1-604-288-2938Posts Tagged ‘Google AdWords’
« Older EntriesWhy Should You Opt Into Google’s Display Network?
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
Google AdWords’ Search and Display networks are fundamentally different. It is important to know when and how to use each one for your Paid Advertising. A lot of the time it is sufficient to only advertise on the Search Network and attain all the results you set out for. However, the Display Network holds different opportunities and options when the time calls for it!
Take a look at some of the Display Network’s benefits and why you should think about opting into it:
- Search is becoming more and more competitive and it may take higher bids to maintain your click volume.
- Display can reinforce your brand awareness, reaching customers at different points of the purchase funnel.
- Uniquely interact with visitors with videos, music, and other mixed media. This gives you a wider array of advertising options that may work better with your brand. Not just text!
- It can reach previously ignored target markets. It can cater to larger and different markets.
- Display networks give you a lot of control, too. You have the option to bid one or two specific sites or even a group of related sites, using your keywords.
- Further specify your target by using Audiences in Google AdWords. This matching option allows you to control what ads are shown to each visitor (e.g. show only non-fiction book ads to visitors who had already visited the non-fiction books page on your website).
- You can track your results just like in Search! You will still have statistics on your impressions, clicks, cost-per-click, and more.
If you haven’t tried Google’s Display Network yet, test it out. That’s the best way to become familiar. Still wary? Try a couple of your text ads and use your existing keywords (for contextual targeting) first. Then progress to bidding on different websites and creating ads in different formats!
If you need help setting up your Google AdWords or need more PPC information, feel free to contact us at any time!
- Love, Danielle
Tags: Display Network, Google AdWords, PPC
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
An Introduction to Google Analytics
Tuesday, March 8th, 2011
Knowing your web statistics and performance is a cornerstone for analyzing and advancing your online presence and Internet Marketing. Google Analytics is a great free tool that is easy to use and extremely informative.
If you are an Analytics beginner, here are some key metrics to note and compare over time.
- Visitors and Unique Visitors
This is how many people visited your website in a given time. You want to see this number consistent and growing! - Bounce Rate
The bounce rate is the percentage of people who visit your website and leave without visiting another page. It is a good measurement of how engaging and useful your web page is. - Time on Site
Another good measurement of your website’s engagement and level of visitor interaction. - Map Overlay
Check out where visitors are physically coming from. This shows your reach and is especially important if your business is confined by geography. - All Traffic Sources
Find out how visitors reached your page and what online channels they are using. Get a snapshot of where all visitors are coming from under “All Traffic Sources” or drill down by looking at search engines, referring sites, and direct traffic. - Top Content
What are visitors looking at? This section will tell you what content is most popular.
Working through these statistics will also help introduce you to Google Analytics. There are many paid analytics tools as well, but Google Analytics will satisfy most of your curiosities.
Need help setting up your Google Analytics and tracking? Give us a call and we can set it up in no time!
-Love, Danielle
Tags: Google, Google AdWords, Landing Page, Optimization, PPC, tips
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
Local Search: How to Promote Your Physical Store Online
Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
Optimizing and taking advantage of local search marketing can be a relevant source of web traffic. Just because you conduct your business mainly offline (with or without a website), does not mean you cannot create an online presence that will drive traffic to your store. Businesses that have a physical, brick-and-mortar store can deepen their Internet Marketing integration by some of the following local searching tactics.
- Be Informative
It may be a simple task, but it is often can be overlooked; include your contact information on all your online assets. Place your address, map, and phone number on your website, email newsletters, and Social Media. Make sure your contact is easily found and noticeable, too! - Include Local Descriptors in Your Keyword List
For example, if you serve the Vancouver area, include “Vancouver” as a keyword in your copy and you may want to bid on it in your Google AdWords account. - Ad Extensions
In Google AdWords, you have the option to add “Ad Extensions” to your ads, which include your business contact information below your ad for free. Simply go to your campaigns page and click on the Ad Extensions tab to fill out your information for each campaign. - Google Places
Don’t have a website, but still want the opportunity to show up on search results? Enter in your business on Google Places. When searchers type in a local descriptor, your business may show up in the results!
Often people who are looking specifically for a service/product along with a physical location are more inclined to make a purchase and crave more immediacy. Make sure you have the proper customer service and manpower to answer calls and questions from online local searchers.
What do you think about Google Map’s results on search page?
Do you find entering your business information on directories useful for your business?
Integrating your Internet Marketing and offline marketing requires some finesse and planning. Talk to us, if you have any specific challenges getting your brick-and-mortar store noticed online or optimizing your Google local search.
