Is your business using Google AdWords? These are text ads
displayed in Google search results. If not, you may want to consider adding
Google AdWords to your sales and marketing arsenal.
The first step to take is to snag a copy of the free 114-page
publication AdWords Reference Guide. You will learn about the AdWords “Control
Center” and then move on to picking words, click-through rates, conversion
rates and detailed information about selecting keywords. The Guide provides
specifics on steps you can take to avoid running into Google’s software police.
These tireless filters block ads that violate Google’s rules for AdWords. The
Guide provides a refresher on the basics of creating compelling ad copy with
examples of what to do and not to do. Tip: Emulate the ads that Google
identifies as performing best. To get the link to the publication, navigate to
Google.com and enter the query “AdWords Reference Guide.”
Before you call your ad agency or go scouting for an AdWords
expert, you will want to sign up for an AdWords account by pointing your
browser to adwords.google.com. With
your account, you can log into the AdWords site and tap into the tutorials and
other information available without charge.
Before taking a quick look at AdWords, keep in mind that
AdWords is an auction or bidding system. The word “bid” is a bit misleading.
Google’s AdWords system is more like a game. The variables in the price of a click
depend on your maximum bid for a word and your click-through rate. The idea is
that the more relevant your ads are, the more the Google system rewards you.
You can pay less than your maximum bid or what Google insiders call “max CPC.”
The AdWords system, according to AdWordsHowTos.com, “automatically calculates
the CPC you need to maintain the position of the competitor below you, and
charges you only 1 cent more to display your ad first.”
If this sounds like a brew concocted by the witches in William
Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” you are right. But consider the alternatives. You
could buy display ads in your local newspaper. Rates have been skyrocketing in
the last year and may be out of reach of many businesses. You can buy a
traditional Yellow Page directory ad. These are expensive and have been losing
their sales impact as such services as Google Local have gained ground. You can
pay for direct-mail packages. With the rising cost of postage and printing,
these are no longer the bargains they once were. With Google’s grip on the Web
search market, the advertising path circles to Google.
Now let’s focus on some basics I learned the hard way. I just
jumped into the AdWords pool and learned how to swim without an instructor to
hold me afloat.
First, learn what you can but tap into a firm or consultant in
whom you have confidence and from whom you can get some references. AdWords is
too important to leave to trial and error.
Second, you will need to have a landing page to which your ad
directs people who click on your message. “Landing page” means a page on your
Web site that provides information related to your ad. A landing page can be a
mini-sales presentation or a contact-me form. If the landing page is cluttered
or not related to my query, I click away, sometimes as quickly as a second or
two after glancing at the landing page.
Finally, Google provides a wealth of analytical tools. I made
the mistake of trying to make sense of the many different data points. Now I
focus on the basics like how much traffic did my ad attract. I focus on the ads
that deliver traffic and kill the underperformers.
What sets Google apart is the fact that it processes more than
two-thirds of Web searches worldwide. Google continues to offer additional
advertising options. I learned to take baby steps, manage the amount of money
spent and experiment with keywords.
Google has most of the Web search market because of the
package of free search, on-point ads, and a wealth of easy-to-use tools,
applications and services acting like a powerful electromagnet.
Google AdWords is, in my opinion, an essential part
of an effective marketing and sales program. With mobile Web access poised to
surpass desktop searching, advertising on Google becomes even more important.
Stephen E. Arnold is the founder and president of
ArnoldIT.com. You can get more information about online marketing, systems and
technology from www.arnoldit.com. He posts
to his public blogs frequently: www.arnoldit.com/wordpress
and http://ssnblog.com.