How to Create your First Google AdWords Campaign
Karl Kasca
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Google AdWords is a very powerful way to advertise your website on the Internet. You can be up-and-running with AdWords in almost no-time with this article and video.


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- Note: Since there may be more info of interest/use on the page below, you should at least skim it quickly in addition to viewing the Video below.



What is Google AdWords?


Using Google AdWords your web advertisements will appear on others' websites and Google search results with relevant keywords or key phrases which are similar to the AdWords you've bid on.  Then visitors can click on your ad and go to your website. Since you pay every time someone clicks on your ad, this is called Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising. This is a great way to attract visitors to your website, but set a budget and monitor closely to assure your costs don't go too high (versus the revenues).



Creating Your First Google AdWords Campaign


Note: You may wish to see the article/video on: Using the Google Search-based Keyword Tool to Optimize your Website
*before* creating your first AdWords campaign.
  • Go to the Google Adwords website: adwords.google.com/


  • Login with your Google services info (e.g., the same sign-in and password you use for Gmail, iGoogle, Adsense), or set up a free Google services account.


  • Use your existing Google services account for Google AdWords, or set up a new AdWords account.


  • Choose your geography. - Where do you want your ads to show? (Locally, regionally, country, continent, worldwide).


    • Hint: Where are your customers? - Advertise there.


  • Follow these easy steps to create your first Google Adwords campaign:


1. Choose your budget

    - E.g., ___ $'s per month (so there are no surprises on your credit card bill at the end of your billing period).

    - In fact, you can just set the limit at no more than $1/day ($30/month) just to get your feet wet and try Google AdWords without feeling that you're committing a lot of money and you can try/test a campaign.


2. Create your ads

    - See video (below) or screen-shot for quick ad creation example.

       - View at "actual size" or 100%.

    - Note: This was only a quick example...you'll want to give yours more thought (see step #3).

    - However, don't worry, you can revise your ad after you create the initial one. (See screenshot of second ad at top of Google search)

    - Use your keywords (see step #3) in the title and/or first 2 lines of your ad.

    - Capitalize the keywords and words in your ad for added-effect (e.g., Capitalize nouns in the ad, as opposed to filler-words like: a, of, the, etc.).


3. Select keywords that match your ads to potential customers

   - See article/video on: Using the Google Search-based Keyword Tool to Optimize your Website and Related Articles below.

   - NOTE: Highly recommended that you do this *before* selecting keywords in this step.

   - Either click to "Add" the keywords that Google Adwords found when analyzing your website to add them as your keywords, or use keywords from your other keyword research as mentioned in the article/video at the link above.


4. Enter your billing information.

    - You will incur a one-time activation fee upon account creation ($5.00 at the time this article was written).

     - VERY IMPORTANT: Remember to set a daily and/or monthly cap for your Adwords budget so you aren't shocked when your debit/credit card bill comes.

  • Then track your Adwords campaign on the Google Adwords site to see how your ad is doing:  Particularly see the "Ads" and "Keywords" tabs.


  • The Google Adwords "interface" will be changing, but basically you can view and edit most of the elements of your campaign: Settings, Ads,


  • Adjust your ad campaign as necessary: Add/create another ad, extend the campaign dates, etc.






Video on How to Create your First Google AdWords Campaign









Resources


RealAge's podcast/interview on eMarketingTalkShow:
Real Age Case Study: How Google's Content Network & Multivariate Testing Helped Increase Membership by 45%
http://www.emarketingtalkshow.com/conversions/increase-conversions.asp
- Particularly listen to segment #2 (of 4): "Solution & Results: Advertising on Google's Content Network"
- And you would probably want to listen to Segment #1 as well, but it's highly recommended that you listen to ALL 4 of the segments so you'll see how powerful Google Adwords and keywords are as well as testing, testing, testing everything on your webpage/site.


ARTICLE DATE: 2009-08-25
REVISED DATE:



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