Google gives advertisers a tremendous opportunity to reach millions of potential buyers and even some training on how to properly use Google if you do the research. However, Google will take practically anyone’s money that is willing to spend it with them. In Las Vegas, this is called dumb money. It is what makes Vegas rich, hell it is what makes Google rich. But, there is a better way.
Back to my Las Vegas example – one of their most popular games is blackjack. A relatively simple game, blackjack can be played by anyone over the age of 21. You start with two cards and try to get closer to 21 than the person representing the casino does without going over. If you do that, you win. Easy right!
Similar to Google, anyone can sit down and start to play as long as they are willing to part with their money. However, some people who wish to play the game first would like to get more educated on rules and strategies to increase their chance of success. There are books on blackjack strategy that if learned will increase your odds. There are similar books regarding Google advertising that can increase your odds of success, I should know, I wrote one!
So what to do, where to start especially if you are busy store owner with a thousand things pulling you in a million different directions?
Well from talking to hundreds of store owners, I have found that there are four specific routes taken and here they are:
Do Absolutely Nothing – This is the easiest option for you. You decide not to sell on Google, maybe electing to advertise on Amazon or a different marketing channel. For store owners, especially online ecommerce store owners this can be turning your back on the potential for huge number of sales. Plus, if you rely on purely Amazon, you are at Amazon’s whim in addition to paying Amazon a steep commission and not even owning the customer.
Do It Yourself – Taking your lumps as you learn. Just like the person who walks into the casino the first time, you are welcome to jump right in and play. Typically those players lose, but who knows, we’ve all heard of beginners luck right?
Hire An Agency – Let a SEM agency that you select handle everything for you. Again, maybe they know what they are doing, maybe not. If you are small to medium sized business, typically large SEM agencies have a great sales person; however, once you sign on, your account typically goes over to a junior marketer, maybe right out of college. They may very well also take their lumps; however, they get to do it with your money. And, if you don’t know the basic best-practices, then how will you even know?
Educate Yourself – At least with basic best-practices in advertising on Google AdWords and Google Shopping. Just the like the blackjack newbie It can be daunting and it will take some time. However, if you don’t learn at least some fundamental best-practices, it can be disastrous for your marketing budget.
With this in mind, I have created numerous tools to help Google advertisers intelligently advertise using Google.
Recently, I release a case study and bonus training video showing the #1 Secret to optimizing your Google Shopping Campaigns.
[Click Here For Immediate Access]
Google Search Ads are difficult enough. You have keywords, keyword types, device adjustments, writing ads, creating ad extensions; the list goes on and on.
With Google Shopping, now you take out the keywords and replace with submitting a product feed to Google Merchant Center. Optimizing that feed and linking eligible products into your AdWords account it can be overwhelming. However, once you have your data feed set up, I have found one way that produces faster results then all others and we call it the #1 Secret To Substantially Increasing Your Sales While Reducing Ad Spend In Google Shopping.
We recently released an in-depth case study documenting the #1 Secret To Substantially Increasing Your Sales Using Google Shopping along with a bonus training video that you can now access by clicking on the link below.
[REQUEST THE CASE STUDY & ACCESS THE TRAINING VIDEO]
This case study details two Google AdWords accounts for two different websites owned by the same company that both contain the same products. For one account we applied the #1 secret for increasing sales and decreasing wasteful spend, while the other account we did not. By applying the #1 secret to the account, the first account nearly tripled sales while generating a lower CPA.
One of my favorite movies is the 1998 movie Rounders with Matt Damon and there is one line I always remember, which is this: ‘If you don’t see the sucker in the room, then you are the sucker’.
Don’t be the sucker! I encourage you to request the case study and watch the corresponding training video. Your marketing budget will thank you for it.
Happy Marketing!
Andy Splichal
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andy Splichal is an online marketing strategist with more than a decade and a half of experience helping companies increase their online presence and profitable revenues. Although this blog focuses on driving profitable traffic through Google AdWords, True Online Presence offers additional services for lead generation as well as other proven marketing strategies customized for each client.