Google AdWords has long been touted as one of the most cost effective ways to get the word out about your business. The idea is that your company is advertised to people who are looking for specific keywords in little boxes on any website that chooses to offers PPC ads on their websites. Your ads reach people who are searching for the things that your business offers…seems like a slam dunk, doesn't it?
However, many businesses don't see the results they were expecting and wind up abandoning their Google Adwords campaigns in favor of those that cost more and take longer to work because they don't understand how to conduct a successful Adwords campaign. They simply grab a bunch of relevant phrases and throw them out there which either doesn't grab any traffic at all or, worse yet, land them a bunch of traffic that don't convert to sales.
If you have not had the luck you were hoping for with your Adwords campaigns, don't abandon your efforts. Try again using these tips and tricks.
Where to Begin
Before you get started, know that your Adwords campaign is going to take some focus and some effort, just like all of your other campaigns. There is no quick and dirty way to get a successful Adwords campaign. So, it is important to make sure that your Adwords campaign will fit well into your overall strategy so you aren't taking time away from other initiatives.
One of the things you should do before you lock in your Adwords budget is to see where you are already getting traction. You don't want to focus your attention on keywords and phrases where you are already ranking within the top five results. Adwords isn't designed to take the place of traditional SEO techniques, but to complement them. Concentrate on finding terms where you are lacking in representation and focus on those.
Next, if you are budget conscious, know that you don't have to be the number one search for every keyword in order to benefit from paid search. Being in the top five will generally be enough. Keep your bids low and slowly edge them up to keep costs low.
AdWords and SEO Go Hand-in-Hand
As mentioned previously, Adwords advertising was not designed to take the place of your SEO campaign, but rather complement it. This means that an increase in your Adwords traffic will have a positive impact on the traffic you get from your other campaigns and vice versa. This is why it is vital to add Adwords to an existing, well-rounded marketing campaign that includes SEO and other efforts. Title and tag your videos and other media to tie into your AdWords campaign in order to maximize your reach.
Optimization
One of the best things about AdWords is that you can see the results of your efforts almost immediately. By looking at which keywords and phrases are working and which ones aren't on a daily or weekly basis. By analyzing the results and removing the words that aren't helping, you can fine tune your AdWords campaign and maximize your return.
