Getting Googly - A Quick Introduction To Google Adwords

You have most likely seen Google AdWords, even if you don’t realize it. It’s that list of sponsored links that runs down the right side of your computer screen when you Google a word. You’ll often see links at the top in a little blue box as well—we’ve all seen ‘em.

So what is Google AdWords?

Google Adwords is simply an online advertising solution that companies who have a web presence can use to drive more traffic to their site.

At-a-glance:

1. Google sells the space along the top and sides of their search engines to site owners interested in getting more exposure.

2. Site owners bid on keyword(s) that relate to what they have to offer.

3. When people perform a search on Google using that keyword(s), the site owners’ ads display as text-links in a column next to the organic results.

How Will Google Position Your Ad?

One of the things that set Google AdWords apart from their competitors is the way they rank their sponsored ads. Most search engines let you bid on keywords. He who bids the most per click “wins” the top spot. Period.

With AdWords, the amount you bid is only one factor. Google also takes into account the relevance of the text in your ad and the number of times your ad is clicked on and gives you a “quality score.” If your quality score is high enough, you can actually bump off the guy above you who pays more per click, but whose ad gets clicked on significantly less than yours!

Writing Effective Ads for Google

Frank Travisano, president of http://Linkateer.com, a leading Search Engine Optimization company says that when you are writing an ad for Google, “selecting the right keywords is critical.” Since you are paying each time someone clicks on your ad you don’t want a lot of misguided shoppers visiting your site and running up your tab.

Travisano advises, “Target your market as specifically as you can.” In other words, if you have a pet food store that offers organic, all-natural pet food; advertising for “pet” or “pet food” is not necessarily focusing on your target audience. Your target is consumers who are looking for all-natural, organic pet food. So your keywords need to reflect this.

Everybody’s Doing It: 3 Reasons You Should Have An Ebay Store

Testing the Waters

If you’ve ever dreamed of quitting your job and going into business for yourself, you may have considered online retail. But opening your own website is quite an undertaking—you’ll need to get a URL for your website, acquire a shopping cart, have someone design your web pages, get listed with the major search engines. And you’re going to have to pay for all those services up front, which means you’ll need to have some capital set aside. So before you tell your boss what you really think of his toupee, you may want to consider trying a less-drastic route first—the eBay store.

eBay stores are a great way to get a feel for whether or not selling online suits you. It’s a very simple entry point that lets you test the waters without committing a lot of your money or time. The cost is only $16.95 a month and the first thirty days are free—a pretty safe investment.

5 Benefits to Choosing eBay

eBay takes care of much of the busywork associated with running an eBiz . There are numerous advantages to starting an eBay store before attempting to create your own website:

• eBay hosts your site, provides you with a URL, a shopping cart, and an easy-to-use tool that lets you quickly design an attractive storefront.

• eBay takes care of search engine optimization for you—making sure you will be listed with the major search engines.

• When you start an eBay store, you have an immediate presence online—from day one, you have 170 million customers.

• eBay has an 800 number with live support.

• eBay provides workshops, at no extra cost, on how to implement the various tools they offer.

3 eBay Tools You Should Be Using

eBay offers built in channels for growing your business. What amazes Janelle Elms, successful e-business author and lead instructor for eBay University, is how many sellers are “not taking advantage of all the amazing tools that eBay gives you for that $16 every month.” Three of eBay’s biggest untapped resources:

• An opt-in newsletter to keep your eBay store in front of your customers. A series of clicks and pull down menus, and your newsletter is ready to go in a matter of minutes. A simple source to keep your customers coming back, but many people don’t even realize that option is available to them.

• RSS Feed (Really Simple Syndication). Once you turn this button on, all your buyers have to do is click on it, and every time you put new products in your store or up for auction, they’ll get an update telling them what you’ve added. Elms refers to RSS Feed as “a legal version of a pop-up ad.”

• Printable brochures of your eBay store to send out with every package to show your customers what else you offer and to remind them to shop with you again.

eBay stores are user-friendly: anyone can run an one. In addition to being a great proving ground for your online retail skill, you may find it to be a very profitable enterprise in and of itself.