Pay-per-click is, as the name suggests, “When your targeted audience clicks on your given ad, then you will have to pay,” for example, Suppose there is a user who watches something, and suddenly, an ad appears in front of them. At that moment, the person has two options: either they click the ad, or they can skip it. If the person finds it interesting, he will click on the ad. Otherwise, he will skip it. But now we come to the point. It’s more than an ad; it’s something you want, actively seek, and talk about, which is why someone is trying to motivate you to buy it, and this process continuously repeats in front of you until you buy that product. This process is a continuous process that never ends. As we are human beings and our desires are unlimited, nothing in the universe can satisfy a human desire. That is why whenever a human mind demands or creates a new thing, the AI captures all our ideas through our search history, which is recorded whenever we search for something on the internet, which gives our details to the advertiser. After that, they target us and track our activities, too; the advertiser tries to attract us through our desired products, which are included in our desired list. Thus, it is no less than a trap. However, it does not mean Pay-Per-Click is a negative model. It helps us buy the right things or services at the right time. Now, we know what the PPC Model is and how it works. In simple terms, PPC is an online advertising model where an advertiser only pays the money when someone clicks on the ad; otherwise, he will not pay. This is very helpful for advertisers because they only get an interested audience in their products or services. Which is very beneficial from the advertisers’ point of view, and these points are :
1) Advertiser budgets are allocated only for users who show genuine interest.
2) Advertisers enjoy immediate benefits from PPC advertising. When users click on the ad, they are taken directly to the advertiser’s website or landing page. This increased traffic enhances engagement and raises the chances of successful conversions.
3) PPC Puts the Power in the Advertiser’s Hands: With PPC, advertisers can set and manage their budget, be it daily or monthly. This level of control ensures efficient budget management, giving the advertiser complete control.
4) PPC allows for precise audience targeting based on location, age, gender, and interests. This level of specificity ensures that the right message reaches the right people, making them feel understood and catered to, thereby enhancing their experience.
5) With PPC, tracking the audience is a breeze. This feature is convenient and crucial in setting and achieving organizational goals, providing a sense of reassurance to the advertiser, thereby instilling confidence in the process.
PPC helps businesses earn maximum profits for their organization, grow their business, increase customer awareness, and strengthen their brand, and that can be possible only through PPC. Thus, PPC is an opportunity for advertisers because they usually get financial benefits. But now we will discuss why I said this is a trap, too. It will be clear after discussing some points. These points are below:
1) Sometimes, customers may not have the budget to purchase or be mentally unprepared to buy anything. However, they can be distracted from their initial intent when they come across an attention-grabbing ad. These ads often promote enticing offers, like a 50% discount for same-day purchases. This strategy can lead customers to impulse buys, ultimately making them vulnerable to this marketing tactic.
2) Whenever the advertisers run this kind of ad in front of us, they always play with our fears, which is why they always mention urgency in their ads, for example, “ offer ending soon”, only a few left, or this is the last chance, etc. This behaviour is called FOMO, which means “Fear of missing out”; that’s why customers think they must buy that product on the spot; otherwise, they will miss the chance. So, they buy the products or services without thinking.
3) Advertisers always play with our emotions. They make us think that the product or service shown in the ad is fruitful for us and that we deserve it. This emotionally triggers us to buy any product or service for which we are not mentally prepared.
4) Sometimes, customers do not visit any shopping site, but when they see a Google or Instagram ad, they click on it, which motivates them to buy the products. This is also an example of becoming a victim of a PPC trap.
5) Sometimes, PPC shows us “Easy Payment Options,” “No-cost EMI,” or “Buy now and pay later.” That is also a big reason to buy anything. Thus, we are buying products to make our present more comfortable, but this is the main reason that makes our future more challenging: it puts financial pressure on our future.
PPC ads distract people from their real needs, so they spend their money on things that are not important to them, leading to financial problems. This only happens because buyers buy products without thinking. They do this because they feel they need this product, which occurs just because of PPC ads.
Conclusion: PPC is a powerful tool that can drive growth or drain your budget, depending on its use. When we handle it wisely, PPC can boost our business, but if mismanaged, it can become a blunder mistake. PPC can also become a psychological trap for customers — where flashy ads and urgent offers compel them to make unplanned purchases. Due to this, they will have to suffer from financial loss.