How is PPC evolving and how are brands' uses of it changing?

After Google banned bidding on trademark-targeted terms in November 2007, marketers using PPC have had to swiftly re-evaluate their strategies. Companies must now make carefully constructed, but ultimately generic terms work for them. This bid by Google to increase the internet's credibility has certainly made PPC a more valid brand marketing tool.

For marketers, the change has placed an emphasis on finding niche terms that will attract more targeted - if less copious - traffic. Canny businesses have tapped into the fact that the further down the purchasing path an internet user is the more precise the search term they use. So, the term ‘recruitment company' might attract hundreds of clicks, but it won't necessarily be hits from the most profitable customer profile. ‘Financial recruitment company Manchester', however, will not only be lighter on the budget thanks to less competition for the term, but it will attract hits from companies with clear needs, who are closer to purchase.

Companies using PPC as a marketing tool are forced to find their niche – their USP – and employ their wiles to convey these messages in a restricted key term word limit.''

Wha has changed regarding PPC in the last couple of years?

Until the last couple of years, search marketing has been viewed as a black art – and to some extent it still is. However, with businesses now tapping into SEO's almost limitless potential and tangible returns, PPC has to hold its own as a marketing tool to complement search marketing.

There will always be a place for PPC however, as certain, less web savvy, prospective purchasers remain unaware that sites appearing at the very top of a search engine, or in the prominent right hand position, are in fact sponsored links. Any lingering mistrust of SEO will also mean that internet users in the know will opt for a paid-for listing, viewing it as a legitimate website.

Neither SEO or PPC can be viewed as autonomous activities, but must work together as part of a carefully considered online marketing strategy.''

How are habits trends and opinions of buyers changing?

With an exponential rise in the credibility and integrity of the internet over the last couple of years, buyers are more and more willing to use it to not merely research companies and services, but to make purchasing decisions.

Buyers are becoming ever more refined in their use of the internet and are now far more adept at keying-in search terms that will result in their needs being met quickly and efficiently.

What this means for PPC campaigns is a not-to-be-underestimated emphasis on testing the worth of online marketing tools and making full use of analytics suites to continually improve performance. However, ensuring visibility on page one of a search engine may soon become a preoccupation of the past: with customers placing more trust in the internet, they're willing to research more thoroughly, and will certainly now consider companies ranked on page two and maybe even beyond.