Mar

How to Play Nice With Google Adwords

By Sid

Google AdWords is an excellent way for you as an entrepreneur or small business person to promote your business. As you’ve likely found, getting and keeping a high search engine ranking can be an arduous and time-consuming business.

But Google AdWords can also end up being a high-stakes gamble for most entrepreneurs. You are up against wily internet marketers who do this all day, every day. They’ll out-bid you, write better ads, and they know how to keep the Google Gods happy.

What they know – and you SHOULD know – is that your ads are reviewed by real people. These are editors at Google who will assign you a penalty or shut you down altogether if they think that you’re violating one of their policies.

Here’s how to play nice with Google

1. Use appropriate language

While it may seem like a good idea at the time, using shock tactics to get the attention of people using the search engines can get you slapped down in a hurry by Google. They MAY even shut your entire web site down if you’re really offensive. Using “shock and awe” might get you a few quick clicks, but it not only doesn’t convert well, you’ll hurt the sensitive feelings of the Google editors… and that is NOT a good thing do to.

2. Be SMART, not CLEVER

One thing I’ve learned through a number of marketing and copywriting failures is that being clever is the fast path to failure.

You’ve seen the Super Bowl ads that are funny or inspiring, but later you couldn’t remember what they were selling if your life depended on it. Right now there are a bunch of really clever billboards around town advertising god-knows-what by playing with words. The ad simply says something like, “Get Slam Dunked by Magic Chewson” (or something like that). I think it’s an ad for a candy bar.

You’re SMART by writing an ad that gets their attention, being specific and to the point, and giving them a clear benefit.

3. Avoid using copyrighted or trademarked terms

Google has strict guidelines in place with regards to trademarks and copyrights. You’ll get a warning when you create the ad that your ad contains a trademark or copyright. Not only will Google slap you down for doing so (“Better than Pepsi!”), you may get a bigger, nastier slap by the company whose trademark you’re using.

4. Keep it real, keep it straight

Don’t you hate being misled? You go into the store because they advertised a special, then discover that they are “out of” that item, but have other (more costly) items that are even better.

What do you think happens if your ad says, “50% discount inside” and there’s no such discount inside (or they have to buy the super-duper model to get the discount? Yeah… they get pissed, leave you, and you don’t get the sale.

But worse than that, the Google editors will actually look at your landing or sales page. They give you a “quality score” that is based on a number of factors, including and especially the relevance of your sales page to the keywords used for the ad. If they see any misleading offers, they may flag your ad, AND your web site. Again, this is not a good thing to make Google angry at you.

5. Redirecting the user to a different URL

Oh, how tricky of you! You want to promote your buddy’s dog grooming business. He’ll give you 50% of every lead you get. So you create an ad that contains your URL (web address), and instead, your clever programmers set up a “redirect” that immediately transfers the user to your friend’s web site with your “affiliate” link.

Advertisers used to have a field day with this technique. Now, Google frowns heavily on this practice, and simply will not tolerate its use.

6. I knew Ali, and YOU’RE no Ali

What I mean by this is making the claim to “be the best in the world.” Unless you can unequivocally prove that you really are the best or “the only” you’d be well-advised to avoid the use of superlatives in your ads.

Besides, the day and age of this kind of advertising is gone completely. These types of ads simply don’t work anymore. Nobody believes them. Worse, people will assume that you’re hiding something, aren’t telling the truth, or that your product is so bad you have to make outrageous claims.

Make your ads REAL. Use specifics where possible. “Stop your dog’s barking in one day. Guaranteed.”

See? No claims of being the best at anything. The ad is specific, and speaks directly to the problem your target market is facing.