Adwords - Search Marketing basics

Considering Adwords? This is a quick outline of how it works.

Your advert appears besides related search results. Adwords adverts are those green 'sponsored links' on the top and right of the results. Also known as 'Search Marketing'. See a Dominic Yeadon Adwords advert.

How to use Adwords: You write a 4-line advert like this:


When someone searches for "cruise to mars" your adwords advert displays as a 'sponsored link' (advert) at no charge.

This type of advertising is 'keyword-targeted' and often called CPC (Cost Per Click). It allows you to drive web traffic and control your costs precisely, ie: Per click = £0.15, Daily budget = £1.50 (10 clicks). These are sample costs only. An online tool in Adwords helps you get the costs right - could be higher than 15p, could be lower.

If they then click the advert you get charged 15p (or whatever price you set up). At the end of each month Google takes a payment from your credit card (number of clicks that month x 15p). If your ad has been seen every day however but no-one clicked, there is no charge.

You can simultaneously run multiple adverts. You manage them all in a web browser (or an agency does it for you). You must get 4 things right:

1. Budget - the more you pay per click the more your ad is shown.
2. Keywords - popular keywords get searched often, but cost more, ranging from 1p to (£ unlimited).
3. Copy - poor advert copy with a baffling URL puts visitors off.
4. Arrival page - provide something engaging and of value on the page visitors click through to so you get a good ROI.

Once set up, your Adwords campaigns just keep on running and you keep getting billed by Google (your credit card details are stored online when you become an Adwords user, or your agency will bill you for the Adwords fee plus their management fee).

Summary: Sign up online today and have a play (only £5 to start). It's instant. Write your advert and see it appear online instantly. Tinker with it, fine tune it, see the stats and drive those visitors. Search Marketing should be a part of your e-marketing mix.