| It is possible to make money with AdWords and | | | | Unfortunately Google doesn't tell you how much your |
| Adsense. Lots of people do. But how? You could buy | | | | competitors are paying for their clicks. There are |
| one or more of the guides to making money with | | | | various 'bid management' systems which will charge |
| AdWords and Adsense on Ebay or from various | | | | from $25 a month to track your keywords. Don't |
| flashy looking websites. Most of them areoverpriced | | | | bother, unless you are a large company with a |
| nonsense. | | | | massive budget and you just can't keep track of your |
| Some of them offer incorrect information, some of | | | | ad campaigns. |
| them are flatly immoral in the techniques they suggest, | | | | There are also programs which claim to provide |
| while a few offer one or two useful tips - which are | | | | detailed information about keyword popularity, |
| usually available on the net for free if you know where | | | | competitor bid levels, etc. Probably the best known of |
| to look. | | | | these is Key Word Elite. I would love to have |
| Here a few tips on getting the best ad spots. | | | | advertised that product on my site. It pays affiliates |
| How to pay less for the traffic you need, which | | | | $93 per sale! Then I tried it. I found it clunky and |
| means more money in your pocket. | | | | confusing, and its results were only intermittently more |
| Success with AdWords | | | | useful than Google and Overture's free tools. |
| Getting the Best Ad Spots 1 | | | | Even though Google doesn't tell you what competitors |
| The 'hot spot' for high click-through rates (and this is | | | | are paying, it does tell you when your bid is enough to |
| what you want - people coming to your site) is the top | | | | get into the top three. When you set up your adwords |
| three positions - either in the organic results or the | | | | campaign, the keywords traffic estimates page will tell |
| sponsored results. | | | | you (roughly) where your ad will be positioned - eg 1-3, |
| In the sponsored results it doesn't seem to make any | | | | 4-6, etc. For example, a bid of just 20c will get you a |
| difference whether you are number one, two or three. | | | | 4-6 position for the phrase 'computer parts'. |
| So for high click-through rates, you need to get into the | | | | But you want to get into the top three. Try increasing |
| top three. To make money you need to do this as | | | | your bid to 85c (just a guess at this stage). Yes! This |
| cheaply as you can. | | | | will get you a top three result. Google also tells you |
| The first way to do this is to bid on key words | | | | your actual cost will be between 52c and 78c. |
| relevant to your business, but for which there is not | | | | Now go back and enter a bid of 53c. Click |
| much competition. So for a store selling horse feed in | | | | 'Re-estimate traffic.' Still yes! This bid will get you a |
| Jacksonville, Ohio, you might have to pay 97c to get a | | | | position between 1 and 3, and at a cost of between |
| top three spot for the phrase 'horse feed'. That would | | | | 32c and 53c. |
| soon add up, and many of the people who clicked on | | | | This means you are in the top three at perhaps half |
| that general phrase would not buy from your local | | | | the price you might otherwise have paid. This process |
| business. Most of your customers are going to come | | | | takes a little time, but truly, if you want to be a |
| from Jacksonville, or at least Ohio. | | | | success, you have to be prepared to put both time |
| A top three spot for a general match to 'horse feed | | | | and thought into your business. |
| Ohio' might only cost you 19c. A top three spot for a | | | | Remember you don't always pay your maximum bid - |
| general match to 'horse feed Jacksonville Ohio' might | | | | only what you need to beat the person next in line (like |
| only cost 7c, and your conversion rate (the | | | | Ebay). If you put some thought into it, you may be able |
| percentage of people who click on your ad and then | | | | to come up with other ways to use this fact to your |
| buy from you) will be higher. | | | | advantage! |
| These longer, very specific keyword phrases are | | | | Because effective advertising is essential to the |
| sometimes called 'longtail' keywords, and they can be | | | | success of your business, you should check your |
| very profitable. In particular niches (a phrase for a very | | | | advertising campaign at least daily. Your competitors |
| narrow or specific market) there is often little | | | | will be doing this (or you should assume they will be!) |
| competition for keywords, and people who enter these | | | | and bids can change frequently. |
| phrases are telling you very clearly exactly what they | | | | You also need to check which keywords and ads are |
| want. If you can meet their needs, your chances of | | | | working for you. Keep the ones that are, make small |
| getting a sale from people entering your longtail | | | | changes, one thing at a time, to the ones that aren't. |
| keywords as search terms is high. | | | | Check whether those changes have made a |
| Success with AdWords | | | | difference. Test everything! What brings more clicks? |
| Getting the Best Ad Spots 2 | | | | What brings more sales? It will take a little time, but you |
| Pay the least you can to get into the top three. | | | | will gradually build up an arsenal of highly effective and |
| Obvious, really. But how? | | | | efficient (ie money-making) ads and keywords. |