Posted by:
Derek Gehl
July 22, 2008
Issue #464
Dear Business-Builder,
If you’re not already taking advantage of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to pull qualified traffic to your site, now’s the time! PPC is hands-down the fastest way to get targeted traffic to your site.
But did you know it’s also a lean, mean testing machine?
That’s right. This HUGE ADVANTAGE comes from the ability to quickly test, track, compare, and tweak your ads.
Use your results to decide what new keywords to optimize your site for. Figure out what types of opt-in offers get the best results. Use it to help you write top-performing copy for your website and landing pages. You can even use it to optimize the text in your meta description tags — which Google displays with your URL in the organic search results.
You can harness the power of your own pay-per-click campaign in just five simple steps:
- Set up a Google AdWords campaign.
- Set up your PPC conversion tracker.
- Split-test versions of your ads.
- Find out which ad pulls the highest click-throughs and conversions.
- Use your top-performing campaign elements to optimize your website!
Let’s start by making sure the basic elements of your AdWords campaign are in place.
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Posted by:
Julie McManus
May 2, 2008
Issue #409
Dear Business Builder,
Welcome back to In the ‘Net Trenches. I’m really happy you’ve decided to join me again today.
Last week, I revealed a really “big” secret about how to get tons of traffic to your website. And no, it’s not some newfangled do-this-then-do-that, step-by-step system. It doesn’t involve social media sites and befriending thousands of people. And it’s not Google Pay-Per-Click or Search Engine Optimization.
The funny thing is … I never realized how big a secret it really was until recently. To me, it was just business as usual.
So, what the heck is the secret you say? What? You didn’t read last week’s issue!?
Okay then, I won’t beat around the bush …
The easiest way to get tons of traffic to your website is to (drum roll please) … PAY FOR IT!
And how exactly do you do that? Well, that’s what we’re going to explore today.
The Wacky World of Web Media
It amazes me how many online marketers completely ignore this opportunity. Web media seems to be the ugly stepsister of the web marketing world … definitely the marketing sloppy-second to Search Engine Optimization and paid search … and certainly not as flashy and Hollywood as Social Marketing.
Yet, unlike paid search, web media affords an opportunity to reach a nearly endless amount of prospects … at a cost that can be completely controlled … with results that can be measured without question.
So why is it that more online marketers don’t add it to their marketing mix?
Perhaps they lack knowledge … are afraid it won’t work for them or think it’s too expensive … or maybe because no “superstar web marketing guru” is talking or writing about it (keeping this one their inside secret) … well, let’s rectify that, shall we?
Web media is too expensive and won’t work for me …
If you ask me, this is a huge fallacy … pure rumors spread by people that have never given media a fair shot or have never taken the time to figure out how to make it work for them.
But not all web media is created equal. As a responsible web marketer, you can’t listen to what they say. You have to find out for yourself! And this means testing.
As a smart direct response marketer, you need to allocate time and money to testing not only ad copy, ad layout, offers and prices – you also have to traffic drivers. Consider the media placement for your prospect list … it’s your traffic driver. The thing that get’s people to your website. And any list can work at the right price; it’s simply a numbers game.
If your list brings in enough prospects that convert and generate enough revenue to cover the cost of the media placement — you win. If not, you lose and go back to the drawing board. It’s as simple as that.
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Posted by:
Alexis Siemon
April 3, 2008
Issue #388
"When you can do the common things of life
in an uncommon way,
you will command the attention of the world."
– George Washington Carver
You’d been hearing all about how great Google AdWords is for driving traffic to a business’s website, and you were finally ready to get in on the action. So you set up your first online marketing campaign. But while you’re starting to see results, they just aren’t what you expected … and you’re not sure what to do next.
You did everything right. You created your campaign complete with your first Ad Group, the all-important element that holds your keywords and your text ads. You applied your budget. And you were ready to kick back and let the traffic roll in.
I mean, this is AdWords, right? The king of all pay-per-click (PPC) search programs! So … where’s all the traffic? Where’re all the sales? Is anyone out there? Is this thing on?
Don’t panic. The traffic is out there, and so are the sales. Google isn’t the king for nothing. Appease the king and he’ll share his gold. And I’m here to show you how to appease him. Apply the following techniques, and you’ll see a big boost in your AdWords results.
Let’s start by tweaking the most important element of your AdWords campaign.
Your Keywords
When you think of keywords, you probably think "More, more, more!" But have you ever considered less?
Many marketers just starting out in PPC advertising make the mistake of cramming all the keywords they can think of into one Ad Group. Many times, this results in an Ad Group that isn’t as targeted as it could be.
Let’s say you run a website that’s all about dogs. You may have a keyword list that includes terms like:
- Dog training
- Dog breeds
- Healthy dog food
- Best dog toys
By including all these keywords in one Ad Group, you dilute the focus of that Ad Group.
