Three fundamental core elements creating the foundation of a successful pay per click ad program are Investigation, Implementation, and Evaluation.

Pay per click search engines provide a simple means to the top of search results for any term you wish. With proper management, and a commitment to succeeding, pay per click search engines may offer the most targeted and economical advertising on the Internet.

Pay per click advertising works through a bidding process. The ads appear generally at the top and right corner on the results pages of search engines such as Google, MSN and Yahoo. The highest bidder for a particular keyword or targeted phrase receives top placement.

There are an abundance of tools and techniques for identifying possible keyword phrases. While compiling your list of keywords for testing in the evaluation phase, don’t forget to explore “tail” terms, typically 4 to 6 keywords in length. Although they generate less traffic, tail terms are often more qualified, less expensive and have a higher conversion rate. Always look at your competitor’s sites and PPC advertising campaigns to enlighten your overall PPC strategy.

Following the research is the implementation and evaluation. Creating your campaigns and managing them effectively is a topic too broad to cover here.

A primary focus for successful pay per click involves constant tuning and tweaking of keyword phrases, text ad copy, landing page elements and bid strategies. Typically, this phase incorporates multivariate testing to ensure optimal PPC campaign performance. Developing a successful PPC advertising program is never fully-optimized or perfected due to changes in the technology, industry and competitive elements. It is important to return to the initial steps of your campaign, including researching, creating and testing keywords, ad copy and landing page creatives.