Google is all about helping you run your business easily and, most importantly in the eyes of many startups and small businesses, on a shoestring budget. The introduction of AdWords was met with much glee and excitement from those closely watching the bottom line. It’s super easy, right? According to Google, it’s pretty much a three-step process so simple a Luddite could master it in under a minute: Sign up, choose a budget, write an ad, and specify where and when you want it to show up.
If only it were that easy. Here’s the thing—Google is advertising advertisements, and Google does it well. The tech giant really does want to make it as easy as possible for people to create ads because the more revenue you make, the more revenue Google makes. And if you’re only paying when someone clicks on your ad, which is a pillar of AdWords, what could possible go wrong? Well, quite a bit.
Turns Out Those Internet Marketing Professionals Aren’t Useless
As nice as it would be to cut out the middleman, there’s a reason why experience in search engine marketing pays off. There’s a science behind using search engine marketing for pay per click (PPC) and not even Google can render one of the most reputable degrees useless. Yes, you can create an ad in seconds with AdWords and might be able to drum up some customers with it. But it won’t be nearly as successful as having professionals manage your PPC.
There are best practices for interpreting data, constructing campaigns, and using interpretations to improve results time and time again. A good rule of thumb is that PPC is 90 percent science and 10 percent art. AdWords is designed to make you think they’ve taken care of both the science and the art for you. However, that’s like saying a pretty nice replica painting of the Mona Lisa is as good as the Mona Lisa itself.
Twitter Skills Does Not a Marketing Exec Make
You have very limited space with PPC to lure customers in, usually around 130 characters. Maybe you think those hours of tweeting have turned you into a lean copywriter extraordinaire. Writing persuasive copy, analyzing the data of your results and conversion optimization isn’t something that can be done in a simple three-step process. Do you want PPC advertising done, or do you want it done well?
You’re not really saving money if you’re not getting the best results possible. You’re settling, much like forcing yourself to go on another date with someone who looks great on paper, but just isn’t the whole enchilada no matter how you look at it. You might get a few good results with this strategy, but you deserve more. Remember that your search engine marketing is an investment, not a chore to check off your to-do list as soon as possible, and having professionals handle your PPC advertising will ensure a much better ROI in the long term. And while you’re at it, let go of the reins and let them do their job!