11 November 2015

PPC

Google AdWords for Startups - Part 2: Getting Started

Getting started - Keywords

A great starting point would be your keyword research, so you can evaluate the potential of each keyword that is related to what you are offering. Work on a list of keywords you want to concentrate on then place them on the pages you want traffic to be directed to.

When you have your list of keywords you want to target, you can find out the suggested bid and competition to see what kind of traffic they will generate. This will also help you avoid targeting keywords that will be too expensive, or have too high competition.

The most effective way to find your keywords is by using the Google AdWords Keyword Planner. Not only is it easy to use, but it’s hosted by directly by Google’s database, so you know the results will be accurate.

 

 

Writing your Ad

Now you’ve identified your keywords, it’s time to begin writing your ad(s). A good place to start would be with the headline. The headline has the largest/boldest text so try to think of something that will attract the attention and get people to click your ad. Remember to keep it related to what you offer.

 

The more your headline text relates to the search results people are making, the more clicks you will get. So try to add some keywords to your headline.

 

This is the display URL field, it allows you to show viewers the address of your website. However, if the page you are using as your landing page is not your homepage, you can just display the basic URL of your website. Doing this means people will not see a complex address full of numbers and letters. It makes you appear more professional.

Next comes your description lines, these can be quite tricky. The description lines are the two lines of text under your headline and display URL. They are limited to 35 characters each, and they allow you to tell your customers what your business is about, the things you offer and more.

We recommend you start the first line of your description text by showing readers the most unique thing you offer. This is known as your UVP (Unique Value Proposition). You want to be clear about your offer and why it will attract someone to choose your business over another, in some cases your competition.

Remember to make the most of your character limit, you don’t want to lose space adding things that aren’t important. Get the right blend of text that is not only to the point, but at the same time encouraging.

 

 

On the second line, you can either continue the sentence of your first line or start another line that acts as a CTA (Call To Action). This is something that will make somebody click on your ad. In the example above, you can see it says “get a free legal consultation” this is the offer that will encourage people to make the action, in this case clicking on the ad.

Your CTA may be a short part on the ad/sentance but it’s what will make the big difference. A few examples of CTAs can be “sign up now” or “get your report today” but try not to be too spammy, otherwise Google will disapprove your ad.

 

Quality Score

It is important to know about your quality score. Even if you are bidding higher than your competition, it doesn’t always mean your ad will rank higher than theirs. AdWords takes a lot of things into account in order for you to rank where you deserve to be, and bidding is just one factor.

Google check your ad’s relevancy to queries (if it matches the keywords you are targeting). The quality of your text in terms of the grammar, the quality of your landing pages, the keywords you use in your ad can also improve your quality score.

 

Ad Extensions

Ad extensions can be helpful when it comes to standing out from your competition, they can assist in distinguishing your ad from your competitors as well as improving your quality score. There are different types of extension, so we can point out to you the ones that you may find more useful:

 

Call extensions

The call extension displays your business's phone number under your ad, so people can directly click on it if they are using a mobile device or smartphone. This is a good way to encourage people to make an action (think back to CTAs) when they are browsing for your ads. Adding a call extension can also be an easy way to differentiate your business from your competitors, you can take advantage of this extension, especially if your competition isn’t using it too.  

In this example, you can see that not only is the number displayed, but the “call to action” button is there making it even easier for people to reach your business after making the search.

 

Sitelinks

Sitelinks are additional links within your ad that redirect people to other pages on your website, rather than directly to the page that is on the ad. To put it another way, sitelinks give you the chance to send potential customers to other pages on your website that you think they may find useful. Google allows you to add 6 sitelinks maximum.

 

 

On this example, 3 sitelinks have been displayed. One link goes to a services page, one to the about us page and the other to an offer page, this is a well placed sitelink because it has a good CTA. Sitelinks are a great way to ensure you get traffic to your website, even if it isn’t coming from your original ad.

 

Local Extensions

The name tells you a lot about this extension, a local extension allows you to display the exact location of your business as a part of your ad. This extension allows you to display important information to potential customers directly on a results page.  

When they click on the address, they will be directed to Google Maps where directions to your business will be displayed. This extension is good to utilise if your business operates locally and your target customers live in your area.