QuikSystems Newsletter
Google AdWords Cost-Per-Click Marketing
February 2006

============================================================

QuikSystems Newsletter
February 2006

Published by Terry Markle
Terry@QuikSystems.com

QuikSystems - Web Site Traffic
Copyright (C) 2005-2006

============================================================
Contents
============================================================

- Opt--In Mailing
- Note from Terry
- Top Sponsor Ad
- Feature Article: How To Maximize Paid Search Results
- Feature Sponsor
- Contributing Article 1: The Perils and Pitfalls of Pay-Per-Click Advertising
- Feature Sponsor
- Contributing Article 2: Increase Your Click-Through-Rate and Skyrocket Your Sales -
     3 Quick Tips
- Feature Sponsor
- Reader Feedback
- Tips
- About the Newsletter
- Contact Information
- Subscribe and Unsubscribe Information

============================================================
Opt--In Mailing
============================================================

Hi,

This is an Opt--In mailing. You are receiving this e-mail because you or someone using your e-mail address joined my mailing list.

I apologize if you received this ezine in error. Instructions are at the close of this and every mailing if you do not want to receive this ezine.

I value your privacy! Your confidentiality is 100 percent guaranteed. I will NEVER rent, share or sell your e-mail address. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Terry Markle
QuikSystems Newsletter

============================================================
Note from Terry
============================================================

Welcome,

This issue of QuikSystems Newsletter is dedicated to reviewing Google's AdWords.

Google describes AdWords as "a quick and simple way to purchase highly targeted cost-per-click (CPC) advertising, regardless of your budget. AdWords ads are displayed along with search results on Google, as well as on search and content sites in the growing Google Network, including AOL, EarthLink, HowStuffWorks, and Blogger. With searches on Google and page views on the Google Network each day, your Google AdWOrds ads reach a vast audience."

In order to create a Google AdWords ad, it is necessary to specify what keyword(s) must be input by the visitor before your adword will be displayed. In addition, you need to set the maximum amount that you will pay to Google for each click on your adword.

There is a nominal activation fee but Google does not have a minimum monthly charge. Google provides an account Control Center that allows you to track the performance of your ad. Your ad will be displayed within minutes to the searchers after your account billing information has been submitted to Google.

Enjoy!

============================================================
FREE Reports on Google Adsense and Niche Marketing
============================================================

F-R-E-E special report "The AdSense Report" with Master Resale Rights:
http://www.QuikSystems.com/report/adsense.htm

F-R-E-E special report "The Niche Report" with Master Resale Rights:
http://www.QuikSystems.com/report/niche.htm

============================================================
Top Sponsor:
============================================================

Introducing 70 high demand, low competition niche businesses you can start on the Internet and quietly rake in untapped profits, while others chase rainbows!

==> http://www.QuikSystems.com/Niche/strike.htm

============================================================
Feature Article:
============================================================

How to Maximize Paid Search Results

By Kevin Gold

Because of increasing competition that has led to higher advertising costs with pay-per-click marketing, many battle- scarred - "do-it-yourself" - businesses have not realized - their desired objectives. Although publicized as a straight- forward, self-service marketing tool, pay-per-marketing involves far more knowledge than most businesses are able to invest in developing in-house.

Faced with a moderately or less performing pay-per-click marketing program and the pressure to allocate resources elsewhere, many businesses choose to drop their pay-per-click marketing entirely – leaving a vast potential of sales for their competitors to harvest. If you face pay-per-click marketing challenges, before you decide to drop the program, try these proven strategies to get it producing your desired results.

Discover These Proven Strategies to Produce Quick Results.

A. Keyword-Level Tracking

Track your pay-per-click marketing at the keyword-level – referred to as the "root." For pay-per-click marketing, it is essential that you know your "per click" results from the money you have spent.

For example, if you have 1,000 keywords active in your pay- per-click marketing program and you spend a total of $3,000 a month – do you know which of the 1,000 keywords produce the best results?

What if 80% of your sales stem from 20% of your keywords? Moreover, what if this 20% accounted for just a small percentage of your $3,000 monthly cost? If you do not have keyword-level tracking you will not be able to make these financially beneficial assessments. Time-tested experience shows that the 80/20 rule applies to pay-per-click marketing.

Does the 80/20 rule apply to your pay-per-click marketing?

Get keyword-level tracking.

But Beware of Matching Options!

