[david@zap-clean]

Do you use Google AdWords campaigns? Do they work for you?

I'm getting so many calls from 'experts' offering to sort out my on-line marketing strategy I don't know which to use (if any).  There's so much choice and different price options I'm confused.

I'm a carpet cleaning company, not an IT PPC marketing geek.

I think I understand google adwords, but is it really worth the effort/cost?

[feldon]

Depends, is your website ranking well in Google places or the natural listings, if it is I wouldn't bother as most people prefer to click on and look at places and natural listings rather than the paid for advertising. However if your not ranking well then why not try a short campaign on Adword's but at the same time try to get your site ranking higher up the page.  If you have not used Adwords before if you scout around you will be able to get a £50 free voucher off Google to try it first, I except a few on here may well have a voucher that you could use.

[Steve Chapman]

Richard,
When you say most people prefer to click on places and natural listings what do you base this conclusion on ?

Is it from research or just your opinion ?

Steve

[feldon]

Steve I read it in a book, "Get to No.1 on Google" which stats 72% of people are more likely to click on natural links rather than pay per click.

[Mike Halliday]

Steve I read it in a book, "Get to No.1 on Google" which stats 72% of people are more likely to click on natural links rather than pay per click.

when was it written? more than a year then it could be irrelevant as google page layout was dramatically altered to emphasis   AdWords then Places,,,,,, so in some case natural listing are way down the page

[feldon]

Mike its a 3rd Edition updated for 2012.  I have also tried Adword's myself and didn't get one job from it, I know others have had success with it but personally when I shop or search on line I'm the same I ignore p.p.c and always click on the natural listings or places.

[feldon]

Sorry just read your post again Mike, the book says that 72% are more likely to click places or natural listings rather than p.p.c

[garry22]

Richard,

That book would have been updated before the alghorithm changes in the last three or four months. As these were more or less the most far reaching in Google's history, it could be way off now.

[feldon]

I expect it was updated before the recent changes Garry, but have the changes made much difference to Adwords? it would be interesting to know from those who used adwords before and after the recent changes. I still think most people realize that businesses pay for the top adverts and that they are more likely to find a local trader / service in places or natural listings, just my thoughts

[Carpet2Clean]

We use google adwords and it works for us.

We don`t put a lot of money on it.

Been booked up for the last 3 weeks from it.


Richard & Tara

[Warren Aldridge]

I use it and noticed with the recent changes a lot more people, particularly those that were highly ranked have started using it making it very expensive. It's a bidding system so the more popular it gets the more you will pay.

[Steve Chapman]

I was just interested as I hear a lot say most click on the natural listings but I've always found we get far more work through Adwords than from organic ones.

In reality if no one clicks on the Adwords then google wouldn't make any money and we all know that isn't so !

Steve

[wynne jones]

It definitely was true that people bypassed adwords and clicked on natural listings.

That's not so true now however because Google have made the distinction between the two more and more subtle year on year. Being no1 for your search term and local stuff does bring your CPC down though.

[david@zap-clean]

Interesting - thanks.

To those that are successfully using Google AdWords - do you manage your own campaigns? or do you pay someone to manage this for you?

My office phone is ringing off the hook with companies promising me the earth with their on-line advertising abilities! I'm sitting in the fence at this time.

[Mike Halliday]

I think its not about just position but what your listing actually says, I will scroll down the full page reading each one until I see an exact match to what I want.

I might type in the search box 'carpet cleaners near bigglesworth' but what I really want is an 'emergency carpet cleaner near bigglesworth  ' becuase I've spilt a glass of wine.

If in the search results it has 'bigglesworth  carpet cleaners....emergency service' then even if this is at the bottom of the page it will be the one I click.

[garry22]

I think its not about just position but what your listing actually says, I will scroll down the full page reading each one until I see an exact match to what I want.

I might type in the search box 'carpet cleaners near bigglesworth' but what I really want is an 'emergency carpet cleaner near bigglesworth  ' becuase I've spilt a glass of wine.

If in the search results it has 'bigglesworth  carpet cleaners....emergency service' then even if this is at the bottom of the page it will be the one I click.

It's back to good old marketing. Good headline and decent copy (whether a salesletter or a SERPS listing).

[Steve Chapman]

Googles ethos has always been about relevance, so if you remember that you can get it to work for you quite nicely, but it takes a good deal of work.

If you try to take short cuts it will not do you any good in the long run.

Steve