Real-Life Lessons in Using Google AdWords
from the NYTimes Small Business Guide, October 14, 2009

This is a very good background article by the New York Times on Google AdWords, further evidence that Google AdWords are going mainstream.  Maybe I’m too deep into the forest, but I’m still always surprised by how many small and medium-sized business managers who don’t know or know enough about Google AdWords to realize what they are losing out on.

“It used to be that business owners often struggled to afford advertising for their products or services. Google AdWords has changed that by offering an inexpensive way to spread the word. But if you don’t do some careful planning, you can easily find yourself spending thousands of dollars with little to show for it.”

Kudos to them for also identifying that unless done properly, Google AdWords can also be a waste of money.  The truth is, in the same way when someone clicks through on a “natural” search (the unpaid portion of Google) Google is interested in sending searchers to the best quality content, Google has the same goal for click-throughs on ads.  This is why having good search engine marketing skills is key to successful AdWords Marketing.  If Google likes your website for certain keywords, it will like your ads and the website it directs searches to because it is relevant. Seems commonsensical, but the popular perception is that you just have to bid the highest and your ads will show up highest.

Double Kudos to the New York Times for mentioning the wisdom of outsourcing the setting-up and maintenance of AdWords campaigns.  Outsourcing this is low cost, and it far outweighs the opportunity cost of not doing it well.