An interesting article in NY Times asks is Google Adwords is really valuable for all businesses. Got me thinking.....
I have been working with SMB for 15 years on marketing programs and budgets. The two challenges I hear from owners is “how much to budget for advertising” and “Google or PPC doesn’t work”.
PPC marketing can be effective and Google is king, but just because you set up an Adwords account does not mean you will get business. Think of it this way, you sign a lease for a store front, are you guaranteed profitability? Factors such as location, product pricing and variety, staff, competition, can affect the success of your business…..well it’s the same on Google.
Many small business owners with limited PPC/Search Marketing skills opt the go- it alone approach which can be costly. By not understanding keyword targeting, search copy writing and the organic structure of site you may be overlooking or duplicating efforts. The biggest mistake by far is budgeting too little, then improperly managing the campaign and then claiming “Google or PPC doesn’t wok” after your entire marketing budget is eaten away-sometimes in a few days.
Possible pit falls for do-it yourself first-timers:
1.Setting a budget too low . You just don’t generate enough volume for your ad to be productive ( not all clicks convert to customers). Think of a stand alone store front – does every customer that walks by the front door come in and buy? No…you need foot traffic- that’s eyeballs/frequency in the digital word.
2. You have no concept of costs for premium placement. You have no time to manage daily bids. .50 cents to be on Google sounds fantastic! Right in line with your marketing budget ! Dig deeper and you may find out you need to be at $ 1.50-$ 2 + on each keyword bid to see any presence
3. Oops- the Power of Google- Where’s my money? So you stuck with your minimal budget but increased your bids- after all you want to be on page one. But did you set a daily cap? No- well expect that allocated budget to go very fast.
I have managed local PPC accounts at Citysearch, Enhance Interactive and currently for an Ad Network. When I consult with a business I try to give the best advice on starting aggressively, realistically or not at all. I provide budget reccomendations and suggested minimum bids- I do this as I see behind the scenes dozens of paid campaigns and understand the dynamics. I know the ad product(s). I’ve worked with numerous businesses and ad agencies and have learned by their trial and error. But it is the business owners call and 7 out of 10 times I hear “ I’d like to try it out first and see how it works. Then if it works I will add more money”. This is a business plan doomed for failure. Usually 5 days into a PPC campaign I receive a call from the business saying” my budget is almost all gone and its only 5 days”
Moral of the story- research, research and research .When in doubt, don’t plop down money. Hire someone to help you-if only a few hours each month and learn from them as you go along. . Ask what a realistic test budget is. Understand there are other options to Adwords ( improve you site for organic search results, social media, blogs, forums and video). Explore niche PPC or Local Search….companies like Citysearch offer PPC products ideal for the restaurant, nightlife, spa & beauty category. Superpages /Yellow pages .com have PPC . Specialty Ad networks focus on site specific PPC placements by category: Financial.& Business only websites, Travel sites /travel meta- search sites- all offering very targeted PPC placement around specific content, targeting unique audiences/interests
To learn more about setting up a 1st time campaign or how to improve your current efforts feel free to reach out to me via email. Check out the NY Times article- Real-Life Lessons in Using Google AdWords
I have been working with SMB for 15 years on marketing programs and budgets. The two challenges I hear from owners is “how much to budget for advertising” and “Google or PPC doesn’t work”.
PPC marketing can be effective and Google is king, but just because you set up an Adwords account does not mean you will get business. Think of it this way, you sign a lease for a store front, are you guaranteed profitability? Factors such as location, product pricing and variety, staff, competition, can affect the success of your business…..well it’s the same on Google.
Many small business owners with limited PPC/Search Marketing skills opt the go- it alone approach which can be costly. By not understanding keyword targeting, search copy writing and the organic structure of site you may be overlooking or duplicating efforts. The biggest mistake by far is budgeting too little, then improperly managing the campaign and then claiming “Google or PPC doesn’t wok” after your entire marketing budget is eaten away-sometimes in a few days.
Possible pit falls for do-it yourself first-timers:
1.Setting a budget too low . You just don’t generate enough volume for your ad to be productive ( not all clicks convert to customers). Think of a stand alone store front – does every customer that walks by the front door come in and buy? No…you need foot traffic- that’s eyeballs/frequency in the digital word.
2. You have no concept of costs for premium placement. You have no time to manage daily bids. .50 cents to be on Google sounds fantastic! Right in line with your marketing budget ! Dig deeper and you may find out you need to be at $ 1.50-$ 2 + on each keyword bid to see any presence
3. Oops- the Power of Google- Where’s my money? So you stuck with your minimal budget but increased your bids- after all you want to be on page one. But did you set a daily cap? No- well expect that allocated budget to go very fast.
I have managed local PPC accounts at Citysearch, Enhance Interactive and currently for an Ad Network. When I consult with a business I try to give the best advice on starting aggressively, realistically or not at all. I provide budget reccomendations and suggested minimum bids- I do this as I see behind the scenes dozens of paid campaigns and understand the dynamics. I know the ad product(s). I’ve worked with numerous businesses and ad agencies and have learned by their trial and error. But it is the business owners call and 7 out of 10 times I hear “ I’d like to try it out first and see how it works. Then if it works I will add more money”. This is a business plan doomed for failure. Usually 5 days into a PPC campaign I receive a call from the business saying” my budget is almost all gone and its only 5 days”
Moral of the story- research, research and research .When in doubt, don’t plop down money. Hire someone to help you-if only a few hours each month and learn from them as you go along. . Ask what a realistic test budget is. Understand there are other options to Adwords ( improve you site for organic search results, social media, blogs, forums and video). Explore niche PPC or Local Search….companies like Citysearch offer PPC products ideal for the restaurant, nightlife, spa & beauty category. Superpages /Yellow pages .com have PPC . Specialty Ad networks focus on site specific PPC placements by category: Financial.& Business only websites, Travel sites /travel meta- search sites- all offering very targeted PPC placement around specific content, targeting unique audiences/interests
To learn more about setting up a 1st time campaign or how to improve your current efforts feel free to reach out to me via email. Check out the NY Times article- Real-Life Lessons in Using Google AdWords
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