Avoid these 7 mistakes with expensive Google AdWords

1 Put the company name as headline

This is actually an error of basic marketing as such, let alone in a Pay-Per-Click campaign, and from time to time is seen. It 's also one where we actually had customers insisting we do it!

The trick of any advertising, on-line off-line, is to capture the attention of the title and, sorry, but your own brand one just will not cut. Your customers want to see what's in it for them - not what's in it for you. Unless it is a strong brand and offer massive and attractive - as "95% of all Nike trainers" - do not use the mark.

For example, if you specialize in ACME Accounting VAT, instead of: ". ACME Accounting for all your accounting needs and tax" Why not use a title that attracts attention like: "Save your £ 10k VAT Next".

Trust me, your click-through rate (CTR) will be much better and your clicks will be pre-qualified leads and not just Tire-kickers!

2 Limiting the campaign to run once Ad

Also this is another error of basic marketing. In the good old days when mail was the only alternative lumpy, we used to send different versions of the same direct marketing (DM) piece and measure Return on Investment (ROI) for each of them.

Use different ways to offer the same thing using the headline and copy changes, try different promotional tools (£% discount off I know), advertise different products in the range. Here's an example of 2 performances that sell the same PowerPoint presentations and skills courses - Number 1: Do you want excellent presentations? "To develop a presentation style that is effective and it works again." Number 2: MS PowerPoint course "Learning to present effectively in 2 days Hants Book Now € 397.». They click through rate is very different.

Test, measurement, review, refine - make money!

3 Sending visitors to your home page

Those people who have taken the trouble to click on the Pay-per-click ad, with a specific interest - after all you've carefully crafted a title and copy laser-killer. Pointing to your homepage is a little 'how to enter my postal code and the sat-nav sending Reading! Technically correct but absolutely useless.

Having set up a landing page that deals specifically with the content of the ad with an attention grabbing titles in the same way as the Pay-Per-Click Ad - repetition is a fundamental principle of marketing. Offer a "buy now" call to action or a "Request for Further Information" option - why not grab your data with a first form so you can re-market to them via the email marketing list (you have a those haven 't you!). Why not have different landing pages for each run in order to test and monitor that as well. Find the killer combination that you get the maximum return for your spending.

Never send your prospect to your home page - unless you have a specific reason for this.

4 Do not measuring conversions

Who was it who said "I know that half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, but I can never find out which half." In fact, according to Wikipedia, was John (Nelson) Wanamaker (July 11, 1838 - December 12, 1922) that was highly respected and admired United States merchant, religious leader, civil and political figure, considered the father of modern advertising. He invented the Department Store.

In those days there was no technology to measure the effectiveness, but now there are no excuses.

Register with Google Analytics. And 'treasury instruments, and the vital part of kits for measuring the effectiveness, every cent of your campaign.

Download the html code - embed it into your website, including landing pages, and you will be inundated with a mass of vital statistics with which to refine the campaign. You will be surprised at what works and what does not.

5 Using the wrong keywords

With the tools in AdWords and Analytics accounts, you can really home on keywords that work best for your ad. Your potential customers are very specific about what you are looking for and find the best combination of keywords and key phrases.

You will find that the keyword phrases to generate a much better CTR, but not deliver the volume of clicks that produce a single word. You need both, but also be aware that some keywords are very expensive in terms of cost per click (CPC) - and if you are not producing quality leads then avoid - try to dominate a sentence.

You're going to need between 25-50 keywords as a rule of thumb. Use a keyword tool-Google is a good place to start.

Again, measure, review, refine - make money!

6 Do not use negative keywords

Negative keywords should be a key element of a key strategy for success. Integrating negative keywords in a well-targeted keyword list will lower costs and provide visits to your landing pages are properly targeted.

Negative keywords (just put a minus sign before the keyword) will stop the wrong type of customer is presented with the announcement, when the research.

For example, you sell old electric guitars and especially semi-acoustic - keywords may be: used guitars, semi-acoustic guitars. Negative keywords could be:-vintage (why do not deal in rare vintage guitar)-Guild (because only deal with Gibson and Gretsch).

7 Do not Sleep Google AdSense

In fact Google AdSense or Content Network is a wonderful thing, but not necessarily for everyone.

Content network is these contextual ads that you see above for example, forums and review sites. The listings presented here are largely beyond your control and can eat your budget very quickly.

Unless you want your ads submitted, turn off 'content network' in the user settings - just uncheck the box.

I hope you found these 7 tips and to use Pay-Per-Click as a part of the success of your overall marketing mix. You'll find this and other helpful articles on my site.

Have fun!

Matthew Simmons...