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The purpose of Google Adwords is to display specific ads when keywords that have been ‘purchased’ are typed into the Google search bar. For example a company that specializes in selling umbrellas purchases the keywords: ‘umbrellas’ or ‘wet weather gear’ and every time a user searches for these their ad appears until their budget is reached. Due to the coverage this offers it is a very popular advertising technique so if you’re thinking of purchasing this - first learn how to optimize its use:

• Keyword selection
  Take the time to evaluate the best keywords to purchase as this will determine the success of your click through rate. The best place to start is to think of words your audience would use to search for your website or product. Conduct research, use keyword analytical tools and spend as much time as you need to define this list before purchasing the words. Remember this is an iterative process and ads should be monitored to determine the effectiveness of the keywords chosen.


• Target the Right Audience
  Google allows you to target when you’re ad appears based on the language, country, city or state. By utilizing this you can improve conversion rates as you’re pre-qualifying traffic based on geography which is important for local business advertising.


• Write effective ads
  Ad copy has a very strong effect on conversion so it’s important to grab your user’s attention with the text you choose. Avoid vague content as it can attract the wrong type of visitors - be specific and concise and if you’re product or service has unique benefits, promote it in your ad. Include targeted keywords in the headline and body of the ad, as Google highlights searched keywords and this great way to attract the user’s eye.


• Great Landing Page
  The first page the visitor lands on needs to sell the product or service. You only have their attention for a short period of time so you must grab their attention and make sure all the information they need is accessible or visible from that page.


• Bidding
  Once your keywords have been chosen the position of your ad is bid on, with the highest bidder earning the top spot. It is important to bid only on words that have a great conversion rate or return on investment. So initially it’s best to test your ad and keywords to see how they perform in different positions before entering into bidding wars. Once you have determined what works, carefully analyze and determine your bidding limit and see how it compares to your ROI.


• Monitor and Track Performance
  Google offers a tracking service that reports the click through rate of your keywords. It is important to remember that high click through rates don’t always mean high conversion. So use the tools that Google offer to analyze the performance of your words and determine what needs to be removed and which to invest in.


• Watch your competitors
  Monitor your competitors as this can help you determine the keywords to use and what ad copy works.

These tips will help you get started on Google Adwords but remember it is important to be vigilant in order to make the most out of your advertising.