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Have you ever thought of using Google Search Engine Marketing (SEM) as part of your marketing strategy? Ever heard from your friends about how their paid search campaigns are running on a low cost strategy?

 

This Article is about understanding what Google SEM is and learning how to turn your Google SEM campaign into an automatic robot (autobot). One that serves you loyally, requires considerably low cost and time maintenance and brings you high targeted and relevant traffic to your website.

 

 

Brief Introduction of Google Search Engine Marketing

Google first developed its SEM program, Adwords, to offer online advertisement in the year 2000.  Basing mainly on two premium models for retail customers and businesses, they include the Pay per Click (PPC) and Pay per Thousand (CPM) Impression model.

 

PPC has been traditionally been the more preferred option by majority due to its efficiency of converting searchers into enquirers or customers. This is made possible by Google Adwords system targeting searchers’ enquiries with the relevant advertisements (ads). These online advertisements are submitted by the respective advertisers and approved by Google Adwords before it is given the green light to be lived.

 

Google Adwords, which comprises of a bidding system for advertisers to bid for the position of their ads, regularly updates their system and shares their updates on Inside Adwords Blog:

 

www.adwords.blogspot.sg

Do visit there if you need the latest news on Google Adwords!

 

Create Different Advertisements for different Sub Products or Services

Now, if you have different products or services on the same website, be sure not to use a generic ad and lump all your products and services together.

 

The reason is that, the ad will be considered too broad as it contains different nature of keywords jumble up within the same ad group. Google Adwords deem this set of keywords as rather loose.

 

For example, say you own an electronic stall and sell cameras, televisions and printers.

 

No – no example:

 

Electronic ad group -> Camera keywords, television keywords, printer keywords.

 

Instead, create different ads for each product or service and create a set of relevant keywords for each.

 

Thumbs up example:

 

Camera ad group: Camera, waterproof camera, quality camera, tough camera, similar keywords etc.

 

Television ad group: New television, TV, LCD television, small television, similar keywords etc.

 

Printer ad group: Printer, ink jet printer, quiet printer, similar keywords etc.

 

Henceforth, these would tighten your keyword list and make your advertisement more relevant. This process enhances the Quality Score (A factor in the Adwords algorithm) of your keywords and this helps to push your ad position to a higher place on Google.

 

Four Basic Types of Keywords to Use

For basics, there are four simple types of keywords that you can use when tinkering with your keyword set. These are crucial as using the correct match types can help you save cost:

 

1. Broad Match

This is the default setting for all keywords. All searches made using your keyword (any variation or permutation) might display your ad.

 

Using the example of selling electronics, if you use broad match for the word television, when searchers type: used televisions, televisions guide, television stars etc. All these keywords will potentially trigger your ad.

 

2. Exact Match

Exact match, denoted by [], is the most precise method for targeting your keywords. Use exact match when you want your ad to appear only on a query that precisely matches the keyword you have chosen.

 

e.g. for Television ad group, when you use [LCD Television] keyword, searchers who type LCD Television during search will trigger the ad group.

 

3. Phrase Match

A phrase match keyword triggers your ad to appear for any query that includes your keyword or phrase in the exact sequence and form that you specify. It is denoted by “”.

 

e.g. if you have “LCD Television” and searchers type for Second Hand LCD Television, it will trigger off the ad for Television ad group.

 

4. Negative Match

Negative matched keywords are denoted by -. They prevent your ad from appearing when a search includes a negative keyword that you have specified.

 

e.g. if you have negative cheap, i.e. –cheap, when a user search Cheap LCD Television, your television ad will not appear due to the negative match of cheap.

 

(Adapted from Google)

 

Henceforth as you craft your keyword set for your ads, it would be wise to consider and apply these four match types to maximise the cost efficiency of your campaigns. With good cost efficiency, this would also allow you to maximise the number of your ads broadcast on Google, increasing the effective utility of your budget.

 

Understanding & Managing the Quality Score

Once you have establish your ad copies and keywords set and upload them to the Google Adword System, your keywords are actually analysed by Google and it produces a metric call Quality Score for your keywords. This Quality Score, ranking from 1 (poor) – 10 (good), measures the tightness of the theme between keywords among one ad group. It also measures how relevant your keywords are to your description in your ad copy.

 

Simply put, you want to have a high Quality Score for your keywords as it affects your cost for each keyword. The higher the Quality Score, the lower the cost per click. Henceforth, ditch low Quality Score keywords that aren’t performing, but take note not to ditch those that may bring you sales.

 

Keywords are like little soldiers of your SEM campaign that you sent out to fight the digital war and to bring traffic back to your website. You want to promote the rank (Quality Score) of these little soldiers so that they are able to fight more efficiently (cost), and bring you back the most qualified traffic.

 

Therefore, it is greatly important for each ad group of yours to have keywords that are highly relevant to each other and to the ad that you are displaying for these keywords.

 

Achieving a Lean Cost Marketing Autobot

Tada!

 

Here, we have presented a simple framework for setting up your ad copies, an understanding of the technical terms which drives your online advertisement behind the scene of Google result page.

 

With a good basic understanding and application of the different match types and quality score, your Cost per Click can be potentially below $1 over a short time (depending on how competitive your industry is) and would only require periodical monitoring.

 

Congrats, now you can have a Google SEM Autobot that works for you day and night tirelessly within your budget, ensuring your SEM campaign runs efficiently bringing relevant searchers to your website and converting them into quality customers!

 

Wishing you a smashing success to your SEM campaigns!

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