PPC campaigns: How long does it take to see results?

If you’re considering trying pay-per-click advertising, this is likely one of your top questions:

How long will it take to see results?

You’re not alone. Most apartment marketers have the same question (and rightfully so).

We’re here to guide you. Since managing PPC advertising is our bread and butter, we know how long results take — on average — and what expectations you should set.

Let’s get to it and discuss realistic timelines for PPC campaigns, supported by data, plus a quick look at how PPC works.

Your guide to PPC advertising

New to PPC advertising and want a deeper dive on what it is, how it works and why you should try it? Or simply need a refresher?

In short, PPC means you pay for every click your ad receives, and many factors contribute to the amount you pay for different clicks.  

Know there are two main types of PPC ads: Search ads, which show up on the search engine results page (SERP) and display ads, which follow you around from website to website (or app to app) after you view something.

There’s a lot more to it, which you can find here:  

PPC advertising for apartments: What it is, how it works & how to measure results 

Devising a strategy: When to use PPC

Before we talk results and timelines, let’s go over one more thing: When does it make sense to use PPC ads? You may have an idea if you’ve considered or used PPC campaigns before, but if not, here’s an overview:

• When you’re targeting a specific audience: PPC allows you to target users based on a variety of characteristics, meaning you can reach the ideal audience you’re looking for.
• When you’re looking for quick(er) results: Compared to SEO, PPC drives higher intent traffic to your website, and it’s faster. But truthfully, using both together is most effective. More below.
• When you’re ready to maximize your reach: If you’ve already implemented SEO, adding PPC to the mix optimizes performance. You’ll build a stronger presence in search results and engage with audiences at different stages.

Setting expectations: When will you see results?

Although PPC works faster than SEO, it doesn’t generate results overnight. The good news is results will grow as your campaign runs its course.

You can see results as quickly as one to two months, but it can take roughly three months to see significant traction, depending on your budget. The initial months are a great time to analyze data from your ads and see what’s working, then adjust things like keywords and audience targeting accordingly.

Here’s what our data says

Prefer when a claim has data to back it up? Us too!

We studied 86 properties that started using our REACH PPC services between January and March 2024, then collected data from January through August. From that, we identified patterns for the time Google Ad campaigns need to ramp up.

Note: We’re defining ‘ramp up’ as a minimum of two leases per month coming from our Google Ad campaigns.   

Here’s what we found: Higher budgets get PPC campaigns fully ramped up at a much quicker rate. Once properties are spending over $3,000 per month, the ramp-up time decreases from 90 days to 45 days. At over $4,000, the ramp-up time is a few days into the second month (and this spend consistently drives more leases).

Case in point, PPC campaigns can take up to three months to deliver impactful results, but as your budget grows, that timeline can shorten.

Have questions?

Navigating PPC advertising isn’t a walk in the park, but fortunately, it’s what our experts do best. Schedule a free consultation if you have questions or want a closer look at what we do.