AdWords-where to start on reviving a lifeless campaign!

pagetta · #1 (**permalink**) 09-02-2005, 12:38 PM

One of our sites has an adwords campaign running with, in total about 90 keywords/phrases in it. They are very niche terms, but even so we are doing very badly. We have good positions on some, but no clicks, which suggests rubbish ads, and on others we've got lower positions, but a lot of clicks, but they're not as specific terms, so chances are that they're wastes of money - we aren't tracking conversions yet either!

So my question is where do I start with reviving this campaign. Its a bit daunting - once given a budget, what is the best way forward on these things? Can anyone suggest some sort of vague strategy for what path to take?!!

Thank you :-)

incrediblehelp · #2 (**permalink**) 09-02-2005, 05:13 PM

I would first start tracking conversions. This is the only way to tell if you should or shouldnt be spending the money on AdWords. What do they consider a conversion? A sale, a lead, and email address?

saleemster · #3 (**permalink**) 09-02-2005, 08:34 PM

Try making your ad titles interesting and catchy as possible. Higher click through rates mean less cost, without lowering your ads position. Until those ctr's shoot upwards, consider increasing your daily cap to twice the G recommended budget, and then reduce gradually. Bear in mind that many people don't even read the description, so pay attention to that title! And consider using multiple ads with different creative themes so you can gauge what works best. The G interface will let you know which is working the best, as long as you have the optimize my ads feature on.

Be sure to exclude any keywords that are nothing to do with your business using the negative option. For example if I was promoting a page about "Eviction Notices" I would use the negative match for the keyword "-big brother" because people look for stuff about the latest big brother eviction!

Best of luck.

Duncan Pollock · #4 (**permalink**) 09-02-2005, 09:53 PM

pagetta: I think you could do worse than browse through the various resources in the Sticky that starts this forum.
My own favourite is Perry Marshall, but he's not the only guru who offers a ton of useful advice; and there are links to most of them in the various posts that have been made over the past months.
In general, though, the keys to success lie in finding the right First Line and then following it with two lines that give the viewer a compelling reason to click on the link to your site. This is how to get acceptable CTRs, but you must then have page content that will trigger conversions -- and this is a whole different challenge.
It's all easier said than done, needless to say (and as Perry and the others readily admit), but the payoff outmatches any other single form of advertising bar none.

Duncan

Duncan Pollock · #5 (**permalink**) 09-02-2005, 10:05 PM

Let me add one more thought ...
The starting point is to decide just why people would buy whatever product or service you're offering. Then think through two things:
a) What problem does it solve?
b) How do you solve it better than anyone else?
Your answers should begin to point you in the necessary direction but, within it all, there's an application of my favourite AIDA formula. And, as I'm giving to saying, you can understand this if you think of the 30 second TV/Radio ads, which sell something in a mere handful of words just as an AdWord needs to do.
For example, take just one old time ad:
Attention (You got a problem): Are you nice to be near?
Interest (We've got the answer): Why aren't you using BAN?
Desire (Here's the argument for it): He does. She does. And him. And her. They're all using BAN!
Action (Go and buy it): Shouldn't YOU be under the dome as well?

Duncan

ditto · #6 (**permalink**) 09-03-2005, 05:29 AM

I've recently put together an Adwords Mini Course based on my 3 years of experience with Adwords. It covers everything from sourcing your keywords fast, through better conversion ad writing techniques, right down to individual keyword tracking outside of the Google system and advanced landing page optimisation and loads more in between.

There's a major technique in there that the so called 'Adwords Guru's' won't tell you...learn more on the site, scroll down to the Adwords Mini Course box where there's a little more info on the content. :)

This is totally free on my new site, you may find the software on there interesting too. Take a look at the video. :)

Grab the course free here -
www.ppcaccelerator.com

hth,

khurramali · #7 (**permalink**) 09-03-2005, 10:13 AM

I think you should double check your keywords / Phrases, Maybe no one is looking for your service / products by the words you are targetting.

one useful link is http://inventory.overture.com/d/sear...ry/suggestion/

This tool is Free but hidden away, It shows you exactly how many people searched for the specific word in the Overture Network in the Last Month.

Brian Holte · #8 (**permalink**) 09-04-2005, 01:27 PM

Greetings Pagetta:

I feel your pain, I've been experimenting
with G as well, about 75% of my keywords on
GAW are optimized for "exact phrase match" or double
quotes.

The price per click of certain keywords
I have noticed have dropped, I know this
isn't much help but I've just been toying
for about 6 weeks.

The learning curve has been a challenge to
say the least.

I've been experimenting with starting the
description part of the ad with:

"You want to learn____"
"Learn to_____"
"Trouble finding information on_____"
"Your looking for______"

I use the keywords in the headline and the
description part, which seems to work good.

Misspelled keywords can be a goldmine.

If you are on a really small budget like me
you might be interested in this handy software
tool:
www.goodkeywords.com

Hope this helps, Brian.

dburdon · #9 (**permalink**) 09-05-2005, 07:01 AM

Pagetta,

some thoughts:

1. Replicate the keywords in your title - get bold.
2. Open up an Overture campaign - its better for research and planning than adwords
3. Look for trigger words. Different industries have different trigger words. Marketing likes "creative". Travel - particularly flights - likes "cheap". Hotels like "luxury".
4. Review and experiment. Adwords allows you to run a number of ads for the same keyword. See which ones work best.
5. Think about hiring a specialist agent to run the campaign for you. I can certainly recommend at least one.
6. Go on a training course. The money spent should reap a rapid return.

pagetta · #10 (**permalink**) 09-05-2005, 07:03 AM

This is all some great advice for me to get started with - I think a course would be a good way forward!

Thanks for the advice and links I will start reading through all the articles and try to get this campaign off the ground a bit!

xmx · #11 (**permalink**) 09-05-2005, 12:25 PM

If you need some other AdWords tips for free
before buying Mr Marshall guide I suggest to
read the free tips I have in this page of one
of my sites:

http://earnwithgoogle.com/adwords/

They have not been written by me but by Dr Mani,
that is a very experienced and smart marketer,
and a very good person too.

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