- Love, Danielle
Tags: Brick and Mortar, Google, Google AdWords, Google Maps, Keywords, Local Search, Physical Store, PPC, tips
Posted in Internet Marketing | No Comments »
How to Optimize Your Google AdWords PPC Landing Pages
Thursday, February 17th, 2011
What happens after a potential customer clicks on your Google AdWords ad? Depending on your Pay-Per-Click (PPC) goals, you may want the clicker to sign up for a newsletter, purchase an item, or fill out a contact form, but all of that has to happen on your website. Especially, if you are conversion-centered, having an optimized landing page is most definitely a big component to your PPC campaign.
Continually check up on your landing pages and take a look at some of the following tips.
- Is the item you’re advertising shown on the landing page? When someone clicks on your ad, he expects to see exactly what was advertised. If your ad is promoting fountain pens, don’t have a landing page for general stationary or for pencils.
- Your landing page should have relevant and unique content that provides value to the user.
- Look at your sales funnels in Google Analytics. Where are people balking before that big purchase?
- Your landing page (and website) should be user-friendly, easy to navigate, and customers should be able to find their way through and understand your business.
- It’s great if you can create specific landing pages for your AdWords campaigns.
- To conduct A/B testing and compare landing page content and layout, try Google’s Website Optimizer. This is also a great testing ground before making any big changes to your website.
Internet Marketing and Social Media are interdependent; all your online marketing should reflect each other (emails, paid advertising, social media, etc.) and your website should represent your business. Remember to always think about the user when you’re creating both your PPC ads and landing pages. This will help you achieve the conversions that you’ve set out.
Optimizing your Google AdWords for conversions needs cooperation from the ad itself and the landing page. Let us know if you need help with Google AdWords, Web Analytics , Web Design, or Web Usability .
-Love, Danielle
Tags: Google, Google AdWords, Landing Page, Optimization, PPC, tips
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
How to Choose your Keywords in Google AdWords
Thursday, February 10th, 2011
In Internet Marketing, defining your keywords can be strenuous and really gets you thinking about the nature of your business. Choosing your keywords in Google AdWords requires researching, creative thinking, and business defining. It is important to determine your goals for your pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns and ad groups. This definitely facilitates keyword generation, and when combined with continual keyword refinement and management, your keyword list will be targeted, driving the conversions you want, and optimizing your return on investment.
To start, keep your keyword list small and manageable; there’s always the possibility to add and remove keywords at anytime. Also, ensure that you are not bidding on the same keywords across different ad groups; your ads may end up competing against each other. So, have very tightly themed ad groups each with its own category and goal.
If you are looking for more keyword ideas or not sure where to even begin, Google has created many tools to help you brainstorm your keywords:
- Google’s Wonder Wheel
The Wonder Wheel is a great idea generator for ad groups and more general topics. To access the Wonder Wheel, type in a keyword in Google’s search and in the left-hand column under “All results,” you will find this search tool. - Google’s Keyword Tool
This keyword tool contains substantial information to make your keyword choices. Find details on search volume, competition, and other relevant keywords. You have the option to generate keywords by entering a URL, keywords, or phrases. - Google AdWords’ Search Query Report
The Search Query Report can be found within your AdWords account and will show you search queries that caused your ads to show. You can then add or exclude keywords. This report is better for ad groups or campaigns that have already been running for a while. - Google Opportunities
Check your Opportunities Tab often in your account for suggestions based on your past performance. - Or try the old-fashioned way and ask your clients, co-workers, and even family and friends for ideas.
Once you have established your keyword list, let your ads run for a few days to a week to gather data (sometimes it may take longer, but make sure to keep a close eye on it). Check back for trends and to see what is working and what isn’t. Your keywords could be too narrow or broad and may even require a separate ad group. You may even find ideas and trends for your other Internet Marketing initiatives.
What other ways do you use to find keywords?
How do you find Google’s Keyword Tools compared to external tools?
Leave us a comment below or shoot us an email for information, questions, or comments about your PPC campaigns.
-Love, Danielle
Tags: adwords, Google, Google AdWords, internet marketing, Keywords, PPC, Search, Tools
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
Video Fridays – Keep Moving Forward
Friday, February 4th, 2011
Celebrate Your Internet Marketing Achievements and Look at the Big Picture
Internet Marketing is a dynamic world; it is constantly changing and moving up and down. Sometimes people take every small setback or challenge heavily and fail to look at the big picture. For example, at a yoga class, a talented individual had great practice and position. It was impressive and inspiring! But she reminisced over how she used to be able to perfect the pose (that was only a few inches off). At the end of the day, it was still an amazing feat.
Striving for perfection, both in business and in everyday life, can sometimes be derailing. There’s no limit to perfection, but don’t settle for mediocrity either. Celebrate all your achievements and step back and look at the bigger picture.
I’ve come across two common Internet Marketing stressors in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google AdWords that are no cause for immediate concern.
SEO (Organic)
Many people check their rankings and find that a keyword has dropped two to three positions. The reality is that keywords are always moving and your website doesn’t depend on just one keyword. Before panicking, take a look at your traffic, trends, and overall conversions.
