Since Google Adwords started back in 2000, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has been touted as the best way to gain visibility online. But is it best for homebuilders? That depends, and here’s why: 

The Benefits of Pay-Per-Click (PPC)

• Targeted exposure in search results: This means you have far more chance of appearing on the first page of Google when someone enters your search term. The first few spots on Google search results are always taken up by PPC advertisers, and a recent report reveals that over 71% of searches get a page one click.
• Almost instant results. With PPC advertising, even the smallest or newest home builder websites can start drawing traffic.
• PPC is versatile. There’s little commitment beyond the budget you fix, so if you decide to change keywords or switch to a different landing page, you can. You’re free to experiment and optimize as much as you like.
• Geo-targeted ads. These are great for home builders who operate locally. PPC allows you to tailor your marketing to specific cities, regions or countries, and you can even exclude certain areas if you need to.
• Scheduled ad releases. These allow you to restrict advertisements to certain times of the day. If you’re specifically asking people to phone, for instance, you don’t want them calling in the middle of the night. Set your timings so ads only appear when your staff is there to take the call, and you won’t miss any. 

Why PPC Might Not Suit You

Choosing the right keywords can be tricky in order to get the precise results you’re hoping for. Getting more web traffic is great, but people simply passing through won’t bring in more business. 

Similarly, if competitors are using the same keywords but outbidding you, their campaign will rank higher than yours. In other words, they stand a higher chance of getting the clicks. 

Ads can get stale, resulting in a falling CTR (click through rate). Constant testing and monitoring is the only way to stay current, so it can be time consuming. 

Additional PPC Opportunities

You’re not restricted to Google Adwords if you want to give PPC a try. For homebuilders who’re active on social media, maybe these social PPC campaigns would work for you: 

• LinkedIn PPC - A huge professional network, LinkedIn advertising could work for homebuilders who want to connect with other professionals in similar or complementary industries. Mostly good for B2B advertising, LinkedIn ads won’t give you the reach of others, but might be worth a look.
• Facebook Ads - At the opposite end of the market is Facebook, which as everyone knows is vast and global. You can target in much the same way as you can with Google, and since the ads appear in timelines they can also help increase brand recognition. For homebuilders selling direct to consumers, Facebook might produce better results than alternative social advertising.
• Pay Per Call - a variation on the pay per click theme whereby you pay for phone calls received instead of links clicked. It’s a different model, but for some it allows for greater control of the budget and more easily measured ROI. 

Whether you should invest in pay per click depends on your budget and how much time you have. It’s not a set-and-forget option, but done right it can bring great results.