9 tips to master pay-per-click advertising for small business owners
August 14, 2025
Running a business is hard enough without having to master digital advertising, too. These 9 tips are designed to help you get better results from your pay-per-click (PPC) advertising without increasing your budget. With the right approach, you can make your budget work harder and your ads perform better.
Tip #1: Understand the basics of PPC
PPC is digital advertising where you pay a fee every time your ad is clicked. By definition, it seems simple enough, but the benefits of PPC are noteworthy.
PPC can be turned on and off with the click of a mouse.
Trackable results are seen immediately.
You aren’t charged until impressions turn into clicks.
You can change the audience to reach your ideal customers.
Ads can target customers locally, regionally, nation-wide or even globally.
Tip #2: Know how PPC platforms work
A PPC platform is an online advertising tool like Google Ads, Meta Ads or LinkedIn Ads that can charge advertisers when someone clicks on their ad. Many also offer other payment options, such as paying per impression (CPM) or per action (CPA), but PPC is one of the most common ways advertisers pay for results. These platforms help you with brand awareness, precision targeting and driving sales.
Here’s how it works:
Choose your audience based on keywords, location, demographics, interests or behavior.
Create ads including headlines, images and calls to action.
Set a budget and decide (manually or automatically) how much you’re willing to pay per click, impression or action depending on the campaign type.
You’ll tell the platform your maximum bid, and it will run an auction against competing ads.
The winning ad is displayed. For cost-per-click (CPC), you pay only if someone clicks. For CPM, you pay when your ad is displayed, even when no one clicks.
Tip #3: Budget smarter, not bigger
You don’t want to overspend, and you want to spend your budget wisely when it comes to PPC advertising.
Here’s a breakdown to help you feel confident about your PPC budget.
Set your goal. What are you trying to achieve?
Website traffic
Leads or signups
Sales or revenue
Brand awareness
Recommended budget with a simple formula
If your goal is leads or sales: Target number of conversions x Estimated CPA = Recommended Budget
If your goal is traffic: Target number of clicks x Estimated CPC = Recommended Budget
You need to ensure your estimated CPA/CPC is based on historical data or realistic benchmarks; otherwise, your budget could be too low or too high.
Set daily and monthly limits
Daily budget: Determine what you want to spend per day
Monthly budget: Set a top amount you want to spend each month
Tip #4: Bid smart, not high
PPC bidding is how you compete for ad space. Since there are usually multiple advertisers targeting the same audience or keywords, you “bid” on how much you’re willing to pay per click or impression. You’ll tell the platform (like Google or Meta) your maximum bid, and the platform then decides which ad gets shown, based on the bid, ad quality and other factors.
PPC bidding isn’t just about spending more money. A lower bid with a great ad can outperform a high bid with a bad ad. The goal is to know:
What you’re willing to pay
Who you’re targeting
The quality of your ad and landing page
PPC bidding terms:
Ad rank: A score used to determine your ad position and whether it shows at all.
Bid: The maximum amount you’re willing to pay for a click.
Cost-per-action (CPA): What you spend for your customers to take action.
Cost-per-click (CPC): What you actually pay for a click.
Cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM): The total ad spend for every 1,000 impressions an ad receives.
Google formula: Ad Rank = Bid × Quality Score (plus additional factors like ad extensions and auction-time signals).
Quality score (Google)/Relevance score (Meta): A rating from the ad platform that measures the quality, relevance and expected performance of your ad, based on factors like click-through rate, ad relevance and landing page experience
Tip #5: Build a winning ad structure
While the best PPC ad depends on the platform, all share common threads: relevance, attention-grabbing and drive action.
Always remember to:
Include your keyword in your headline
Use a hook to grab attention
Explain what makes you different or better
Match your ad message to your landing page
Have a strong call to action
Google search ad structure contains:
Headline – up to 30 characters each
Description – up to 90 characters each
Display URL – show a clean URL
Facebook & Instagram ad structure has:
Primary text above the image or video
Headline below the image or video
Description (optional)
Call to action button
LinkedIn ad structure includes:
Introductory text
Headline
Call to action button
Tip #6: Track what’s working (and not)
PPC ads give you access to metrics you track in real time, like conversions and return on investment. When you evaluate what’s working and what’s not, you can make adjustments that support your goals.
Here are some impactful key performance indicators you should watch:
Click-through rate (CTR): CTR indicates how often people click your ad after seeing it. A high CTR usually means your ad is relevant and appealing. The higher the CTR, the more likely you’re attracting quality traffic to your site.
Conversion rate: This is the percentage of customers who take a desired action after clicking your ad. Low conversion rates may mean your ad or landing page is not connecting with your target audience.
Cost-per-click (CPC): CPC is the amount you’re charged for each click on your ad. It is calculated by dividing your total ad spend by the number of clicks received. Understanding CPC helps you evaluate how efficiently you’re using your ad budget.
Keyword quality score: This metric measures how relevant and effective your keywords, ad and landing pages are. A good quality score improves your ad rank, which determines where your ad appears on search engine results pages. A top score gives your ad a better chance of appearing in premium spots.
Tip #7: Speak to your audience
Along with your keyword strategy, your ad copy needs to entice people to click on your ad. You need to speak to your customers’ intent and address their needs. Answer questions like “What are their pain points?”, “What motivates them to buy?” or “How does my product or service solve their problem?”
Typically, ads consist of a headline and short description with limited characters. To make the most of your ad space:
Speak to your customer
Include the main keyword you bid on
Use a compelling call to action
Make your offer appealing
Match your message and visuals to your landing page
Tip #8: Design your landing page to make the sale
Where your customer lands after they click your ad needs to deliver what you promised with a great experience. If you don’t do this, you’ll lose a customer.
To be successful, include these details and elements in your landing page:
Clean design and layout that match your ad design
Strong visuals and/or video
Match the headline to your ad
Include keywords in your landing page copy
Present the same offer as in your ad
A form to collect customer data
Tip #9: Partner with FCC
As your trusted, all-in-one advertising partner, Forum Communications puts your needs first. From crafting effective advertising to delivering real results, we’ll help you reach the right audience on any medium, including PPC.
When you work with us, you get:
Access to the largest audience in the Upper Midwest
Precision targeting with exclusive data insights
No extra fees for design, customer support or reports
Local experts you know and trust managing your advertising strategy
Mastering PPC doesn’t mean you have to know every detail on your own. With the right strategy and a trusted partner, you can stretch your ad dollars further, reach your customers and grow your business. Whether you’re just getting started or want to optimize your campaign, these 9 tips can help you turn clicks into real results.
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