Although matching options (i.e. broad, advanced, exact, phrase and so on) offered by Google Adwords, Overture and other pay-per-click search engines provide "convenience" they unfortunately skew your keyword performance results.

If you setup a "broad-match" for the keyword "real estate," you will attract visitors who have entered any possible variation of the term "real estate" including geographically specific "real estate" keywords that may have absolutely no relevance to your product or service.

Here is a scenario where matching options skew your results…

You generate $1,000 in revenue from the broad-match keyword, "real estate" yet the total click cost for it exceeds revenue and because of the keyword's negative return, you label it as a poor performing keyword.

What if the majority of the click cost originated from irrelevant, broad-match keyword variations like "Louisiana real estate" - while one variation, "real estate strategy" generated all of the revenue? By identifying this keyword (hard to do in a broad-match environment so rely on your web stats program), taking this one keyword and isolating it as an exact term you will reduce your total click cost while continuing to generate the same revenues.

How are your broad-match keywords performing? Isolate keywords to save click costs and to regulate individual keyword performance.

B. Landing Page Development

Pay-per-click marketing is unique compared to other mainstream forms of online marketing. In part because marketers have the opportunity to select specific keywords, write specific ads and direct the click-through to a specific web page. This "connect-the-dots" structure creates the need to develop consistency among the visitor's expectation from the keyword they enter to the ad that draws their attention and down to the web page, they "land-on." Relevancy and consistency are essential for an effective pay- per-click marketing program.

One of the reportedly major reasons why pay-per-click marketing programs fall short of their intended goal is because businesses direct all of their click-throughs to their home page. Since most businesses' home pages are designed to serve mutliple audiences (i.e. media relations, investors, current clients, potential prospects, customer services, etc.) they do not provide the level of relevancy and consistency expected from the visitor to get them to act confidently.

What in the Virtual World are Landing Pages?

Landing pages are simply web pages designed specifically for a keyword or related group of keywords. They are highly relevant to the keyword searched and consistent with the ad’s claim. They immediately focus a visitor’s attention to a primary call-to-action (most wanted response). In essence – landing pages ask your visitors to take an action.

If your pay-per-click marketing is not living up to your expectations, consider which web pages you are sending visitors to. Are they relevant and consistent with your pay-per-click ads and keywords? Do they offer too many calls-to-action? Do they "fit" the expectations of the visitor searching on the particular keyword?

For example, are you sending a visitor searching on the keyword "Sony LCD TV" to a web page with twenty varieties of electronic products? An effectively designed landing page would present the visitor a "Sony LCD TV" with customer benefit oriented copy, an immediate "buy now" call to action and all applicable guarantee, shipping, customer service and return policies.

Make it Easy for Your Visitors and they will Reward You with Sales.

C. Keyword Selection

Keyword selection is important. The keywords you select provide access to "pools" of visitors at different stages in their buying cycle. By selecting the right keywords for your products or services, you can open a completely new market of ready-to-buy visitors.

Make sure that you thoroughly canvass your marketplace using strategies such as:

• Your competitors' websites

• Your website's copy

• Third-party tools – Overture's Suggestion Tool, WordTracker, and others

• Your website metrics program (look for "natural search engine" keyword phrases)

• Search engines like Ask Jeeves or Alta Vista (who suggest keyword variations)

Most importantly, "THINK" about your potential customers and what direct or indirect keywords they may use to find your products or services. Never give up searching for new keywords to setup and test. Both seasonal and even weekday keyword performance fluctuations should be analyzed and studied in addition to potential associations people make to find your products and services.

What about you - have you selected the right keywords?

D. Bidding Strategies

All pay-per-click search engines possess unique bidding nuances. However, for the two largest, Google Adwords and Overture do not become fixated on the top bid position. Test how each keyword performs against your website's sales or lead conversion metrics up to the seventh bid position.

Depending on your product or service, you may be amazed how bid position six attracts less click-throughs but produces greater sales or lead conversion on your website. Or maybe position four generates better conversion. Regardless - test, test and test – the outcome may mean lower costs and higher sales conversions for you.

Consider this New Update in Your Bid Strategy.

Are you aware that recently Overture's top partners, MSN and Yahoo, opened their results to up to eight "sponsor results" or paid ads on the first page? In some cases, the fourth and fifth or fifth and sixth positions will show at the bottom of the first results page and again at the top, right margin of the first results page – in essence two ads for the price of one.

