Google PPC is Beating Me with a Sack of Coins

souldeux · 03-12-2009, 05:58 PM

Google Adwords (the PPC arena of Google) is doing things to my brain that I just don't understand.

I've spent a ridiculous amount of time today reading about Google Adwords, how to optimize a campaign, blah blah blah...I'm beaten. Bruised. Battered.

You know, learning a new product, I can do. SEO, sure, I can do that. Building websites? Yeah, sure! I love it! But for some reason, this PPC stuff is honestly just going over my head. It's like there's a mental block in there - I'm just not getting it, it's not clicking.

Anyone out there feel like taking a few minutes and breaking Google Adwords down to absolute beginner level?

Charpress · 03-12-2009, 06:18 PM

The real trick is to jump in but limit the amount spent to something very low per day.

Experiment with keywords and try to find the cheapest keywords that do the job for you. Some keywords that are geared for national consumption are absurdly expensive. See if you can figure out some nickel per click equivalents geared for your local market.

As you start learning the hard way, you can up the daily limit as you feel more comfortable that you know what you are doing (and as you see the correct results).

jdgeddie · 03-12-2009, 06:28 PM

Nick I'm sure you can get the hang of it. The hardest part for you will be creating an effective ad, and deciding on which keywords you wish to bid. As Charpress said it would be ideal if you could find some undiscovered keywords, but good luck hunting for those.

You'll need to work the math to figure out how much you can pay per click to make it worthwhile. If you pay $5 per click and avg 1 lead for every 10 clicks, you are paying $50 per lead, etc, etc.

And don't go in with a high daily limit to start because you'll blow thru it quick on high volume keywords like "health insurance", "medical insurance", etc.

Give me a call tomorrow at the office 866-850-7526 x901 if you need some advice.

somarco · 03-12-2009, 06:45 PM

Something wrong with "Paris Hilton" as a keyword?

Paris Hilton health insurance

Paris Hilton life insurance

Paris Hilton long term care insurance

Seems like it would work. Maybe I just don't get it.

SoCalBroker · 03-12-2009, 07:11 PM

I will advise you that there are forces involved in the Google Adwords game that are very powerful and they are against you. That thing can suck you wallet dry in a heart beat.

There a online marketers with software tools and technology and skillsets in this arena that are downright nasty.

Be careful and set daily limits ...

Look at tools like ...

Google Cash Detective 2.0

Ad Spy Pro

Keyword Spy

PPC Classroom

Spyfu

An you will get a feel for what the competition is doing to you. The LEADS Co's are deploying tech like these tools and harvesting everybodies effective campaigns and kicking your butt with it ...

All the best,

Steve

souldeux · 03-13-2009, 01:02 PM

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, guys! I have resolved that Understanding The Google will be my weekend's big project. My fiancee is thrilled.

John, would it be alright if I gave you a call Monday? I am about to run out the door to a meeting and have back-to-back stuff until stupid-late tonight.

jdgeddie · 03-13-2009, 04:51 PM

Nick, yeah anytime before 10 on Monday. Or late afternoon.

Alston · 03-13-2009, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by Charpress

The real trick is to jump in but limit the amount spent to something very low per day.

Experiment with keywords and try to find the cheapest keywords that do the job for you. Some keywords that are geared for national consumption are absurdly expensive. See if you can figure out some nickel per click equivalents geared for your local market.

As you start learning the hard way, you can up the daily limit as you feel more comfortable that you know what you are doing (and as you see the correct results).

The above is great advice.

The most important thing to do when starting out is to limit your exposure. In fact, you should always limit your exposure. However you should raise your daily or monthly limits incrementally as you gain experience and confidence with your campaigns.

You can get good results from Google, Yahoo! and MSN's PPC programs. Almost all of the others will take your money and do little else. You can lose money at 5 cents per click with most of the other PPC programs.

sunkist219 · 03-16-2009, 05:43 PM

When it comes to internet marketing - I just read, read, read. This is a good book on Adwords -

Amazon.com: Winning Results with Google AdWords,...
It was just published very recently which is very important b/c Google's system is ALWAYS changing. Books written in 2006 won't give you accurate information, unfortunately.

joeblow · 03-16-2009, 07:04 PM

When you find somebody who does geographical targeting, on the types of sites you want, where you can set a daily limit and a max price... Let me know, will you please?

sunkist219 · 03-16-2009, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by joeblow

When you find somebody who does geographical targeting, on the types of sites you want, where you can set a daily limit and a max price... Let me know, will you please?

I'm confused. Are you talking about Google's content network where you show up on sites related to yours (which is a waste of money) or are you talking about setting your Adwords campaign so that you show up for the keywords "insurance", but only when people in Utah type it in (if you're in Utah)??

Alston · 03-16-2009, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by joeblow

When you find somebody who does geographical targeting, on the types of sites you want, where you can set a daily limit and a max price... Let me know, will you please?

Google, MSN and Yahoo! offer all of the above with the possible exception of the "types of sites" part.

joeblow · 03-17-2009, 09:56 AM

Re: "Types of sites" - I believe it is possible to have your ad appear on "financially-related" sites, as opposed to say, "pet-related" sites.

But I'm clueless as to the effectiveness (esp. COST-effectiveness) of doing so. And I haven't really heard of any way to only show your ad in, f'rinstance, NYS.

Again, I'm pretty ignorant about the whole PPC thing.

Alston · 03-17-2009, 09:55 PM

You can do geo-targeting with all of the 3 majors. You can make money on all of the 3 majors, but you must have:

a good list of keywords
A good ad
A good landing page

There are some good books that cover these topics, but the main thing you have to do is test, test, test.