Competition and Google Adwords
There is a common misconception among some internet marketers that the most popularly used search terms make the best keywords for advertisers. While it is true that more searches mean more potential traffic is out there, it doesn’t factor in the competition. Selecting the best keywords for an advertiser’s business is by far a more effective choice.
The Google Adwords help center suggests avoiding very broad or general words. This could result in many impressions, but not many click thrus. An advertiser that offers health products or services to older adults, for example, would gain many impressions with the keyword “seniors”. However, the term “seniors” could relate to anything of interest to, or about, the elderly, or even high school seniors, none of which makes a very useful market. Better to focus the keyword to reflect the nature of the offering more closely: senior health.
Using descriptive terms also helps attract a more qualified audience. If an advertiser uses the term “cook books” rather than the general “books”, each click is more likely to lead to a conversion, because it will be chosen by people looking for cook books rather than another genre. “Italian cook books” narrows the field even more.
It doesn’t really benefit the advertiser to have a high rate of clicks and a low conversion ratio. If viewers are clicking but not buying, this simply costs the advertiser more money and is not balanced by increased sales. Highly targeted keywords help advertisers attract a better-qualified prospect. This means a higher conversion rate and greater ROI.
When developing keywords, it is helpful to examine one’s website to identify recurring words and phrases, and the primary themes that characterize it. Similarly, research other websites in the same market. Consider why those sites are successful or not, and study the wording used in their ads and content. If they are successful and they are reaching the right market, try incorporating similar terms and phrases.
It is also useful to learn to think like a customer. Google recommends listing the things customers might enter into a search engine when seeking a particular product or service. Consider possible alternative spellings of those words as well. For instance, low-fat foods can be referred to as “light” or “lite”. Both spellings should become keywords to ensure that all potential customers are reached.
Monitoring the effectiveness of a campaign is crucial. Use Google’s conversion tracking tool and Google Analytics to measure each new campaign and all revised versions of them. If an ad isn’t drawing as many clicks as anticipated, evaluate keywords and implement changes. Then, continue tracking results to determine whether the changes have been for the better.
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[...] Competition and Google Adwords – Google recommends listing the things customers might enter into a search engine when seeking a particular product or service. Consider possible alternative spellings of those words as well. For instance, low-fat foods can be referred to. [...]