Sure, the words are all related to dogs. But a person searching for information on dog training is not necessarily the same person who is looking for places to buy healthy dog food.
But what if you created an Ad Group for each of these different keywords? Instead of one diluted Ad Group, you now have four extremely targeted Ad Groups. And now you can expand upon each of these topics and really drill down to the various terms people would use to search for "dog training" (how to train my dog, dog training tips, best dog training information) or "healthy dog food" (healthy dog food recipes, healthy dry dog food, healthy dog food brands).
The next step is to write targeted ad text for each of your new Ad Groups.
Your Ad Text
Now that you’re targeting potential customers interested in your valuable dog training tips, how do you encourage them to click through to your website? Why, with targeted and compelling ad text of course!
Easier said than done, I know. But there are several things you can do to stand out amongst your competitors and boost your click-through rate (CTR).
- Use your keywords in your ad text - especially your headline. Keywords in your ad text that match what was searched show up as bold in your ad and boost your relevancy.
- Offer something free or promote a sale. Everyone likes free stuff and bargains.
- Use symbols or vary your punctuation where applicable. Odd punctuation can catch a searcher’s eye and make them click your ad over your competitors’.
Play with these techniques to find what works best. Test like crazy. And since you can write several versions of your text ads for each Ad Group, let Google rotate them and optimize the best ads for the best results.
Remember, relevancy is the most important factor in search engine marketing. Whatever you do, make sure your ad text speaks to the keywords you’re bidding on.
Once your new ads are pulling the clicks of your dreams, now you’d better convert them with …
Your Landing Pages
So your "dog training" keywords trigger your targeted "dog training" text ads, which drive visitors to your … home page? But your home page talks about dog training and different dog breeds and dog food and dog toys and … your visitors are overwhelmed and they leave.
If you make your visitors work too hard to find what they’re looking for, you’ll lose them.
Create unique landing pages specific to each Ad Group. The more relevant your landing pages are to your ad text, the better your conversions will be - whether they be sign-ups, leads, or sales.
Once visitors click on your "dog training" ad, they should arrive at a page that tells them all about your amazing dog training products and/or services. Want them to sign up for a monthly newsletter about dog training advice? Tell them what they’ll learn by subscribing.
Do the same for dog food. Do you sell an e-book about healthy dog food … or about the products that were involved in the wheat gluten scare? Focus your landing page solely on selling that e-book, and make it as relevant as possible to the keywords you’re bidding on and the ad text you’ve written.
Using these techniques to tweak your AdWords campaign will not only rev up your results, it will also boost your AdWords Quality Score, resulting in a lower cost per click (CPC). Lower CPC means more clicks for your money … which ultimately means more sales.
You can’t lose. So start testing now to make 2008 a great year for your online business!
Contributed by Alexis Siemon
Guest Contributor
THE TOTAL PACKAGE™
Alexis Siemon is the Search Engine Marketing Specialist for Early to Rise (www.earlytorise.com). Early to Rise is a free, daily, online newsletter full of useful ideas about marketing, business building, investing, natural health, and much more. Click here to sign up for this unmatched free resource, and learn new ways every day to make yourself healthier, wealthier, and wiser.
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Posted by:
Julie McManus
November 2, 2007
Issue #271
Dear Business Builder,
Happy Friday and welcome back to In the ‘Net Trenches. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been scolded for getting off topic and one reader even suggested the stories I tell are either embellished or just plain not true. Let me assure you that is not the case. More times than not, my articles are written exactly in the moment. Simply meaning what you’re reading is something I’m most likely dealing with in my professional and (sometimes) personal life right now … like for instance what’s going on now …
I recently made some schedule changes that will free up a bit more of my time. So with several extra brain cells to spare and a few extra minutes on my hands, I quickly setup a meeting – an internet marketing brainstorming for one. The meeting was held earlier in the week and in my own mind … and I quickly came to the realization that the opportunities are endless.
There’s web 1.0, 2.0 and some internet people are even starting to talk about web 3.0! As a seasoned internet marketer and not to mention direct marketer with over 15 years in the business, I find all the potential web marketing tactics mind-boggling (and really exciting). And they’re constantly changing … you could spend all your time reading and trying to keep up.
I can’t imagine what it must feel like for an entrepreneur just getting started building an online business (with dreams of dollar signs dancing in their head) or the long time business owner that’s watched his whole industry turn to the web quietly leaving him in the dust. Perhaps I can imagine (I’ve been there) … deer in headlights.
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
Today’s issue is written with the newbie in mind … the business builders that are just getting started with their internet business. The ones that have a product but have yet to really successfully market it online.
I mention all the possibilities not to scare you, but to warn you. When you’re getting started it’s so easy to get off track. You spend your time in the learning and spending phase. You’re reading everything you can find on internet marketing and buying many info-products that will no doubt provide you a great foundation of knowledge.
