Pay-per-click advertising, or PPC, is an online advertising model whereby advertisers pay the host website a certain amount only when their (the advertisers') ads are clicked. Content sites usually charge a fixed amount per click while search engines like Google and Yahoo will hold bids for keyword phrases that apply to an advertiser's target audience. If you want to use PPC successfully, the following five tips will help you do so in a way that lets you reach the largest segment of your target audience in a fast and cost-effective way.

1. Bid on low-cost, relevant keyword phrases

Do some research into your market and find relevant phrases that you can bid on with search engines. Look for low-cost keywords that define your website, as these will usually have little competition. Build a wide base of these low-cost relevant keywords and phrases. 30 or more are recommended to get the best click rate.

2. Use keywords in your titles and descriptions

Once you have your 30 plus keywords, create 6 to 7 advertisements, each with 3 to 4 keywords in them. Remember to use the keywords in your ad titles and descriptions, as it will increase your click through rate by nearly 40%.

3. Create unique landing pages

Unique landing pages are essential if you're promoting an affiliate product, or any kind of product, really. And make sure to include consumer reviews for the product you are promoting, as these are proven to increase sales by up to 50% or more.

4. Professional URLs

There aren't many things that will turn potential buyers away than seeing a landing page that looks like an affiliate link. Invest in having your own domain name. Make sure it contains keywords and is descriptive in a way that relates to the products your advertising.

5. Adhere to your budget

Whatever you do, stick to the budget. Work out how much you'll be making per sale and what percentage of visitors are likely to buy, and compare it with your cost per click. Set a limit on your cost per click that's between 8 and 10 cents.

Continue tweaking your ads as it becomes necessary to get the bet click through rates, and remember to build your campaigns around one or two products at a time.