Getting started with Google AdWords safely

This post is a short list of basic rules for those who has recently signed up for Google AdWords account and doesn’t want to waste much money for learning curve.

Please consider the advice below with “for the first time” remark.

Focus on high quality traffic first

Turn off Content Network advertising
Allow only English language in targeting settings.
Allow only USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and other “potentially profitable” countries (Nothing personal, just cold statistics).

Differentiate your ads

Divide your keywords into several campaigns and groups by some syntax or semantic attributes. This will allow to create more focused ads for each group.
In each group create two different ads with equal rotation probability.
Constantly monitor those pairs of ads and replace the “weakest” one (with low CTR and conversion) with a new ad. I.e. test and look for the most effective ads for each group.
Test various modifications of ad elements: URL, punctuation, caps, word order, etc. E.g: www.ProductName.com or www.productname.com or productname.com or ProductName.com; website or Web Site or web-site; and so on.
Include search keywords in the text of your ads. Google will make them bold in search results and therefore your ad will be more visible among your competitors.

Improve your campaigns

Try to increase bids for a couple of the most “profitable” phrases to improve their positions. But be careful and constantly monitor the effectiveness of this approach.
Analyze your web logs, look for irrelevant queries and add them to the negative word list not to display your ads for them. Here is another good idea how to build negative word list

Start little and look what happens. Once you feel that you have full control and understanding of how Google AdWords works then you may turn on other countries, languages, campaigns, and ads.

Google AdWords is not a rocket science but it requires your attention and constant control to get maximum ROI out of your budget when you’re getting started.

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4 Responses to “Getting started with Google AdWords safely”

# Marioon 18 Jul 2008 at 4:50 am

Hi,

You can also use Professional Google AdWords Consultants to manage your campaign.
# Dennis Craneon 18 Jul 2008 at 5:01 am

These advice are mainly for those who wishes manage their AdWords themselves and “doesn’t want to waste much money”
# Marshallon 21 Jul 2008 at 10:49 am

You may also want to define what the goals of your AdWords campaign are. Based on the above, it’s a great formula for ‘turning the flow of traffic on’.

I would also add, make sure your keywords and text ads are delivering your AdWords visitors to the most relevant page associated to the keyword, NOT just the homepage of your site.

Also, make sure if you’re goals are sales/leads (as I suspect 90% of campaigns are) from AdWords, that you enable the conversion tracking within Google AdWords to help identify your most successful keywords that are delivering leads.

All the best in your AdWords campaigns!
# Dennis Craneon 21 Jul 2008 at 11:14 am

Good points, Marshall!

Creating special “landing pages” for your Ads is the next step in your AdWords venture.

Conversion Tracking is a must also.