Adwords: Making Google Work for You

When people are searching for products, services, or information online, 65.6% of the world's Internet users turn to Google to find what they are looking for. With that kind of built-in following, it makes sense to advertise with the world's most popular search engine, and Google has a service that lets you do just that.

Google Adwords is an online marketing and advertising platform that has revolutionized the way people market their products and services online. Adwords is a form of pay-per-click advertising which means you don't pay for your advertisement until someone clicks on your ad.

Here's how it works:

1. Set up an Adwords account
2. Target your customers by location (local, regional, national, international, etc.) and language.
3. Create your ad and choose keywords that relate to your business.
4. Set your daily budget and decide how much you are willing to spend per click

Then watch Google Adwords go to work for you. Every time someone goes to the Google search engine and searches for one of your keywords, your ad appears in the search results. There is no easier way to reach your target market. Of course the more money you are willing to pay on your keywords, the higher your ad will appear in the search results. And again, you don't pay anything until someone clicks on your ad. In other words, you only pay when the ad actually works.

Give it a try and make Google Adwords work for you.

Social Media Marketing 101: Where to Begin?

You've started your business, you have a great service or product to offer, your website is up and running, now all you need is customers. That means marketing. I know. I hear you groaning already. But trust me, marketing isn't as bad as you think.

There's a new kid in town and it's name is social media marketing, and it is an efficient and cost effective way for start-up and small companies to market themselves. It doesn't cost a lot of money but it will take some time and effort on your part. But like anything else, once you have the right tools, the job is much easier.

The Tools You Need

Blog: Wordpress, Blogger
Set up a blog on your website and post weekly articles for you products or services, about industry news, about specials and promotions, or any information that your customers would find valuable.

Social Networks: Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus
Set up an account with 2 or 3 social networks and start connection with potential customers. It's a great way for your friends to link you to their friends who link you to their friends and so on. You can also link you blog to these sites and let your friends and followers know that you have a new post on your blog.

Multimedia:
Photos: Flickr, Shutterfly, Google's Picassa
Video: Youtube, Vimeo
Audio: Podcasts
Adding multimedia elements to your blog and website makes them more engaging and draws attention better than text alone. The more engaged your visitors are, the more likely they are to return.

E-mail:
Monthly Newsletter
Work hard to get your visitors to sign up for your free monthly newsletter. By signing up, they offer to let you remind them every month that you are in business. Offer fun, interesting, or beneficial information so they are eager to stay on your mailing list.

Tying it all together:
Website
Successful social media marketing builds relationships, generates word of mouth marketing, and strengthens brand loyalty with your customers. But lets face it, it also needs to turn visitors into paying customers. Everything you do, your blog, your photos, your videos, your newsletter, should drive your visitors to your website where they can buy your product or order your service.

It takes time and effort to have a successful social media marketing plan, but the rewards can be well worth it.

Marketing with Video

In the previous post we discussed the benefits of audio podcasts. Now I'd like to talk about video and what it can do for your business.

Video is a great way to engage your visitors because it is the next best thing to talking to your customers and potential customers face-to-face, making it more personal and intimate than reading words on a page.

 Video can be use in a number of ways.

Conversation Video gives you an opportunity to speak to your visitors.

• Interview experts in your field
• Interview satisfied customers
• Answer common questions from customers
• Respond to customer complaints.

Educational Video can be used to teach or inform your customers.

• Tutorials
• Demonstrations
• How-to videos

Conversion Video has the main purpose of converting visitors into customers with a clear call to action in the video.

• Sign up now
• Download here
• Call today
• Visit www.______.com to learn more
• Buy yours today

There are many benefits to using video including:

• Getting people's attention quickly
• Putting a face to your company
• Bringing ideas to life
• Making your site more engaging
• Making your site stand out

So take advantage of the personal and engaging properties of video and ad a video to your site.