Three Tips for Maximizing Sales with Google AdWords

Google AdWordshas been around for more than 10 years, but it remains a mystery to many online business owners.

AdWords offers pay-per-click advertising and site-targeted advertising for text, banner, and rich-media ads. For many users, the results can be more measurable and economical than other forms of advertising, according to Perry Marshall, co-author ofUltimate Guide to Google AdWords(Entrepreneur Press, 2006) and owner of Chicago-based consulting firmPerry S. Marshall & Associates. Marshall will be talking about Google AdWords at狗万官方's 2011 Growth ConferenceJan. 20 in Atlanta.

He says despite the ease with which one can set up a Google AdWords account, the service isn't always intuitive. We asked Marshall to share his top three secrets for getting the most from Google AdWords:

1.Narrow your focus.例如,如果你卖男人的衣服不要出价on the keywords for every single item you sell and then send people to your home page. Choose specific items you want to advertise, write ads for them, and send visitors straight to a webpage built for that specific item.

2. Test your ads.Try out ads using different words and then measure and compare the results. The difference in how Google users may respond to even individual words in one ad can be amazing.

3. Offer visitors something to act on.As soon as customers land on your site, make a sale offer, give out a coupon, ask them to register for a white paper or fill in a quote request. This is what's called a "call to action" in marketing lingo. UseGoogle's conversion trackerto measure the results.

Using a call to action switches your mindset from "buying clicks" to "buying results," Marshall says. "If you want more sales leads, this will guide you to more leads for less money."

UPDATE: Google is offering a$100 matchfor the first $100 small businesses spend onAdWords by Dec. 31.

What are your tips for using Google AdWords?