Search engine optimization is something that, while very effective, takes a while to implement and work. Local pay per click, on the other hand, can get fast results and is ideal if you want to test a new marketing campaign. As with all marketing campaigns, there are a few ways to make local pay per click more effective.

Choose the right keywords. This is very important. The most popular keywords will have lots of competition and you´ll end up paying big money just to get a decent place on the list. You´re better off choosing more targeted keywords and local pay per click phrases, which have little competition. Often these can be bought for as little as five or ten cents a click.

Write great ad copy. You only have two or three lines to get your message across, so make them good! While Google AdWords have very limited space, you may have to cut yourself off with other local pay per click programs. The shorter the better, people don´t spend much time reading ads, so it has to grab them quickly. Use your keywords in the copy for added benefits.

Offer something. A free ebook, report or quote is a great way to get people to click on your local pay per click ad. But don´t give them the runaround or you´ll be paying for useless clicks. Make sure the ad landing page gives them just what you promised or they´ll be gone in seconds.

Test more than one ad. There´s no reason to limit yourself to just one ad. Try two or three different versions and track them to see which performs best. Then rework your ads to reflect the qualities that make them more clickable. You can literally see the results in 24 hours, so this is a very rewarding use of local pay per click.

Local pay per click can be a great way to boost sales and get more traffic to your site. With the techniques outlined above, you can make sure you get fast results, without paying through the teeth.