Using AdWords for Business Promotion

Google offers AdWords or pay-per-click system on its search engine and other advertisement partnership websites like Netscape and AOL Search for advertisers to display their website ads.

You are aware that a website does not become popular automatically. You may have created the best website but if it does not receive any traffic, you won’t earn anything. It is also a fact that small business owners cannot spend thousands of dollars on internet marketing and for them, AdWords is the next best option.

AdWords – How It Started?

The basic idea of creating and developing Internet ads for promotion was invented by Bill Gross from Idealabs. Google showed interest in buying the idea but a mutually satisfying deal could not be reached.

However, Google realized the immense potential behind the idea and launched its own advertisement revenue model in 2000, known as AdWords.

For the next five years, Google took the responsibility to manage advertisement campaigns of small business owners who paid a monthly amount to Google.

In 2005, the company launched Jumpstart, a self servicing platform that would allow small business owners create and setup their own advertising campaigns.

To help such advertisers, Google created a program called GAP (Google Advertising Professional) through which the company certified other companies and agencies who passed the AdWords training program.

These companies’ works as independent professionals who would help small business advertisers launch and manage their online campaigns.

Why Do You Need An AdWords Account?

There are four main reasons:

1. AdWords campaign is inexpensive than other marketing methods. Being a small business owner, you cannot afford to spend thousands without worrying about getting return on investment. Since AdWords for pay-per-click program, your credit card is billed only when someone clicks on the advertisements.
2. AdWords will help to bring traffic to your website. After the Google’s Algorithm Update, the search engine analytics have begun to keep track on natural traffic and automated traffic. AdWords bring you natural, organic traffic. You don’t need to buy paid traffic.
3. AdWords is like your contingency plan which will help you build your website’s search engine rankings. For a new online small business, it takes anywhere between six to nine months to see the search engine position. In the meantime, a small business can make use of AdWords to bring in natural traffic and in the process, help increase search engine rankings.
4. AdWords give you complete control over your advertising account. You have the liberty to create your ads and decide where you want them placed. If you can understand the complete AdWords process, you need not take any help from third-party agencies to manage your advertising account.

How to Setup AdWords Account?

Unlike AdSense, your AdWords account needs Google’s approval, that is, you cannot create ads instantly after signing in. First, you have to fill out the application form giving your name, country, website address and company name. Google’s representative will contact you within 3-4 business days for further information and details.

You can apply for AdWords immediately after creating a website but its worthwhile to wait for 3 weeks to one month. During this time, your website will receive some kind of traction, thereby increasing chances of Google approving your account.

Exercise Caution with Ads Creation

Suppose your business is about ‘handmade woolen clothes.’ Now, it is not necessary that every time someone types ‘handmade woolen clothes’ in the search engine bar, your ads will be displayed in the sponsored listing section. In other words, your ads will only be visible or trigger when the search engine identifies keyword pairs or the keyword matching configuration.

There are four keyword matching options –

Broad Match: Your default option in AdWords. Most Internet marketers prefer this option because of the traffic variety it offers. For instance, in the keyword ‘handmade woolen clothes,’ the search engine results will trigger your ad when anyone searches the same with other keyword clusters or variations. See the layout below:

Broad Keyword: handmade woolen clothes

Visible in Searches for: woolen clothes handmade, handmade woolens, woolen cloths, woolen sweaters, buy handmade woolen clothes.

Broad Match keywords do not have any representative symbols.

Phrase Match: This method will display your ads whenever anyone searches for the exact phrase – handmade woolen clothes. There are no variations but the search result will contain other words before or after the keyword phrase.

Phrase Keywords: handmade woolen clothes

Visible in searches for: buy handmade woolen clothes, blue handmade woolen clothes, used handmade woolen clothes

Not Visible in Searches for: handmade woolen clothe, woolen clothes, woolens for winter

Phrase Match keywords are symbolized by double quotes – “handmade woolen clothes.”

Exact Match: This method will display your ads only when someone searches for the exact phrase only. Less number of Internet marketers use this method because the number of clicks and conversions are less. It is unlikely that people will figure out the exact keyword always, especially when the keyword is less common. However, use this method only when you have a very specific targeted market.

Exact Phrase: handmade woolen clothes

Visible in Searches For: handmade woolen clothes

Not Visible in Searches For: buy handmade woolen clothes, woolen clothes, blue woolen clothes

Exact Match keywords are symbolized by brackets – [handmade woolen clothes]

Negative Match: This method allows you to specify those words for which you don’t want your ads to be displayed in search results. Through this, you can eliminate keyword variations you do not want. The negative match keyword is added after the main keyword.

Suppose your company does not sell ‘used’ handmade woolen clothes, then you will write it as:

Negative Match: handmade woolen clothes – used

Visible in Searches for: buy handmade woolen clothes, woolen clothes, handmade woolens

Not Visible in Searches for: used handmade woolen clothes, buy handmade woolen clothes used.

Creating ads is a tricky business. Anything goes wrong, your competition get the advantage at your cost. Hence, if you are using Google AdWords for your business, spend lots of time studying the free AdWords guide on Google and understand how its words.

Remember to always perform a test run before making the ads ‘live’ and select the keyword matches very carefully. At most, you are allowed 2-3 lines of advertisement space; you have to be creative and comprehensive with advertisement creation.