[ElizabethP]

I know that ppc marketing can bring you hits and can bring up your Search Engine Optimization rankings which is great but it is just a lot of blind clicking by people paid fractions of pennies isn't it?
Is it honest?
What's your opinion?

[AddCoderPro]

Basically, the assumption is the person who clicks your ad is more likely interested with what you are offering. It is your job to convert those clicks into leads, then to sale. The best way to do it is to capture information (name, email) so that when he leaves the site, you can have a follow up with the customer.

[Dan11]

Yes I'd love to know what % of people actually buy things when they click on an ad link, you would assume not many would buy anything so it is really tough to see where all these advertising $$ are going most of the time.
Thats why I dont spend alot on PPC :)

[Dana]

Dan11 wrote, "Yes I'd love to know what % of people actually buy things when they click on an ad link, you would assume not many would buy anything so it is really tough to see where all these advertising $$ are going most of the time.
Thats why I dont spend alot on PPC"

Dana's two cents:
As far as I'm concerned, you should diversify your advertising so you aren't only relying on one method.

If I were spending 100% of my advertising budget on ptc sites as a means of bringing traffic to my site I might not get the best results.

Because people want more than just page visits, most companies will split their budget into various areas.

As for the morality side of it, I suppose when you broadcast on a pbs type station, you run the risk of people watching without calling in for a donation so to me, it's a chance that you take.
Also, someone who doesn't buy your product after watching your commercial today may have atleast gotten a seed planted to buy a product in the future.
Restaurants with big signs in the window that say, "Washrooms are for Customers ONLY" really irritate me.
If I stop in for a coffee today but don't use the facilities, does that mean that tomorrow if I don't want a coffee, I can't use your restroom? If that's the attitude a company takes, I'd rather take my coffee business elsewhere.
Alternatively, if I stop in somewhere to buy something small and get a huge amount of help from someone I'm willing to pay a bit more for their service or go out of my way to frequent their establishment rather than get service without a smile for cheaper.

Customer service is huge to most people and if someone reads your ad today and it plants a seed, it may take a while to reap the harvest but the harvest will come and word-of-mouth marketing is free. I always tell people around me about my experiences (good or bad) with a company.

[zewlie]

Just the fact that someone has read your ad, felt interested enough to leave what they were doing, and then visited your site is a very good thing. If they found your website appealing, they may return or share it with someone else (the best advertising is through satisfied users and word of mouth, in my opinion). That's what I like best about the targeted ads... matching users to your site through their needs and interests is a great way to get started...

[kconnections]

I think that some people click on ads because they are truly interested. I am sure others do so if there is some sort of incentive and would not otherwise click.

[FrancisTheFool]

Yea you gotta make them interested!