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Why Do People Choose to Click on PPC Ads?

Why Do People Choose to Click on PPC Ads?

As a business owner and digital marketer, I know the importance of driving traffic and conversions through paid advertising..

One popular form of paid advertising is pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, which allows you to drive traffic to your website when potential customers click on your ads. But what makes people click on PPC ads? After all, aren't ads typically intrusive and ignorant of privacy? As it turns out, that's not always the case, and publishers like myself are constantly looking for new ways to make PPC ads more useful. Let’s start by looking at a few reasons why people might choose to engage with these types of ads and how you, as a business owner, can better optimize your PPC ads to perform:

1. PPC Ad Relevance

One of the main reasons people click on PPC ads is because they're relevant to their interests. If users search for a specific product or service and see an ad that offers what they are looking for, they are more likely to click on it. That much is well understood and I have personally had experience with interacting with ads that speak to my immediate browsing interests- same likely for you.

Establishing trust with users is critical to any business, which is why using targeted keywords and ad copy that speaks to the user's needs and interests is essential to ensure PPC ads are relevant to your target audience. You should also ensure that your landing pages are relevant to the ad so that users don't feel like they've been misled or taken to a page that doesn't meet their expectations. Trust is key here!

2. Users Can Get Paid for Clicking PPC Ads

The advertising industry has continuously operated in a way that only publishers, major search engines, and social media websites benefited from advertising revenue. However, there are new services for users to earn money by engaging with relevant ads. Comrade is one such service that allows you to pay consumers when they engage with your digital ads. By paying users to view or interact with your ads, you can increase the visibility of your campaigns and drive more traffic and conversions, as long as the ads are relevant to the user's interest at the time.

Using tools like Comrade can be an excellent way to get more eyes on your ads, especially if you're targeting a specific website's audience. Unlike other advertising platforms, Comrade allows you to deliver ads on any website, including search engines, social media websites, eCommerce marketplaces, and competitor websites. I use it for the purposes of reaching users that are looking for a similar product on a competing website, and sending them offers with a similar product at a better price. It's also an excellent way to get feedback on your ads, as users can provide their thoughts on the ad after interacting with it. This form of user payment for ad engagement is called attention cash back, and it's a staple of Comrades' mission to flip the script on traditional PPC models.

3. Timeliness and urgency of PPC Ad campaigns.

People might be more inclined to click on PPC ads when there's a limited-time offer. If users see an ad offering a limited-time sale or a product they've been considering purchasing, they are more likely to click on it. To make your PPC ads more enticing, you can use ad copy and landing pages that emphasize the limited availability of your products or services. You can also use countdown timers or other urgency-creating elements to encourage users to take action. I have personally set up many content ads that rely on instilling a sense of urgency for receiving content before other users, discount codes that are set to expire, and more! Think about all those infomercials you've seen that have a live countdown timer urging you to "buy now before it's too late."

4. Trustworthiness of PPC Ads

Users are more likely to click on PPC ads if they trust the company or brand behind them. This is why it's essential to establish trust with your target audience through your ads and landing pages. To build trust with your audience, you should use high-quality images and graphics in your ads and clear, concise ad copy that accurately reflects what you're offering. You should also ensure that your landing pages are professional and well-designed with the information the users need to make an informed purchase decision. Google has recently implemented the Helpful Content Update which is another way that publishers (such as myself) are creating content that establishes more trust with consumers. Your ads should do the same.

5. PPC Ad Curiosity

Sometimes, people click on PPC ads simply because they're curious about what's being offered. An ad with a catchy headline or an interesting image might pique a user's curiosity and encourage them to click on it (think Buzzfeed style posts). To tap into users' curiosity with your PPC ads, you should use headlines and images that are attention-grabbing and unique. You should also make sure that your ad copy is compelling and that it gives users a reason to click on it. For example, whenever I write a new article post on Millennial Moderator, I always (try) to use titles and headers that are appealing to readers and would catch their attention when scrolling on social media. The same principal applies here. That said, it's suggested to avoid creating clickbait headlines that are only designed to make the user click without considering what the user will find on the landing page. Some search engines and platforms may even reprimand you for this, so be careful.

Conclusion

There are several reasons why people might click on PPC ads. These include relevance, timeliness, trustworthiness, curiosity, and using platforms like Comrade to pay consumers to engage with the ad. By understanding these factors and using them to your advantage, you can improve the effectiveness of your PPC campaigns and maximize your conversions!

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Tagged in : MarketingPPC

Aleksey Weyman

Aleksey Weyman is a writer and founder of Millennial Moderator. He has over a decade of experience in published writing, technology (formerly Amazon, Apple) and digital marketing for business brands. His expertise with PPC ads comes from running the Millennial Moderator blog as well as former background in Business Technology from the University of Washington.