Building your business using Google Adwords

Need to generate some extra income or thinking about how to use the net to build your business? Google Adwords can help. I’ve used it for years to generate leads for one of computer programming specialties, converting Clipper database programs from DOS to Windows. (Yes, there are zillions of Clipper programs still out there that have been running since the early 90’s, often doing important tasks. I get steady inquiries from all over the planet and without Google, I wouldn’t have a business.)

Here’s how it works. Someone googles “Clipper conversion.” They are trying to find me. You’ll see Google return something like this.

The first three, labeled “Sponsored Links,” are ads placed in Google Adwords. You bid on the keywords. High bid goes first. My ad titled “Clipper conversion” is the second one. You only pay if someone clicks through.

The first website that Google returns, just under the “Sponsored links” is also my website. Google says they have an iron wall between advertising and search returns and this is quite true. My site is there because it is specifically targeted to “Clipper conversion” and has been there for over ten years. In Google, longevity gives you bonus points.

Here’s how this can help you in your business.

1) If you just launched a website, it probably won’t be ranked high in Google search for a while. But you can use Adwords to advertise it.

2) The more specific your keywords the better. Not only does this lower the cost, your results are also more focused.

3) If your business is locally-based, you can tell Adwords to only have the ads appear in your area. I’m doing this for a client who is a violin teacher on the westside of L.A. Her ad only appears in that geographical area, because it would be pointless to have it appear elsewhere.

4) You can limit the cost to a dollar amount per day. So you never spend more than you budgeted.

Adwords has a huge amount of ways to tweak the ads, with many useful tools. However, it gets complicated so if you do it yourself, be prepared to poke around for a while. I do this for multiple clients as well as myself. Contact me for more info.

Adwords is a proven way to drive business to your site. Let me know if I can help you. Any questions? Please leave them in the comments.