By Harlan Tytus Beverly

Rev. 0.2 7/2/12

Adwords Marketing for Startups

About Harlan Beverly

Harlan Tytus BeverlyFounder of Karmaback, Inc.Founder of Bigfoot NetworksMBA from UT 2004BSEE from ONU 1999Hardcore GamerProgrammer (Networking)Chip Designer/Architect

•Currently: VP Marketing & Business Development for Creeris Ventures (small seed investor)

•Founder/CEO Karmaback, Inc. A social Network Marketing company. •Founder/CEO Bigfoot Networks & Designer “Killer NIC.” Raised over $13MM in funding.

• Filed over 30 patents, including 16 about Online Game Design.

• Designed “World's first” 10-Gig Ethernet Adapter at Intel.

You must make it REALLY easy to “say yes or no.”Clean, simple offering… with 1 Call-to-action: Buy

NowYou must give confidence to the buyer that you will

deliver.. And you will not fraud them.Paypal, Visa logos, SSL sites, etc.

FEWEST CLICKS POSSIBLE

BUILD an amazing Landing Page (see: The Conversion Scientist)

Use Internet Marketing to “pre-qualify” web traffic.

How to sell on a Website.

Lots of Web Traffic is NOT the goal… the goal is to get “Qualified” web traffic: Visitors that have the problem you solve Visitors that are in a “buying mood” Visitors that are “ready to click” BUY NOW

How? Targeted Advertising (google/facebook)… targeting people who are your Target

Market who are: Searching for what you solve. Like competing products. Fit a customer profile.

Landing Page: Focus on building great landing pages for each product. A/B test them if you can… so you will always get the best results. A/B test ads too… A/B test everything if you can.

Analytics. Did I mention A/B testing… you MUST know how your site performs to know what

is broken. Enable Google Analytics, and use any tools you can to measure “sales

conversions” See “the funnel” (next slide)

Marketing for Indirect Sales (web)

Direct or Indirect sales, you will always have customers at various stages. MEASURE AND TRACK stages of prospects

Try to keep in mind that customers have a “buying process” of their own... Learn it! Ex: who has to approve?

The Sales Funnel.

In order to “do” Adwords right, there is some core concepts that will be a big help.

CPA = Cost Per Action (example=sale), CPC=Cost Per Click (a site visitor)

1. If you don’t know how to use the Adwords interface, start here first: http://support.google.com/adwords/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=28921&rd=1

2. Next, read the next few slides for a primer to get you started… or if you want to go deep, and maybe even get GOOGLE CERTFIED, start here:

http://www.google.com/adwords/professionals/ http://

www.lynda.com/Google-AdWords-tutorials/Essential-Training/73287-2.html https://

support.google.com/adwords/certification/bin/static.py?hl=en&guide=23611&page=guide.cs

3. Then, read the rest of this presentation to get some customized tips and data from Harlan’s experience running dozens of campaigns for B2B and B2C businesses!

1. Read on.

Google Adwords

1. MOST IMPORTANTLY: set up conversion metrics, before you start! WHY? So that you can tell if the campaign is “working” (CPA) or just

sending you lots of random traffic. (CPC) For web-based products this is easy…

use the Google Adwords “drop-down” for (Tools and Analysis->Conversions) Make various conversion metrics that you want to measure (usually 1 is best:

sell, signup, etc.). Install the Java Snippet on your website on the “Checkout complete” page or

on the “Singup success” page, etc. Advanced note: there are ways to do this “ON_CLICK” of a button, but it is not as

reliable and requires “Javascript” coding. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2082129/how-to-track-a-google-adwords-conversion-onclick

For non-web-based products, this is harder… Try to find a “best proxy” for a conversion and track that (example: clicked to a

reseller website from my website) Use some other metric to cross-reference.. (example: get a Google Voice phone

number and track incoming calls as a proxy for conversions… not ideal as it doesn’t say which ads led to the sale, but as good as it gets probably).

Getting Started with Google Adwords:CONVERSION METRICS

2. Setup and install Google Analytics.This step is essential! It will allow you do

answer Almost ALL the questions that will come up later in your campaign.

