t guarantee quick results, as you?ll face a wide variety of factors from audience behaviors to advertising platforms. Each paid traffic source has its own price policy and requirements for the ads it presents, which means you can end up generating countless versions of ad copy, getting clicks that never convert into leads and sales, and overpaying for customers that don?t offer a good return on your investment.?

These challenges can be overcome by creating and implementing a calculated and considered paid traffic strategy that relies on a combination of manual planning and AI automation.?

In this article, I will explain how paid web traffic works, and how you can make it effective for your business with a comprehensive approach.

What is Paid Search Traffic and How Does it Work?

Paid web traffic consists of visitors who land on your website after clicking on an advert. It can come from a variety of sources:

According to The State of PPC in 2019-2020 by Hanapin Marketing, 74% of marketers consider paid traffic generation to be a huge driver for their business. We need to recognize the key differences between paid and organic traffic from search engines to understand why that might be happen.

It?s tempting to think that a switch to PPC will help you get more visits, especially when you can essentially buy them, but basic traffic is not what you need. Paid traffic needs to generate leads and transactions.

This is known as ?relevant? or ?converting? traffic, which means that the visitors you attract should be more likely to make a purchase. To get such visitors from your paid traffic sources, wherever they are placed, you can follow a 6-step system that covers each stage of the customer journey, from clicking on an ad to becoming a paying customer.?

As part of a longer-term strategy further down the line, you?ll be able to leverage other digital marketing tactics to encourage these customers to stay with you.

Step 1: Create a Smart Paid Traffic Roadmap

People who say that PPC doesn?t work might have tried to run their ad campaigns without planning them first. To avoid common pitfalls like little or no impressions, huge overspend, and low click-through rate (CTR), you should start by creating a detailed roadmap based on reasonable KPIs, thorough audience research, a clear marketing message, and a list of eligible channels to disseminate it.

Step 2: Plan Your Budget Wisely

One of the biggest mistakes in launching a PPC campaign is failing to conduct proper research in preparation.?

Depending on the industry, the CPC can vary significantly. For example, in electronics, a click can cost an average of just $0.74, which is almost nothing compared to the insurance industry, where the average price is $14.50.?

Another problem is that failing to do your calculations ??i.e. working out not only how much money you are going to spend, but what you are going to spend it on, and what you want in return ??can result in an increased ad spend that only brings a few low-quality leads to your site.?

Here are 3 main questions to answer to help you properly plan your budget:

Which keywords are you going to target? Depending on your goal (brand awareness or conversions), keywords may vary greatly in terms of price and competition. Start with the Keyword Magic Tool, which offers plenty of data about keywords and their potential, to find your targets.?

Which locations will you cover? CPC can change significantly between states and regions. Start by checking your industry using the CPC Map, and see which locations might be the best fits for your advertising, as well as which you need to exclude to make savings in your budget.

What is your main KPI? Keywords that create brand awareness don?t necessarily drive conversions, as your audience is far less likely to be ready to buy. They are more curious than anything, so set only one KPI for each campaign

Step 3: Create Winning Ad Copy

Have you ever felt like you have been misled about a product or a piece of content after clicking on an ad? Your audience won?t forgive you if you do this to them. Make a fair promise and deliver on it, and you?ll be more likely to encourage the actions you want.?

Any compelling ad copy is made up of a targeted headline and a triggering description. The first tells your prospects what is in it for them, and the second explains how they can get it there and then.?

The first two ads are poorly targeted, as very few of those who sell collectibles or crafted posters will consider opening online shops. The third, on the contrary, is absolutely clear, and is ideal for artists and collectors.

How do you create targeted ad copy to attract relevant traffic?