Do not be lured into competing for the first place position instead keep an eye on your keyword performance (via your keyword-level tracking) and occupy whichever position provides the best sales or lead conversion.

E. Writing Effective Ads

Finally, always test different ads by interchanging words in the title and description. For Google Adwords, try split- testing two different titles and descriptions and add a unique tracking code to each one so you can identify which one causes the best sales conversion increase. Notice that I did not state, "the best click-through rate increase." Why? Because "a lot of nothing" (i.e. a lot of traffic without sales or lead conversion) is not a financially effective strategy. Consider that even a single word change on your ad can create a significant jump to your sales or lead conversion rate.

Follow these strategies to boost your pay-per-click marketing results today. Good Producing!

------------------------ Resource Box ----------------------

Kevin Gold is a Partner and Co-founder of Enhanced Concepts, Inc., which specializes in turning website visitors into leads or sales through tested website conversion strategies and performance-focused search engine marketing. To learn how to generate greater performance from your search engine marketing and to turn more website visitors into leads and sales go to
http://www.enhancedconcepts.com

============================================================
Feature Sponsor:
============================================================

Discover the proven little-known secrets of becoming an "instant celebrity" in your niche market ... which will generate fame and fortune on autopilot.

==> http://www.quiksystems.com/Niche/nexpert.htm

============================================================
Contributing Article 1:
============================================================

The Perils and Pitfalls of Pay-per-click Advertising

By Cari Haus

In this age of speed dialing, T1 lines and other forms of high-tech instant gratification, many webmasters find themselves tempted to engage in pay-per-click advertising. After all, if you’ve just designed a state-of-the-art website, there's nothing quite as gratifying as a steady stream of traffic right from the start. Webmasters with open wallets have found that pay-per-click can provide traffic within hours or even minutes of a website's launch.

Pay-per-click Pros

Before considering the perils and pitfalls of pay-per-click, it's worthwhile to remember that in some instances, pay-per- click is a good market strategy. A number of reputable SEO firms combine pay-per-click management with search engine optimization as a method of getting their clients the clicks they need. Pay-per-click can be an especially effective strategy for:

  • Companies trying to beat a competitor to market with a new product who want to garner substantial traffic while waiting for their SEO efforts to kick in.
  • Webmasters with deep pockets who are more concerned about establishing a quick presence than long-term return on investment.
  • Webmasters who are reaping a return on investment high enough to justify expenditures on pay-per-click.

    Significant Drawbacks

    Although there are valid reasons to engage in pay-per-click advertising campaigns, there are also enough drawbacks to give any webmaster pause.

    Companies considering pay-per-click need to determine the primary purpose of their marketing campaign - whether it be immediate sales, building website value, or a combination of the two. If immediate sales is the goal and a worthwhile return on investment is being achieved, pay-per-click may be the strategy of choice — at least until good search engine positioning can be obtained.

    Webmasters seeking to build a valuable web-based business should remember that whenever the money "spigot" for pay-per- click stops, so do the clicks. In contrast, clicks resulting from an investment in search engine optimization will continue for months and possibly years to come.

    Monitoring ROI

    Return on investment (ROI) is another key factor to monitor during the implementation of any pay-per-click marketing strategy. ROI can drop dramatically as market forces change. An increase in competition, when combined with rising costs- per-click and plummeting product prices, can quickly spell doom for a previously profitable ad campaign.

    Computing ROI for pay-per-click can be a bit tricky. Since most sites receive "free" traffic resulting from SEO efforts, it's important to try and ferret out what percentage of sales are resulting from pay-per-click and what percentage are resulting from your other SEO efforts.

    Choosing which sites and search terms to allocate advertising dollars to can also be somewhat daunting. Rapid changes in per-click charges can also be challenging to manage well. If your bid is #1 and our competitors lower their bids, you may be left paying a higher price than necessary to maintain top positioning. This is the webmaster's equivalent of throwing money down the drain. Unless you plan to sit by your computer watching per-click charges on an hourly basis, some type of pay-per-click management is, in my opinion, an absolute necessity.

    In running a successful pay-per-click campaign, there are also questions to be answered about whether to try for top positioning or settle for some lesser spot, and which pay- per-click ads pull the best.

    While I have learned "never to say never," I am not presently using pay-per-click for any of my websites. Though I have used it in the past and may resort to it again, my website is doing better than ever without it. Pay-per-click is just one more thing to manage, and, if not managed well, can become a financial drain in a hurry. I'm a pretty busy person, and probably a tightwad as well. As a result, pay- per-click isn't part of my current marketing arsenal.

