Quality IT Computer Tips: Google Adwords

About Google AdWords

Though Google is not actually a pay per click search engine, Google does receive the most broad coverage of any search engine. While providing what some consider to be the best search results on the market, Google decided to produce the most sophisticated pay per click marketing program on the web, Google AdWords.

Where do Google AdWords Show?

Google AdWords are the portion of the search engine results page off to the right side of the Google search result page. Though these listings are more likely viewed than any other, the Google Adwords system is still economic in many terms when compared to Overture. Which network is more effective depends upon what industry you are in.
Google AdWords also has a large distribution network which includes AOL, Ask Jeeves, EarthLink, and many other sites (including a few of my own). Google offers a program called Google AdSense, which allows users to display AdWords ads on their web sites for a portion of the proceeds.

What Makes AdWords an Awesome Advertising System?

Google Adwords calculates an ad relevancy multiplier (based on consumer clickthrough rate). The click through rate used in the relevancy algorithm is determined by your 1,000 most recent ad displays on the Google website. Your effective bid price is maximum bid price * clickthrough rate.

A / B Testing with Google AdWords

You are allowed to make multiple campaigns for the same keyword and track conversion ratios and ad cost. You can either run two different ad creative or send the searches to different pages to A/B split test in real time.
Continually refining your ads through A/B testing will eventually drastically increase your profit margin.

Try Google AdWords

When you search Google AdWords will appear off to the right side of the page. This listing also appear on Earthlink, Iwon, Ask Jeeves, Go, and AOL!

Google AdWords Details
minimum CPC	various
cost to open an account	$5
promotional specials	none
monthly minimum	none
time to set up an account	fast
web reach	comprehensive
sign up for a Google AdWords Account

Similarities between Overture and Google AdWords

Overture has a program similar to AdSense called Content Match. This program distributes Overture ads near the content of popular sites. Overture is currently only making promotion partnerships with large web sites.
Overture offers regional advertising like AdWords does. The Overture Local Match product does not have a minimum monthly spend. Overture Local Match also does not even require you to have a website to participate. It does require you to have a physical address to participate.
Both Overture and AdWords have amazingly large distribution networks.
Both Overture and AdWords default to broad match ad listings. Using broad match search terms do not need to exactly match the keyword you are bidding on for your ad to show up.
Overture has a ROI / bid management tool which can help monitor and improve your listings.
Google AdWords and Overture both offer free ROI tracking tools.
Both Overture and Google AdWords have a negative keyword tool which prevents you from paying for clickthroughs on irrelevant terms. Good terms to cancel out are usually: cheap, free, download, cracks, mp3s, wallpapers.. the type of terms where it is obvious the searcher would not likely convert to a sale or perform the desired action.

Difference between Overture and Google AdWords

Overture is strictly price driven. Google AdWords is mathematically driven based on consumer driven relevancy. The AdWords price is a function of cost per click * ad relevancy (based on click through rate.)
Overture takes a few days to set up an account - Google is almost instant. (less than 5 minutes)
Overture allows for different biding on the different matching levels - Google will price them based upon what is best using some value at or less than your max price per click. To set up the different value ranges in Google you would have to set up a direct match at one value and a different account at a lesser value.
Overture Local Match also does not even require you to have a website to participate. It does require you to have a physical address to participate. Google AdWords does not require a physical address and does require a website.
Google AdSense ads can appear on smaller sites. Overture is extremely selective with its partners (other than when it partners with companies like Gator / Claria).
Google allows syndication to be turned on or off so that your ad can appear in front of just Google users, or AOL users too. Since Overture drives most their traffic through partner sites they do not have a feature that allows you to turn search partner syndication off.
Google only costs $5 to open an account. Overture costs $50 and has a $20 monthly minimum spend.
Google has automatic approval of all ads - and will list them as long as they follow the guidelines. Overture usually reviews most ads before showing them.

Google AdWords Professional Program

Google created the Google AdWords Professional Program to help certify SEM experts. The requirements to attain the professional status are

You have to pass a mulitple choice test. The test was not too hard and took about an hour. Google has a free study program which can help you learn about AdWords.
You have to follow their guidelines.
You have to spend at least $1,000 in a 90 day period between ads on your sites and clients sites. Febuary 17, 2005 will be the end of the 90 day period for those who signed up right away.

Google also allows you to link together up to 500 AdWords accounts and manage them from a single login via the Google Professional Program.

Suggestion for Google AdWords

Google AdWords is just about everything you could want in an advertising system. It is quick, responsive, offers free tracking, cheap to start, offers geotargeting, syndication of ads is optional...AWESOME.
Do not get in bidding wars for generic terms. Opt to bid on more specific terms.
Send people to targeted landing pages when possible.

Free Google AdWords Tool:

GoogEdit is a free downloadable tool which helps format your Google AdWords ads. It has many useful features such as number and phrase stripper. GoogEdit also wraps your AdWords ads in the various matching levels so that you can better track your traffic and conversions.

Google AdWords Conversion Tracking:

Google AdWords offers free cross platform conversion tracking.

Sign up for an AdWords Account

It is fast and easy to sign up for a Google Adwords account. If you are going to launch a large Adwords campaign you may want to consider reading Andrew Goodman's tips on Adwords ($69 report.)

Category:

large pay per click search engines

Quality IT Computer Tips

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Google Adwords

Google AdWords