5 Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Google AdWords

Jason Stevens looks at 5 ways you can maximize the effectiveness of Google AdWords…

If you have just launched a new website it will take a few months before organic traffic from search engines picks up in line with your content marketing efforts. However, Google AdWords provides a short-term route to quickly generating more traffic and leads for your site.

The service can be daunting for beginners. It’s estimated that Google can make up to 20 new feature changes per week to its advertising platform, which illustrates how much there is to learn.

However, there are a few key areas worth focusing on, which may help you get most out of the platform without becoming too overwhelmed.

1. Don’t try to be #1

Google AdWords stimulates intense competition between similar businesses for the number 1 spot in their ad columns. This positioning war can be an expensive and frustrating daily exercise that may not always be necessary.

Some companies are finding success by targeting their ads to the second page of search results. However, the key to this approach should be on making sure the content on your site promotes lead conversion.  This shift in thinking will allow you to align your content with your ads in a much more focused manner, which will ultimately be more cost effective over the long term.

2. Enhanced Site Links

New enhanced site links allow an advertiser to control the appearance, targeting and scheduling of ads, which offers wonderful opportunities to promote deals and discounts for companies that offer time-sensitive products and services. For example, a pizza company could offer a different deal over lunch or dinner specifically to mobile users in a certain zip code.  This particular feature is one of the most popular mechanisms now being used in AdWords.

3. Use the Keyword Tool

The Google Keyword tool allows you to quickly find top-performing keywords that generate traffic related to your business or product line.  Look for keywords that are listed as ‘low’ or ‘medium’ in competition. These will be more cost-effective and valuable to a small business seeking to use AdWords effectively.

4. Include a Call to Action

Remember to include a call to action in your ad to entice a client to ‘do something’.  This could include a free estimate or a coupon discount, which gets your phone ringing.

5. Do not use One-worded Keywords

These types of keywords are generally not going to attract a buyer who has already done some research and is impatient to find a company who has the right product or service. A one-word headline may seem ‘simple’ but it will not appeal to a hot buyer in a small business lead funnel.

6. Website Navigation and AdWords Navigation

Try to mimic and match the navigation structure of your website inside Adwords. This will help you keep your account organized and aligned with your business requirements. It can be frustrating trying to keep track of several campaigns and ad groups, so slipstream your website as much as possible, especially for Ecommerce websites.

These five tips should help you get the most out of AdWords and hopefully become a great way to generate more leads and customers for your website.