    That doesn’t mean, however, that it might not be right for your site. Do some testing, study it out, and consider the "cons" described in this article. In the words of an old adage, "if something is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well." This is especially true for things that cost money. My advice is to keep that thought firmly in mind whenever you open your webmaster wallet.

    ------------------------ Resource Box ----------------------

    Copyright 2005 Log Cabin Rustics
    Cari Haus has been successfully selling rustic log furniture and beds on the Internet since the late 1990's.
    Copyright 2005 by Cari Haus
    http://www.logcabinrustics.com

    ============================================================
    Feature Sponsor:
    ============================================================

    Discover the secrets to identifying, researching, dominating and squeezing profit out of the most unlikely niche markets!

    ==> http://www.QuikSystems.com/Niche/ndata.htm

    ============================================================
    Contributing Article 2:
    ============================================================

    Increase Your Click-Through-Rate And Skyrocket Your Sales - 3 Quick Tips

    By Kathryn ONeill

    Most pay-per-click ads draw amazingly low click-through- rates (the number of people that click on your ad divided by the number of people that see your ad).

    This not only hurts sales in the form of less clicks to your site, but on search engines like Google, it can even drop your ranking like a stone.

    How can you improve your click-through rate?

    Here are 3 tips to improve your click-through-rate and pre- sell your audience so that your web sales go through the roof.

    #1 Include the highest searched term (the most popular term) in your title and/or description.

    For example, if you're bidding on a cluster of keywords surrounding the theme 'Cheap Web Hosting,' try to include the term 'cheap web hosting' in both your title AND your description. This will dramatically increase your click- through ratio (and thereby also increase sales).

    While this is a fairly well known fact, many PPC marketers don't do it. But think about it from your searchers' point of view. There is an OVERLOAD of information out there. People are extremely uncomfortable with information overload. It sets up a form of cognitive dissonance or 'searcher discomfort.'

    Searchers remove this discomfort by finding a website that matches what they're searching for. When they see that your title and description has matched their search term, they think, 'This website has exactly what I'm looking for' and they eagerly click on your ad.

    #2 Use emotionally charged words.

    While many website builders are brilliant at creating websites - let's face it, they're not so hot at selling.

    Selling is an emotional, creative process. People buy with their emotions and then justify it with reason. If you want to sell to them, you have to access their emotions (access your right-brain and use your feelings to empathize with their desires).

    Building a website and promoting an online business is a very organizational, logical process. It requires mostly left-brained abilities. So you can see how some people can build a beautiful website - but find it nearly impossible to sell from that website

    Here's where you can leave your competition in the dust and rake in the sales: Use emotionally charged words and phrases in your ad copy and people will be falling all over themselves to click on your ad to see what you have to offer.

    For example, instead of 'Sweet' why not say 'Mouth-watering' or 'Sumptuous.' Instead of 'How to start your own Internet business' how about 'Travel the world while running your business from the luxury of your hotel suite.'

    The options are endless and if you look at most PPC ads - you'll easily see areas where you can tower over your competition and make your ad stand out - even if they bid higher than you.

    #3 Include a sense of urgency.

    Again - this is one feature that is completely ignored by most pay-per-click marketers.

    With competition heating up every day, you need to give people a REASON to click, a little push, a feeling that they're going to miss out on something BIG if they don't click on your ad RIGHT NOW.

    There are lots of ways you can do this. If you're advertising something that's on sale why not say, 'Sale ends soon.' Or how about 'Only while supplies last.' People absolutely hate to lose out so when you add urgency to your ad, you'll be skyrocketing your click-through-rate and putting people in a rush to buy.

    While these 3 tips will dramatically increase your click- through-rate, here's one last tip: make sure you deliver exactly what your ad promised when the user clicks through to your website. You've put them in the frame of mind to at least see what you offer – and now it's time to deliver.

    By giving them exactly what they expect to see, you'll not only earn their trust and approval, you'll also send your web sales through the roof!

    ------------------------ Resource Box ----------------------

    Kathryn O'Neill is chief editor for Pay Per Click Success, a website giving you the secrets of success with pay-per- click advertising. For more pay-per-click tips, reviews, and PPC savings, visit:
    http://www.payperclick.homestead.com

    ============================================================
    Feature Sponsor:
    ============================================================

    Website Traffic Generation: If you can copy and paste then you have what it takes to quickly and easily drive more cas-in-hand, eager-to-buy leads and prospects to your website than you can ever handle - once you know the secrets.

