Think pay-per-click advertising is just for customer acquisition? MIVA's VP, global marketing and communications says think again. 

Pay-per-click (PPC) has revolutionized the way in which brands acquire new customers online. A growing proportion of forward-thinking marketers are starting to discover, however, that the ad model also offers significant opportunities beyond pure customer acquisition. Here is a look at some of the different strategies for delivering PPC campaigns.

Counteract negative news
First, PPC can be used to head off negative news as it breaks in mainstream media or across blogs and forums. For example, if bloggers report technical faults with a new MP3 player, the manufacturer could immediately launch a reactive PPC campaign directing consumers and bloggers to a microsite addressing the negative issues that have been raised. Used in this way PPC can provide brands with a degree of damage limitation, a critical attribute in a media world where marketers no longer have total control of online brand perception.

Capitalize on positive news
PPC can be leveraged in the same way to piggyback positive news stories. For instance, there may be press articles detailing the benefits hybrid cars have on the environment. An auto manufacturer could pick up on these stories to develop tactical PPC campaigns, creating dedicated landing pages that point to the positive news articles and provide people with further information. This more tactical approach to PPC can help drive category ownership and, if used correctly, can help brands punch considerably above their weight in marketing terms.

Immediacy and flexibility are the key elements here. A number of recent studies have revealed that consumers equate top positions in search listings with brand quality. While a sustained search engine optimization (SEO) strategy can help brands claw their way up organic listings, SEO is less effective when it comes to brands quickly gaining visibility around very specific keywords, such as those required when countering negative news stories or maximizing opportunities surrounding positive news stories. That is where PPC can come in.

Support other media
A third way PPC can be used beyond pure acquisition is to support branding campaigns being run across other media, be it TV, press, cinema or outdoor advertising. Analysis of search volumes from across MIVA's global network of partner sites reveals sometimes considerable search volumes for ad straplines. People, it would seem, are often remembering the strapline and not the brand name. Brand owners not bidding on these straplines through PPC campaigns are missing a trick and simply not making the most of their marketing investment across other channels.

It's a new PPC world
Taking advantage of these new PPC strategies requires a subtle shift in mindset. Since the launch of the PPC ad model, both agencies and networks have been extolling the benefits of PPC as an acquisition tool, a factor that has undoubtedly contributed to the rapid growth and success of the model.

As the model continues to mature, however, and these new strategies emerge, so the way in which campaigns are planned and measured will need to evolve. Measuring the success of a brand-led PPC campaign using the same metrics as a pure customer acquisition campaign doesn't make good business sense. Different objectives, strategies and budgets should be developed and put into place.

Pay-per-click is evolving, with its changes presenting a wealth of new opportunities for advertisers across all sectors. Are you ready?

Chrysi Philalithes is vice president global marketing and communications, MIVA. Read full bio.