Cost Per Click (CPC)

As a therapist running a business you’ll be encouraged to use a number of advertising methods in order to generate more clients. One of the major avenues to explore is online advertising such as your own website and listings on industry specific directories. Another useful tool to add to your marketing mix is a cost per click campaign.

Cost Per Click (CPC) is an advertising technique to market and promote your website by bidding on keywords that will target a group of potential clients who would most likely be searching for a service or product. For example, if you offer a counselling service, then bidding on the keywords ‘counselling service‘ will mean that anyone searching using those terms will see an ad of yours.

You may have seen these advertisements on the right hand side of the Google search results pages (titled ‘sponsored links’) and also two or three at the top of the page. If someone clicks on your ad link, they are taken to your website and you pay Google for the cost of that referral.

CPC is a beneficial method of advertising when used alongside other techniques but it shouldn’t be relied upon on its own to generate business.

Google Resellers

It is possible to manage your own CPC campaign but doing so will require a certain amount of knowledge and time. As a busy therapist, you’re probably unlikely to have either so it makes sense to outsource this to a company who specialise in CPC.

There are a number of reputable companies who can offer this service to you. However, as with any business opportunity, there are many companies who use questionable selling tactics in order to get your money. These companies will inevitably also charge you over the odds for an inferior service.

Many therapists listed with GoToSee have already been targeted by companies claiming to be Google or associated with Google. These companies, and others, are trying to sell online marketing solutions to businesses and it appears that they seem to be particularly focusing on small business and the health sector.

Stripping back the services they are offering it appears all they are doing is selling the service of setting up and running a cost per click (CPC) campaign. The problem isn’t the services they are selling, just how they are selling it and the prices.

Firstly – Many claim to be phoning from Google but be assured Google do not make any outbound calls to sell their products, they don’t need to.

Secondly – A number of these companies are charging between £150 to £400 set up fee plus monthly fees of around £150. These prices are staggering and totally unnecessary. It doesn’t cost that much to set up and run that type of service.

Google Certified Partners

You may be thinking that setting up a Google ad campaign. or rather finding someone to do it for you, is rather like negotiating a minefield. However, there is a way of ensuring that you’ll receive a professional service and that’s to seek out a Google AdWord Certified Partner.

Google AdWords Certified Partners are online marketing professionals who manage AdWords (CPC) accounts. To achieve this sought after certification and status, companies or individuals have invested time training and using AdWords and they must pass Google exams to demonstrate their in-depth knowledge of AdWords.

When choosing a Google Certified Partner, consider what your advertising needs will be and then try to match them with a professional’s services.

GoToSee, which is operated by their parent company Internet Marketing Team, is a Google Certified Partner which means they are well placed to help people in the Health sector who want to start up a campaign.

Should you run a CPC campaign?

As we’ve already mentioned, there is nothing wrong with running a CPC marketing campaign, run correctly it can prove to be a good addition to your marketing mix. Just make sure you’re working with a reputable company and you’re getting value for money.

GoToSee actually run one of the largest CPC campaigns in the UK for the health and therapy sector and are very well placed to help and advise you on this matter. If you’re already a GoToSee customer, we could be running these campaigns specifically for you anyway so you may well be paying for something we are already running for you i.e. paying twice and potentially bidding against the campaign we have set up for you.

So our advice is this:

1. Always research the company who is calling you, Google their name and see what pops up. You may be shocked to find websites and blogs with ex-customer feedback telling you to stay clear of them.

2. Ask for a written proposal and outline of what they will do for you and at what cost.

3. Call GoToSee and ask our advice. We are happy to look at your proposal and give you unbiased feedback. Our team comprises of a number of internet marketing specialists and if you’re a GoToSee customer you have access to their knowledge base whenever you need it.

About The Author   GoToSee are experts in online marketing and run affordable CPC campaigns for therapists. To find out how GoToSee can help you get in touch here