But you quickly end up in information overload and confusion sets in. At this point you become stuck … powerless to implement anything you’ve learned … frozen in place and not quite sure how exactly to get started. Could that be because you’ve learned too much? I say it’s highly likely.
You’ve become a jack of all trades … but a master of none.
Today, I’ll show you how to quickly become a “master” of one or two tactics that can get your marketing started. I’ll break it down into two categories … tactics for business owners that are lucky enough to have a marketing budget and business owners getting started with no marketing budget.
Remember you’re only one person, you have to start somewhere.
Tactics for the Business with a Budget
No doubt, businesses that have a marketing budget have the potential to grow the fastest. At the recent ETR Info-Marketing conference my good friend and publisher MaryEllen Tribby mentioned the key to growing a business with sales above $1 Million a year is the ability to buy media.
It is likely if you have a marketing budget, you may also have a list. If that’s the case then your “master” tactics are best served in generating new customers and continuing to grow your list.
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Posted by:
David Dittman
September 22, 2007
Issue #237
Issue #237
Hello all and welcome back to another issue of Working IT Out! Today’s issue is great! Greg Marsden from Smart Marketing has allowed me to pick his brain about PPC and the secrets to the success he has been having.
Now, you may not have heard of Greg or Smart Marketing yet. They are the unsung heroes behind countless successful PPC Campaigns. They’re out there getting it done.
Greg and his crew have had numerous success stories in direct marketing. They have experience managing campaigns that have generated well over 7.5 billion ad impressions and 23 million clicks to date (in some of the most competitive markets online).
They have the confidence and experience to develop wildly successful, self-capitalizing lead generation models for several different companies.
Now enough of my jibba, jabba – on with the show …
David: Greg, we’ve been working with your company for about four weeks now, and we’re impressed. Could you explain a little bit about yourselves and what unique skills you guys bring to the table?
Greg Mardsen: Well, I’ve been creating and managing paid search campaigns for about five years now and have been doing Internet marketing since 1997, so experience is a big part of our success. Most recently, I’ve focused on mastering Google AdWords marketing, and in the last two years alone I’ve generated and managed over 25 million Google AdWords leads for my clients. In that time, I’ve also had the freedom to experiment a lot and really boil down things to a system that works. And when you’re spending in the 25-30k a day range, you’d better know what you’re doing or you’ll go broke in a hurry.
I’ve also spent a lot of time studying direct response marketing and have recently teamed up with a professional copywriter since getting a click from an ad is only the first part of a successful campaign. Success or failure is always dependent on converting that click into something worth more than you paid for it on average, so we also look at the bigger picture when working with clients and advise them as to what can be done on their end to make the entire effort as successful as possible as well.
David: So if I’m new to the PPC game, what are some general principles I need to take into account?
Greg: First, don’t be fooled by how simple Google or the other search engines make it seem to get up and running. It’s true that anyone with a credit card and the ability to use a mouse can create a campaign and have traffic going to their site in minutes, but unless you invest some significant time learning what to do, you’re just going to pour money down the drain. People don’t just buy in at a poker game without learning the basics, but every day eager advertisers jump right in thinking they’ll make quick and easy money simply with more traffic to their site. It’s more competitive now than ever these days, so take the time to learn the game well before you get in, or it’ll hurt.
If you have done some homework and are ready to give it a shot, I’d stress that one of the biggest keys to success is being able to clearly distinguish what’s working and probably will work from what isn’t and not likely to. To do this, you need to break campaigns up into distinct units so you can adjust your strategy quickly based on how these units perform. Using smaller groups of closely related keywords, separating true search traffic from “content” traffic as well as separating broad vs. exact keyword match types are all ways you can group these units to see how they perform in comparison. If you can’t see a difference in performance you can’t adjust for it, so being able to see that clearly is critical. If everything you’re bidding on is all jumbled together, you’ll have a real hard time trying to get more of what’s working and getting rid of what’s not.
David: So let’s talk nuts and bolts … Can you give me a generic layout for a starting point of successful acquisition campaigns? For example, Google Ad -> Squeeze Page -> Sales Page …
Greg: That’s the basic formula, though often it works better to soften up your leads first with some free information via e-mail before you hit them up with a sales offer. One important thing to keep in mind is that the Google ad is the starting point and really the first line of your sales pitch, so it needs to be consistent with the copy of the squeeze page and sales page. It should hopefully set up people to be receptive to your headline. If the message of your ad conflicts with your headline on your landing page, your conversion rate will suffer, so keep that in mind when writing your Google ads. Try to keep the full conversion path in mind – ad to landing page to sales offer – so that each part of it fits well together.
David: What are some of the biggest mistakes people are making during acquisition campaigns?
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