EXAMPLE: what gender of users are my ads bringing?

EXAMPLE2: what % of people are leaving on page 2 of my experience? (why are people leaving and not buying?)

Etc.ITS SO EASY TO INSTALL:

http://www.google.com/analytics/

Getting Started with Google Adwords:GOOGLE ANALYTICS

3. Design some “landing pages” that really do a fast & good job at “converting the user on 1 small page”.

If you must use several pages, that is fine, just realize each page will see fewer and fewer conversions..

FOR GOOGLE ADWORDS only the final page (the sale/signup/etc.) is the actual conversion.

Intermediate pages are just chances for someone to leave!

4. Write ADS that match the landing pages.ADS are defined as either “Text” or “Graphic”:TEXT ADS:

Your ads MUST match the spirit of the landing pages!!! (this is vital).

Words used IN THE ADS must be found/present on the landing pages as well. (html <h1> words more important than <h2>, down to <p> words)

Getting Started with Google Adwords:LANDING PAGES & ADS

Text Ad Template:

Text Ad Suggestions/Tips In addition to “matching the landing page” your text ads

should also “match the KEYWORDS” used in the Google Keyword group. (See later slide for more on this).

Some Best Practices are also: Make the title a “question” or a “bold statement” + a call to action

to grab attention: [Need a lawyer? Click here.] or [Get TRUE law help. Get started.]

In the body, be sure to “QUALIFY” the clickers… Example: Texas Residents, get your …. (qualifies Texas only)

In the body, don’t over-explain the offering, instead use keywords and words found on the landing page (KEEP IT SIMPLE!)

MORE TIPS: http://support.google.com/adwords/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1704392&topic=1713901&ctx=topic&path=1713898-1710534

Getting Started with Google Adwords:TEXT ADS (CONT)

For Graphic Ads, you MUST make the ad look good at the desired size! http://

support.google.com/adsense/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=9733

The BEST performing formats are usually LEADERBOARD, SQUARE, and SMALL SQUARE. Don’t feel like you have to make an ad in EVERY format, just

stick with these (or ones that are easy to make from this). Add a CLEAR call-to-action “button” onto your graphical ad.

(Buy Now) (Sign Up)… makes the ad feel more action oriented.

Please, use colors and images that relate to your product. (your Graphical ad should ALSO try to pre-qualify prospects.). REMEMBER CPA is the goal, not CPC!!!!

Consider “flash”.. (it doesn’t cost more and WILL be more effective)…. Doesn’t have to be custom… Google will help build it for you!:

https://adwords.google.com/cm/CampaignMgmt#r.ONLINE_dab_gallery-suggest.create

More tips here: http://support.google.com/adwords/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1722134

Getting Started with Google Adwords:GRAPHIC ADS

This section is mostly “my preference” for staying organized… but the part on keywords is vital.

The hard part of running Adwords campaigns is NOT the ads… it’s “getting your money’s worth”.You will get clicks!... But will you get sales???

The best way to succeed is TO MEASURE a lot… and tweak… to do this you HAVE to stay organized.

The following slide will explain “A good way” to stay organized and get the most out of your MONEY!NOTE: all terms used in the next slide are “Google

Adwords Terms” and should have NO OTHER MEANING!

Getting Started with Google Adwords:KEYWORDS & CAMPAIGNS

NOTE: all terms used on this slide are “Google Adwords Terms” and should have NO OTHER MEANING!Example: just because Google says the word “Campaign” does not

mean that is your actual campaign… it’s just their word for a top-level thing….

1. Organize Google Campaigns as follows: Each product should have 3 campaigns setup for it:

[PRODUCT_NAME] Text Primary [PRODUCT_NAME] Graphical Primary [PRODUCT_NAME] Test

This one will have both text and graphics on it… for testing

Why? Because you can only control “ad spend” at the campaign level. This way, we can allocate our budget primarily to text or graphic (whichever is working best on CPA basis) and always have a small budget to TEST new ideas/ads.

