Google AdWords makes it easy and affordable for your business to reach new customers. You decide where your digital ads appear, create a budget cap so you’re always in charge of advertising costs, and see in real-time how impactful your ad is, which allows you to tweak it as you see fit. You spend just as much as you want to, no more and no less. There’s no minimum, no contract to get locked into and you can pause, start or stop your advertising campaign at any time. Simply visit Google AdWords to get started, or let the professionals at Be Locally SEO handle it for you.
You already know you need search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure your website shows up high in search engine rankings when people query your keywords or key phrases. But what about those ads that pop up on Google when you search for just about anything? The ads are certainly relevant, and aside from the small yellow ad icon next to them, they look just like organic search results. This is Google AdWords at work. Advertisements show up at the top of search results and/or at the top right-hand side of search results, and feature starred reviews, unlike the rest of the search results.
In other words, they’re incredibly eye-catching and you need to get your business on board.
AdWords works kind of like SEO, but it’s much faster and simpler. AdWords matches advertisements with keywords or phrases people are Googling. Your ad will show up on Google and partner sites when someone Googles the keywords you select. How often your ad appears depends on how many people are searching for those keywords (some keywords are more competitive than others) as well as your budget settings. For example, if one of your Google AdWords key phrases is “discount shoes California,” your advertisement will show up at the top of search results a certain number of times. However, you only pay fees when someone clicks on your ad.
This payment structure is called cost-per-click (CPC) bidding. CPC means you’re never wasting money. There’s no guarantee that someone who clicks on your ad and visits your site will buy something, but you have a key advantage: These online shoppers are actively searching for exactly what you’re offering. They’re already querying your keywords. If one of your key phrases is “online guitar lessons” because that’s what you offer, you have a potential customer looking to take guitar lessons at this very moment. That’s the Google AdWords difference. Unlike advertising on a bus, bench or with direct mail, there’s no question that you’re appearing in front of the best possible customers who may already have their wallets out.
If this payment structure isn’t ideal for you, another option is available. It’s called a cost-per-mille (CPM) or cost-per-impression campaign. If your goal is to increase brand awareness rather than to encourage immediate purchasing, this structure may suit your needs better. With CPM advertising, you pay per thousand (mille is the Latin word for thousand) impressions, and it can be more cost effective than a CPC campaign.
You can choose to go local, hyperlocal or neither. Designate certain states, towns, neighborhoods or landmarks if you like. When it comes to setting a budget, you have a plethora of bidding strategies from which to choose. However, you’re always in control of how much you spend per month, and Google never charges more than that limit. Lower it or change it whenever you like.
Want to see how your ad is doing? Customize a report and check out your ad’s impact whenever you like. You can also personalize how often reports are automatically sent to you. Test out different strategies, keywords and phrases, or what your ad looks like to boost clicks and sales. Ready to get started and connect with your best potential customers? Contact Be Locally SEO and work with a Google AdWords specialist.
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