The appeal of search engine advertising, also called paid search, pay-per-click or PPC, is obvious: Your ad appears on the search results pages of search engines like Google and Yahoo! when users type in relevant keywords.

However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Before undertaking a PPC campaign, ask yourself these five questions:

1. Can you clearly describe your product in two or three words? A text ad is brief. The more specific you can be—including, say, a brand or model name—the more likely you are to attract the right customers. "Eames chair" is better than, "modern furniture," which is better than, "living room furniture."
2. Do you have a variety of product/service offerings? Customers want options. More choices will increase the chances that they’ll add an item to their shopping carts.
3. What’s your price point? If it’s less than $50, PPC might not be cost-effective. At the same time, closing an online sale for more than $250 can be difficult.
4. How competitive are you within your category? Online customers will hit the Back button quickly if you don’t offer a better price, better quality or better customer service.
5. How shopable is your Web site? Unclear navigation and slow-loading pages frustrate customers. If you’re paying for an ad that links to your site, be sure your site is user-friendly.

The Po!nt: If you’ve answered these questions to your satisfaction, a search engine advertising campaign might be just the thing for you.

To learn more about what paid search can do for your small business, Pro Members can review this MarketingProfs template.

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