Social networking sites are the in-thing now! Million and millions of people from all over the world, coming from different age groups with varying interests, background and status join websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and the like to communicate, socialize, reconnect and locate old and new acquaintances.

These social networking sites especially Facebook give the power to its ever-increasing users to be seen and heard throughout the globe. It has such power to influence the minds and hearts of people, society and even governments. It has the capacity to define what’s in and what’s not. Facebook is a great and influential tool to let a message out – it was even used to get real-time news, accounts and inside scoops to disasters, emergencies and even upheavals from all over the world in the recent past.

Certainly, Facebook’s power over millions of lives from all over the globe cannot be underestimated. It has become even an essential daily or even constant activity of many people. Its command, dominance and influence to millions of people are here to stay and even continue to grow stronger each day. Yes, it is the most sought-after social networking website today especially when you are talking about the scope and the reach it has. Facebook is undeniably the benchmark. It is the most in-demand platform for online marketing. Its marketing capabilities are limitless. Marketing and advertising companies are all focusing on maximizing the power of Facebook. There is no doubt, the volume of traffic is huge, and the number of business pages are increasing by the minute and so too is Facebook’s advertising.

Currently, Facebook is pioneering and leading in the use of pay per click (PPC) advertisement in social media. The “Facebook power” is definitely every advertiser’s dream. Every marketing firm will do everything in its power to tap and maximize this medium. Everyone is scrambling to get his niche in this unique and very popular platform.

It is without question that Google Adwords is a trailblazer in pay per click advertising and for this reason it has been dubbed as the maestro of PPC. Presently, Google Adwords has very steep competition and its market is already saturated; thus making the pay per click campaign more expensive. So the pressing question now is, who is a better and more effective option for online pay per click advertising? Is it Google Adwords, the trailblazer or Facebook, the new giant?

The Face Off: Google Adwords vs. Facebook PPC

Google Adwords uses the conventional and traditional approach on online marketing. Its method is heavily depended on keyword placing as well as search phrases and it focuses on what people are looking and searching for. Facebook, on the other hand, is centering on drawing like-minded people. Its strategy is showcasing businesses and products they patronize and believe in, which was liked or shared by their friends; thus resulting to a higher probability of getting the desired response to get interested in these ads.

Since Google Adwords’ market is already saturated and costs are quite high; Facebook, meanwhile, is fairly new in the pay per click market but has the capacity to produce almost the same number of impressions as Adwords but with a relatively cheaper rate. This is the reason why most online marketing firms are gearing towards opening Facebook business pages and concentrate more on Facebook PPC advertising.

Moreover, Facebook pay per click campaign strategy is tailor-fit. It has the ability to target specific demographics with more precision and is able to reach directly to the end-user. You are able to customize the campaign according to age bracket as well as specific locations such as cities, states and countries.

Joining the Facebook Bandwagon

There is no doubt, everyone in the marketing arena wants to use and capitalize on Facebook’s great power and influence in order to expand and increase their reach and scope. Here are 5 guaranteed tips on Facebook pay per click advertising that you might want to take note of if you are considering to use this medium.

1. Identify Your Target Market

Knowing your target audience is the first step in every marketing campaign and the same is true in pay per click advertising. This is important for you to determine the most effective way to acquire their business through your pay per click campaigns. A generic and non-specific marketing campaign is an ineffective and unwise strategy to speed up the success of your campaign.

The key to successful adverting is tailor-fit and customized approach; meaning, aiming for a specific set of people who show interest in the products or services that you offer. This strategy, therefore, increases the probability of your success rate and this is also a more cost-efficient method. This too clearly defines the focus of your campaign.

So how does Facebook customize its audience? Facebook has the ability and capacity to filter your preferred location, age bracket and interests. This allows you more room and greater flexibility to streamline your target market from a specific area, which is advantageous to local businesses that are into online selling. Tags, on the other hand, enable you to tap targeted users that show interest in a specific keyword. For instance, if you indicated in your profile that music is one of your interests then when a tag about music is placed on a pay per click campaign, you are now included in the targeted audience.

2. Come Out With Different Ad Variations

It is important that you create and come out with different variations of your ad campaign to determine what are the most effective language and approach to use. This will enable you to know what is catching your audience attention and which one has the ability to create more conversions. Creating variations means trying and testing different headlines, graphics or texts.

This approach lets you know if you have created a “winning ad.” Winning is the act done after clicking on the advertisement and not just the act of clicking the advert. Simply put, conversion rate is of prime importance. Is your strategy effective? Are you able to maximize the potential of your Facebook pay per click advertisement? Is it producing your desired conversion rate? These and more you will know if you create varying ads.

3. Create A Head-Turning Landing Page

Landing pages has to have an x-factor because it is your deal sealer. They have to be attention grabbing. You have to be able to capture their eyes, ears and mind to what you are offering and eventually turning them to be your customers. The main purpose of a landing page is to give you high conversions by creating a positive and engaging experience for your potential customers. Remember, landing pages gives your customers that first impression and as they say, first impression lasts so it has to be an awesome encounter!

4. Stir Them To Act

Your campaign has to be quickly understood by your prospective customer. You have to convey your message the second they saw your advert. This is done through the effective convergence of usability, strong copywriting and attractive creative design – the purpose is for your audience to act on what they saw. You have to stir them to do something, which is to click and check out your products or services. A pay per click campaign can only be successful if you are able to let your target users act and do the next steps. Again, the main goal is to increase conversion, and not to simply shove the ads on your audience’s faces. Give them a valid reason to click on the ad, since you are paying for it, and in make a good impression once they get to your page.

5. Do Not Stop

As they say, quitters never win. Persistence and patience are essential virtues in this business. Just keep on going. If one campaign fails, stand up, assess and recreate. There is no room discouragement in this highly competitive business. You just have to learn from your mistakes and constantly improve and innovate. As with any other marketing campaign, you have to be always hands-on and on your toes since competition here is very steep. You have to always anticipate and always be a step ahead of others so that you will not be caught unguarded and causing your campaign to fail.

You have to take time to review, analyze and study what is effective and what is not. It is a good idea to try a two-week campaign with varying versions. After that, assess the numbers from the statistics and then revise and improve and launch the campaign again, showing the innovations done from your assessment. Thereafter, study and compare the results of the two launches and then move on with more refinements and come out with one more campaign now showcasing your best advert. With this strategy, you will definitely see the results that you are looking for.

Yes, Facebook is such a big and vast market. It has so much potential for successful marketing campaigns. Facebook has no boundaries and very promising. The future of pay per click advertising in Facebook is as bright as the midday sun. Be wise, be creative and do not let any opportunity slip – starting building a successful Facebook pay per click campaign now for the success of your business or website.