    ==> http://www.QuikSystems.com/TS/WTG.htm

    ============================================================
    Reader Feedback or Q&A
    ============================================================

    Please let me know if you have any special concerns or questions that you would like answered.

    I would also welcome any suggestions on a future article that you have a special interest in.

    This ezine is geared towards providing you with the useful and quality information to help you build a high-quality and targeted opt--in mailing list and improve your business.

    ============================================================
    Tips
    ============================================================

    Send me your tips that you would like to share. I will put it in this column if appropriate.

    -------
    Tip # 1 - What To Write About?
    -------

    Everyone has unique information regarding something. Think about all the things you can do or know a lot about. How would you go about describing it someone else. Are you able to sit down with a friend, relative or co-worker and describe something of value or interest to them? If the answer is yes then you got the ability to write an article, mini-course or maybe even an ebook. You can do it if you just let yourself.

    "eBook Secrets Exposed" discusses niche marketing, selection of killer topics and ebook pricing. This is another informative resource that I use.

    ==> http://www.quiksystems.com/BMC/ESE.htm

    -------
    Tip # 2 - Build Your Mailing List!
    -------

    All the guru marketers told me to build my own mailing list. It is the single most important thing you can do. I will tell you the same thing.

    If you haven't started already, start building your own targeted mailing list now! Don't wait until later when you think the time is right. The right time is now! It takes time and patience and definitely will not happen overnight.

    There are a number of different ways to start (or continue) to build your mailing list. There is a lot of information on this topic.

    There are 2 main things that I do that results in individuals joining my list. I encourage you to try them out if you haven't already. The methods I use include:

    1. Write short articles (tips, how-to, etc) for publication in ezines published by other marketers. In my humble opinion, it is easier than you may think. Write on topics that you have good fundamental knowledge in. It helps to have a solid interest in the topic also. Use the resource box at the end of the article to get readers to sign-up for your mailing list. Perform a spell-check and have a friend or family member proof read your article to help locate mistakes or format problems.

    2. Publish a F-R-E-E newsletter (ezine) for distribution to your list of subscribers and others that might get it from your web site and other sources. Make certain you provide quality and useful information that your subscribers want or need. It is a straightforward process if you write about something that you enjoy. Believe it or not there are plenty of people out there in Internet land that have common interests with you. Write about it and you will have a following! No topic is too small! As with the articles, perform a spell-check and have a family member proof read.

    I hope these tips are useful to building your own list.

    ============================================================
    About the Newsletter
    ============================================================

    My newsletter will typically contain methods, strategies and articles on increasing the targeted and high-quality visitor traffic to your web site and building your own opt-in mailing list.

    My newsletter also contains both in-house and third-party advertising. You are under no obligation to purchase any of the products or services I inform you about. At present, I publish this newsletter on a monthly basis. You might receive approximately four commercial e-mails from me during the month.

    ============================================================
    Contact Info
    ============================================================

    F. Terrence (Terry) Markle
    Publisher, QuikSystems Newsletter
    mailto:Terry@QuikSystems.com
    4825 Grimsby Drive
    San Jose, CA 95130
    408-370-7280

    ============================================================
    Subscribe and Unsubscribe Information
    ============================================================

    Sub.scriptions to the "QuikSystems Newsletter" are f-e-e-e.

    * To SUB.SCRIBE to this newsletter:

    Send an e-mail to the following address (leave the subject line and body of e-mail blank):

    ==> EzineSubscribe1@Quik.par32.com

    Please do not use any of the f-r-e-e accounts (like Hotmail, Yahoo, etc) or AOL because these ISPs usually filter or block all newsletters as S-p-a-m.

    * To UN.SUB.SCRIBE to this newsletter:

    I would not like to see you go but if you must - see the 'To stop receiving e-mails from me' link at the end of this e-mail.

    ============================================================
    Legal Statements
    ============================================================

    Although we believe our advertisers and affiliate programs to be honest in their business practices, we cannot be held liable for the products or services promoted by our sponsors. Please take the time to check out all business opportunities and offers.

    The required legal statements for privacy policy, terms of use and earnings statements can be found at:

    ==> http://www.QuikSystems.com/Legal.htm

    ============================================================