Google Adwords Tips

If you're a Google Adwords advertiser, particularly with affiliate programs, todays newsletter information might stike a chord for you.  

No doubt you've heard the banter, raving and disgust that Google Adwords users have put forth due to recent Adwords changes. Many people are losing valued business online because clicks that used to cost 5-15 cents now cost $1-10, and I'm one of those hard hit users.

Needless to say, I've experienced much the same frustration on one of my websites, but researching Google's guidelines and mending my errors I'm confident Google will find my sites acceptable once again.

Am I too trusting in Google?  Perhaps that remains to be seen ;-)

I have discovered that most of my Google Adwords troubles stem from the fact that I advertise mostly affiliate programs.  While I don't believe this should be a negative factor, it nevertheless IS.

Google will always tell you that their primary goal is to deliver useful, relevant content to their users. While I sometimes have trouble seeing that Google is completely accomplishing this goal, I believe it's a work in progress and, contrary to popular belief, I do feel Google is on the right and noble track, even though I'm paying the price :-(

What seems most unfair is that affiliate programs are being hit the hardest. Affiliate sites seem to be the step child here and requirements are even more stringent. While I do feel this may be somewhat unfair I have to get back to their primary goal,

"To deliver relevant, useful information"

While researching how to combat this dilemma, Google themselves makes a statement about affiliate sites that says:

"To determine whether participation in affiliate programs is central or incidental to the site's existence, ask yourself this question: Would this site remain a coherent whole if the pages leading to the affiliate were taken away?"

What this means is that if you were to remove all the affiliate links from your landing page, what value would it offer to its readers? 

I have always tried to offer useful information to my viewers and I do this as my first objective, however I see many affiliate sites that simply list affiliate programs without the thought of offering good valuable information on their topic. It's unfair that I should have to compete with those sites, so I feel Google is on the right track with eliminating or making such sites pay more. 

It's going to be worthwhile for anyone advertising on Google Adwords to completely read, study and implement their requirements.

So what does Google Adwords want from us? Here are a few tips that might help you out:

1. Be sure to provide relevant, useful and substantial content. Google wants to be sure that users clicking on your ad find what they are looking for.  Therefore your landing page has to be relevant to the keywords entered.

2. Link to the page on your site that provides the MOST useful and accurate information about the product or service in your ad.

Note:  This is not often your home page.  Home pages are typically a general overview of your site.  Be specific and place the page in your ad that gives plenty of relevant, substantial information about your product or service.  

3. Ensure that your landing page is relevant to your keywords and your ad text.

4  Distinguish sponsored links from the rest of your site content. If you have affiliate site links, be sure they are noted as such.

5. Don't submit pages that require users to register before they can view your site. Note: Newsletter sign-up forms on your pages are ok.

In summary, include pages that provide useful and substantial information to whoever clicks on the page. If your page contains several affiliate links, provide additional information next to the link beyond what is contained in your ad.

If you can provide plenty of useful content your Adwords costs will lessen and your listing placement will increase, so the theory goes, however you will need to keep at it.

More tips and strategies for Adwords PPC marketing