Google AdWords (Paid)
Often people will panic when they enter their keyword in Google and their ad doesn’t show. Again, think about overall performance. Are you still on track with your traffic and conversions? Is it increasing? Also, think about the importance of that keyword; is it bringing you traffic and conversions? Ads also may not be showing because you have met your daily budget.
Remember, these small changes are part of a larger picture. It is important to not focus on the setbacks, and instead celebrate little achievements and keep moving forward!
Happy Friday!
Tags: achievements, Google AdWords, internet marketing, Keywords, Monitoring, PPC, SEO
Posted in Video Fridays | No Comments »
What is a Good Click-Through Rate (CTR) on Google AdWords?
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
One of Google AdWords’ benefits is its ability to provide performance reports immediately. If you have just started an AdWords PPC campaign, the statistics can be overwhelming. An important number to look at and monitor is the click-through rate or CTR.
The CTR is defined as the number of clicks received divided by your impressions. This is an important number because it is a sign of your ad’s relevance and quality. The cost-per-click (CPC) that you pay is also determinant on two factors: your bid and your quality score, which includes your CTR. So, if your CTR increases, your cost per click (CPC) will decrease.
What should my CTR be?
Google states that any CTR greater than 1% is normal and is doing really well! This is a good benchmark for the Search Network. The Display Network operates a little differently and a lower CTR is normal. Different industries can see different numbers, but this is a good starting point. Your CTR also varies heavily depending on the type of ad you’re running. Is it a general topic or long-tail?
Keep a close eye on your CTR; if it goes below 0.5%, Google may disable your ad after 1000 impressions and consider it “irrelevant”.
If you need help with Google AdWords, let us know and we can help you get the most from your Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign.
Tags: Google AdWords, PPC
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
Google AdWords 101
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
Google AdWords. What you might be missing out on by not using this service.
Search is the most popular way a potential visitor can find your site. More and more people are researching online before they purchase a product. Compared to all of the other search engines, Google dominates the search market. Yahoo and Bing are big players too, but getting started in Google can draw a lot of traffic to your site.
Who should use Google AdWords
AdWords is great for increasing online visibility, improving awareness, bringing traffic, completing conversions, and pushing promotions. Because you are in complete control, you have the freedom to advertise products or services, no matter if you are an individual, small business, or a large company.
It is especially useful if you have a new website and it’s not ranked highly in organic search, yet. With the right PPC strategy and skill, you can appear on the first page and above the fold!
How AdWords compares to other advertising channels
- Customizable. Unlike running traditional advertising, you manage exactly who sees your ad by choosing your own keywords. Similarly, only individuals will be shown ads in which they are interested. This matching process eliminates mass messaging and unqualified leads.
- Flexible. AdWords works immediately. Every time someone enters a search term, Google runs a keyword auction for your ad. Google gives you complete control at any hour of the day. You control how much you spend, what words you’re bidding on, and what your ad copy says.
- Results. There is also no lag in seeing how successful your ads were. Google AdWords provides reports for ad performance, keyword performance, search queries, and many more. The results are immediate and can be viewed for any time period. This makes evaluating and tracking your ads extremely easy, so that you know you’re getting your desired ROI.
Why AdWords is so popular
- Search Trends. According to the Pew Research Center, 58% of Americans conduct research online for products and services “at least occasionally.” That’s a 10% increase form last year. Using search engines is becoming a main step in the consumer purchasing process. Making sure your brand is visible online and reaching your customers boosts lead generation.
- Google. Google has been the choice for pay per click (PPC) advertising by many marketers due to its large reach. Sixty-six percent of all search traffic takes place on Google. Yahoo receives about 17% of search traffic. Google is still expanding and its market share is continually growing.
Watch a quick how-to guide to AdWords:
Need more information or help getting noticed online? Cucumber Marketing can help your Pay Per Click strategy.
Tags: Google AdWords, PPC
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
Being Negative Is Good for your AdWords Campaign
Monday, September 13th, 2010
Finding more ways to be negative benefits your AdWords campaign. Creating a list of negative keywords at the start of a campaign has been a typical approach to excluding unwanted traffic. However, more important is to discover through campaign performance where you need to block both, unwanted clicks and unwanted impressions.
Consider the following:
- View the Search Query Report regularly. This is now integrated at keyword level in the AdWords interface. Click See All Search Terms, to find negatives which can be applied at adgroup level.
- Add keywords which are creating impressions but not clicks. We often just pause these keywords, but really, we don’t want ads to show for keywords which don’t result in clicks.
- Always add the negative, even if that word appeared just once. It could be the start of something.
- When starting a new campaign, use broad match carefully by being prepared to review the search query report daily until the campaign is running smooth.
Thanks for reading and Happy PPC-ing! :)
Tags: Google AdWords, PPC
Posted in Paid Search | No Comments »
