What Are Your Top 5 Tips for Making 3K On AdWords?

Here's another great question and my response from a recent Facebook Fan Page question:

Q: I have lot about you but so far not bought any of your product.

I have burnt lot of money in GA, I want simple 5 tips to make 3k/month in profit using google content n/w without getting slap or paying high using tricks of good placement targeting and image ads.

Let say pick two products:

1) panicaway

2) WOW (worldofwarcraft).

A: Unfortunately, there isn't any magic formula for Google Adwords. Only good structure for optimization to identify conversion funnels. Even the software I've developed are not quick fixes. Tools like Adtext Generator, Adtext Image Creator and Placement Pilot are all geared towards optimal account "SETUP".

You still need to do competitors research like KW research, landing page analysis, demographics as well as any other data points you can get your hands on using 3rd party tools or free Google tools like SKTool, KeywordToolExternal, Media Planner, Insights, etc. (Just search on Google for exact URLS).

Since each new Adwords account lives and breathes its own life, it has to go through a series of initiation. Like how a Fraternity initiates its new members. In my experience, Google needs to see if you are going to stick around for the long haul. It doesn't matter if you are a large company or a small one. It doesn't matter if you have a huge budget or simply $15/day in ad spend. It all depends on how close you pay attention to every facet of the optimization process.

For Search Network:

I usually like to start off with 100 keywords set at Match Type BROAD. I put each keyword in its own adgroup. I usually name the adgroups according to the search volume of the keyword using these naming convention followed by the actual keyword:

Low Volume Search (LVS)

Med Volume Search (MVS)

High Volume Search (HVS)

If I have over $100/day budget, I would check on the campaign once a day to look for the following impressions for each volume category: 100 for LVS, 500 for MVS and 1000 for HVS. I would try to identify keywords with good CTR of 2% or higher. Each adgroup would start off with 2 adtexts. If I haven't reached 2% CTR, I would dump the losing adtext and replace it with a different one and wait for the the next batch of min impressions to reassess. 

Once I feel I have tweaked most of the keywords to achieve a 2% CTR, I would then start focusing on conversions. First, I would run a Search Query Performance to identify exactly which keywords are responsible for my conversions. Step by Step can be found here:

http://www.adwordsbuzz.com/2010/02/how-do-you-start-a-new-campaign.html

For Content Network:

Content Network is a whole different beast from Search Network. I actually detail the strategy here:

http://www.adwordsbuzz.com/2009/12/the-future-of-the-content-network.html

In conclusion, Adwords is a game if finesse. Google is now more alert than ever for fly by night affiliates whose number one goal is to make money by simply providing little or no value on their site. They even now have a SITE QUALITY team that looks out for affiliate sites or bridge pages (review sites, etc) to filter out in their network to increase a more friendly and informative user experience. 

If you have an affiliate site, make sure you provide unique content around the affiliate offer and have banners and text links to the affiliate offer. Make sure you have a proper navigation menu with real internal links to more unique content. This is what I would for WorldofWarcraft and PanicAway. Google Adwods reaches 80% of the nets' traffic. Think twice before dumping Google Adwords completely. Its better to finesse this system and wait patiently (as you will definetly get rewarded), than to completely abandon it.

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As you can see, I am not holding anything back in my responses. So, if you're if you've got a question, go-ahead and ask at:  http://tinyurl.com/AdWordsBuzz

Comments

[Paul]

Adwords is a very hard nut to crack? It it's getting harder and harder for the small time online entreprenuer to profit via adwords.

You still can but those with the BIG bucks can test, test, and test again until the profit margin goes above 50%.

Because they have the capital to do just that.

But, just like the offline world the small time entreprenuer gets skrewed over and over again.

Paul

[AM Khan]

I like to think of AdWords as a game of patience and finesse. Start by casting a wide net. Collect data. Make decisions based on the data. So, it's not necessarily hard. It's giving your market what they want. If you can do this better than the others guys, then you can dominate the arena. So, there are still a lot of opportunities on AdWords, but, yes, the "set-it and forget-it rushed approach" may not produce the results you hope for.