71 The "Big 3" of PPC Advertising

The Story Selling Podcast

Every business needs at least one source of consistent good quality leads. That source could be online or off, digital or analogue (i.e. in-person).

I've come to the assessment in recent years that EVERY business should have at least one paid advertising platform as part of your marketing approach. Even if it isn't your primary source of leads, running ads teaches you valuable lessons about your market, and incentivises you to develop robust marketing follow-up systems.

The "Big 3" players in the paid advertising space are Google, Meta and LinkedIn. On this episode, I explore how to identify the right platform for your business.

Discussion Points and Bullets:

1. Importance of a Consistent Source of Leads

- Necessity of at least one reliable lead generation method.

- Examples include digital marketing, SEO, referrals, and networking.

- Aim to generate one good lead per day.

2. Role of Paid Advertising in Marketing

- Paid ads provide an instant source of leads.

- Encourages attention to metrics and follow-up on leads.

- Helps in understanding market responses and refining other marketing strategies.

3. Primary Paid Advertising Platforms: The Big Three

- Introduction to choosing among Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

- Decision-making on focusing on one primary platform for simplicity and effectiveness.

4. Deep Dive into Each Platform

- **Google Ads:**

- Best for markets with active search behavior.

- Advantages of capturing leads with high purchase intent.

- **LinkedIn Ads:**

- Ideal for B2B service-based markets.

- Ability to target specific job roles and company details.

- Importance of nurturing leads over time.

- **Facebook Ads (Meta):**

- Recommended for B2C markets and interest-based targeting.

- Useful for reaching potential clients not currently in purchase mode.

5. Selecting the Right Primary Advertising Platform

- Criteria for choosing the best platform based on business type and target market.

- Discussion of when to focus on niche markets through specific keywords on Google.

- Exploration of social media for building potential client lists in non-active buying markets.

**6. Implementing and Managing Paid Advertising**

- Importance of focusing on one platform to manage complexity.

- Steps to set up and optimize campaigns on the chosen platform.

- Advice on setting a testing budget for advertising experiments.

**7. Long-term Strategic Planning for Lead Generation**

- Continuous need for lead generation and marketing effort.

- Using paid advertising to ensure a consistent influx of new leads.

- Planning and budget management for scaling successful advertising strategies.