Selecting the wrong PPC agency will result in the dissatisfaction cited in Jon Miller's blog posting. However, using PPC companies or SEM companies who specialize in B2B marketing will enhance the effect of your PPC campaigns.

Jon explicitly states that, "agencies will never understand your customers and your business as well as you, especially B2B firms that sell more complicated products and services." This statement is accurate and completely supported; however, in-house advertisers tend to speak in terms of the company lingo, not exactly synonymous with what your customers are using. Wrapping your head around this paradigm shift is critical for the success of any marketing campaign and hiring an agency that is one-step removed from the company, can enhance communications with your customer, after all ad agencies have been around for a while for a reason; PPC is only the next evolution.

Although PPC management software is available, PPC software cannot provide the total solution provided by a full-service SEM firm. The management of PPC is a cumbersome and time consuming process, if done manually. PPC management software will save time and, if implemented correctly, can save an advertiser money. Even PPC management companies should be taking full advantage of management software to increase efficiencies. However, software does not provide critical analysis and insight; it lacks the ability to get the story from the numbers.

Where an SEM company provides its value is by understanding the consumer and learning how to best communicate with that consumer. What is the user looking for when the land on the site and how best to sell to them? What action to you want the user to take and how best to convince the user to take that action? PPC is only one action step in the equation and a full service SEM vendor can provide significant value to a PPC campaign outside of the management function.

Another of Jon's arguments made in the blog posting is the frustration felt over the loss of control of campaigns and significant lag time to having changes made. However, with a smaller, B2B-focused SEM company changes to PPC campaigns can be made as efficiently as would an in-house department. Where the value is to the advertising company is the additional total solution provided by a full-service SEM firm to maximize the effect of the change and provide supporting initiatives.

Jon also makes the 'fox guarding the henhouse' argument with regards to reporting and the effectiveness of PPC from the management company. Knowing what metrics are important to you before employing the help of a PPC company will aid in knowing the effectiveness of your PPC campaign. Additionally, it is only possible for a SEM company to grow their business within the SEM industry by growing their reputation and therefore providing value to the advertiser is good business, whether the PPC campaign is the method of choice or not; yet another point on the scoreboard for a full-service SEM agency. A true SEM agency will be able to provide alternative solutions to help you achieve your business goals. However, in the end there is only one metric that cannot be argued with, return on investment (ROI). If your PPC campaign costs more than the revenue it generates, then you have your answer regardless of the fancy charts and graphics provided by most SEM agencies. No matter the dashboard provided by a SEM company, there will be no hiding the bottom line.

One of the metrics Enquiro uses to base the success of its PPC campaign on is the cost per conversion. We specialize in knowing your business and being able to determine at what cost per conversion value is provided to the advertiser and continually work to ensure that your PPC campaign yields a profit per visitor generated through your PPC campaign.

A special thanks to Jon for posting on this subject and exposing the frauds giving solution providers a bad reputation. Jon's blog posting makes several valid arguments and should be used by a company investigating the implementation of a PPC campaign.. However, selecting a PPC agency who can offer a more complete, total solution based on an in depth understanding of your company and your target market can provide additional value beyond the time and headache savings. Enquiro specializes in offering the total solution through an industry-leading approach of understanding you and your customer. We get it!


Kyle Grant
Sponsored Search Marketing Strategist
Search Engine Positioning by Searchengineposition
Enquiro Full Service Search Engine Marketing

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