How to Immediately
Contact Targeted Audiences With Google AdWords
By Phil Dunn, co-author of The 7
Essential Steps to Successful eBay Marketing
A low-cost Google AdWords landing page methodology
is one of the best ways to drive prospects to highly
targeted promos, offers and downloads. Unlike direct
mail, Google prospects are actively looking for
products, services and supporting information. You
can tell by their keyword choices.
Use AdWords to drive sales, educate the market and
test promotions. You need to be methodical and
measured in your approach, however. With a
comprehensive plan, you can avoid mistakes and get
results quickly. You don’t want to pad Google’s bank
account, for example, by launching poorly optimized
campaigns.
The following process guide helps you cast an
AdWords net that’s porous enough to grab everyone
looking for your solutions, yet tight enough to
screen out lookie-loos and dead-end leads.
AdWords Methodology
1. Install Google Analytics – Place code in
landing pages, index page, and any other pages
linked to the landing page. (if necessary)
2. Preliminary Research – Evaluate keywords,
the current market, existing competitive AdWords
campaigns, and search traffic trends related to your
keywords.
3. Goals and Current Performance Evaluation –
Identify and prioritize specific goals for the
company/website. Evaluate previous AdWords campaign
experience (keywords used, highs, lows)
4. Keyword Research, Analysis and Testing –
Use keyword tools to analyze traffic and
effectiveness.
A. Tools available:
Google, Yahoo, Wordtracker, Overture, SEOBook
B. Locate keyword “sweet spots”
C. Determine the language that
prospects/customers are using right now
D. Examine successful competitive campaigns and
gather those keywords
E. Solicit input from sales teams
F. Build a list of keywords to begin campaign
G. Separate into distinct Ad Groups
5. AdWords ad copywriting
– Write AdWords text ads using research (from steps
B and C). Focus on emotional drivers like fears,
dreams, challenges and pains. Use a professional
marketing copywriter to save time.
6. Design custom landing pages for every Ad Group
– Clicks should land on pages designed specifically
for a keyword/ad combinations. Design each landing
page with a specific, tightly-focused goal. Include
incentives, promos, offers, demo downloads, white
papers, brochures and immediate sales processes
(choose one per test/Ad Group).
7. Track conversions with Google Analytics and
Optimizer – AdWords and Analytics integration
shows site visitor clicks – from their initial
keyword search to “conversion” (or to their exit
point without conversion). Analysis shows complete
picture of successes and failures. Use information
to identify the most productive “channels” (keyword
groups, ads and landing pages). Eliminate poor
performers.
8. Capture, analyze and learn from the wealth of
information successful AdWords campaigns produce
– As you refine your keywords, you’ll identify the
optimal words for your Web site. Use these words for
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): headlines, text,
image descriptions, URLs and incoming links.
The keywords you identify and the ads you develop
for AdWords may also be useful for complementary
marketing collateral, including:
• Brochures
• Direct mail
• White papers
• Advertising
• Event marketing
The combined effect
dramatically improves your direct marketing efforts
plus your site’s ranking in natural search results.
Keep refining your AdWords efforts, and your overall
marketing return will get a huge boost.
Source: Phil Dunn writes marketing
materials and provides strategic consulting for
Fortune 500 companies. He is also co-author of The 7
Essential Steps to Successful eBay Marketing
(McGraw-Hill, 2005). Visit his Web site at
www.qualitywriter.com
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