AdWords can be a very rewarding advertising campaign for businesses. Many may shy away from the complexity, but here is a breakdown of some of the basics that should be able to help you get started.

AdWords is based around PPC advertising. So, what is PPC? PPC, or pay-per-click advertising, is a way of marketing your business online. It’s most popular on search engines. When you use Google, the top results are often paid for ads. There are many advantages to this including how targeted your audience is. If you have a bicycle shop in Dublin, then you can have your PPC ad seen by people in Dublin searching for what you offer. You pay each time your ad is clicked on. How much you pay varies as you have to bid on the keywords and phrases. If it is a popular search, such as “hotels in Ireland” then that might cost more than “bed and breakfast in Limerick” as the competition is higher. Sometimes, the fee may seem like a lot. However, you know that a click is sending someone over to your website means a good chance of a sale and the result can be profitable.

To make sure the results are desirable, you should make sure your AdWords campaign is spot on. Google AdWords is a great start. There are 3.5 billion searches per day on Google, which is what makes Google AdWords the most popular PPC platform. In addition to bidding on keywords, Google uses a number of factors to determine how your ad gets seen. The quality of the keywords and campaign, as well as the number of bids,  will determine where you position on Google’s search results pages. Your Ad Rank is determined by two factors: CPC bids (the highest amount you are willing to pay per click) multiplied by an overall Quality Score that looks at your website/landing page’s quality and relevance. The system works by ensuring the business stays within their budget and the audience gets quality websites available to them. You can bid more than your competitors, but if their website ranks higher in the quality score, you may see them get the top spot before you do.

Keyword research is absolutely crucial for an AdWords campaign. They will determine what Google users need to search for to be able to find you. This isn’t something that can be done quickly. You need to find keywords that are the most relevant to your business, so there is a better chance that people will find what they are looking for with your business. Don’t limit yourself to just the most relevant keywords. Expand your keyword list with possibly less common search terms in the form of long-tail keywords. These keywords are very specific, and usually, indicate someone is ready to make a purchase. Because they are not as common, they often cost less. You can use Google’s Keyword Planner tool to get an idea of what is being searched for in your industry.

PPC or AdWords campaigns are not just about creating one and leaving it, hoping the customers come in. You need to make sure that your key terms are still working with effective Adwords management. If there are keywords that are costing you money but not really bringing in the business, then try something else. Trends change and you will need to stay on top of them to stay relevant and be able to reach your audience. You should be analysing your results and make changes if necessary. You may need to make changes to your landing pages or add more that are relevant to certain key phrases through split ad groups, which will bring up your quality score.

Adwords management can be a daunting project, but one that is very worthwhile if done right. Thankfully, you can count on a PPC agency Dublin businesses turn to on to make their businesses seen by the ideal customer base. A Google AdWords agency will have experts on board who know the Google AdWords platform inside out and take the time to do the research and set up an effective campaign for you.