Given the current economic times, many businesses are looking for ways to increase sales without a large investment up-front, especially when they aren’t sure that investment will create the return they’re looking for. At Three Girls, we recommend pursuing editorial for this reason: it’s free. Sure, it takes a lot of time and persistence, but in the end, the placement isn’t something you need to pay for.
For businesses that have a small amount of money they can invest in advertising and are looking for increased online presence, we recommend an editorial campaign in conjunction with a Google AdWords campaign. Darren Dahl of the New York Times offered a nice explanation in his Small Business Guide:
Google AdWords are keyword-driven ads that show up along the right-hand side of a Google search page under the rubric “sponsored links.” People who search for terms related to those you select — say, “widgets for sale” — will see your ad alongside the results of their search. How high up your ad appears on the list of sponsored links will depend, in part, on how much you’re willing to spend on your campaign. The more you spend and the more relevant your ad, the higher it will rank. Because AdWords is a pay-per-click service, you pay Google only when someone clicks on your ad.
Darren also offered tips based on examples he collected from business owners:
- Set a Realistic Budget
- Focus on Local Markets
- Narrow Your Keyword Net
- Create Landing Pages
- Stay on Top of Your Campaign …
- … or Consider Outsourcing It
We would also recommend staying organized by keeping all your Google AdWords information in one place. Also, if you have the time to tie the AdWords chosen into seasonal hooks, we recommend you time them with your editorial campaign to make the most of your efforts.
Read the full article at http://bit.ly/3JMjas.