Getting Started with Google Adwords:KEYWORDS & CAMPAIGNS

NOTE: all terms used on this slide are “Google Adwords Terms” and should have NO OTHER MEANING!

Example: just because Google says the word “Ad Group” does not mean that is your actual ads… it’s just their word for a container of stuff….

2. Organize Ad Groups for each Campaign as follows: Each Ad Group is a “collection of ads that relate to the SAME landing

page” and use the SAME words in the text or graphic. Why? Because your Ads must match your Google’s Keywords AND your

landing page! This is the best place to ensure that!!

Time to add Keywords!!!1. This is the real meat of Google Adwords. (should be called Google

Keywords even).

2. THINK THIS: What are people searching for that my ADs I created for each Ad Group will answer their question/satisfy their need.

3. Now, add Keywords to the Ad Group; being as specific as possible!1. IDEALLY, use multiple words in a phrase group using “” quotes around the

phrase.1. Example: “get more fans on facebook”

2. Why? Because the MORE specific, the cheaper your CPC and CPA will be… AND the more precisely you will be able to satisfy the SEARCHERS NEEDS.

3. THINK: My ad should be a “possible choice” for a searchers needs!

Getting Started with Google Adwords:KEYWORDS & CAMPAIGNS

Your ads are now set up… but Keywords are worth a few more sentences…

1. In your “[PRODUCT] Test” campaign, you can use more broad keywords (without quotes even) to see what people are actually searching for that is getting them to your pages.

2. Google Analytics will also show you how people are “organically” finding your pages or what FULL search term they are using to find you.

3. There is a great tool called “Keyword Tool” that will help you determine search volumes of keywords…

1. You want terms with “decent keyword results” (like 1,000-5,000), but not too many (like 1,500,000 per month)

2. Click Tools and Analysis -> Keyword Tool

4. Google will make Keyword recommendations.. Review them all! (worth it sometimes!)

Getting Started with Google Adwords:KEYWORDS

At this point you may wonder, what about “bidding”!!! My advice is simple: use CPC bidding for Google Adwords.

CPM and CPA are just not working right on Google. Start at $1 USD CPC bid on each Keyword.

(you can go higher on your test ads to start if you want). Then, increase it ONLY if the ad is working on CPA basis. (e.g. is it converting!) IF… your ads are NOT getting shown due to low search volume…

That’s okay. Just add more variations of your keyword phrases… you’ll find better/more terms. DO NOT get too broad… or you will waste your $$. (it’s a balancing act)

IF… your ads are NOT on 1st page (or are ranked 5 or lower)… YOUR Keyword is probably too broad. Try making a longer phrase.

IF… you quality score for your keyword is low. FIX your landing page! Don’t give up on the ad… unless it is just way off base…

instead: add some text below the fold that talks to your keyword. OR better yet, build a NEW landing page… and really focus better on that keyword.

When to raise CPC bid above $1? ONLY if the CPA is worth it to “scale up and get more volume”. EXAMPLE: if your CPA is working out to $10/Sale. But you allocated $20/sale for

marketing spend… Go ahead and raise your CPC bid to $2 !!! (hopefully all things being equal you will get more clicks, at a higher price but be slightly

below $20/sale!)

Getting Started with Google Adwords:BIDS

Your campaigns are now up… EVERY DAY, you should log in and review the previous day’s campaign

performance.1. Is my CPA good?

1. if not analyze why.. 2. And then FIX landing pages (usually the issue) 3. Or trim ads or keywords that are getting clicks but not getting sales.4. If so, SCALE it up!

2. Any new keywords to test? (put them in adgroups on the test campaign)3. Any Bids to adjust? 4. Any Quality Scores need attention?5. IS my budget getting fully spent?

1. If not add more keyword phrases… don’t just raise bids!

6. Make a few more ads (try them out in test first if they are really different, or else feel free to try ‘tweaks’ to words. (Google Adwords tests each ad automatically, as if you had a multi-variate campaign going all the time!)

Remember that setup of Google Analytics we did before? EVERY DAY log in and see where in your flows people are leaving and make some fixes. Consider A/B testing to help test your assumption.

Reviewing and Refining…