Online marketing tips for small businesses

Precision is the key to search advertising.

* Know your audience

Precision is the key to search advertising. You have to reach the right users at the right time. Take a good look at the products and services you?re selling and the customers who are buying.

* Identify your goals

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Once you have a clear sense of your business, stay focused on how to reach your customers. Structure each campaign based on a simple, overarching goal, such as a category, product line (coffee, tea, or machines), or theme (seasonal or promotional).

* Choose powerful keywords

Choosing keywords is both an art and a science. Start brainstorming by expanding your list as broadly as possible, and then narrow your focus. Try to think like your users do. Understand which keywords work best for you and increase your bid on those words to maximise your return.

* Write ?gotta-click? ads

It?s time to write the ads that users will see when they search on your keywords?the ads that will make them feel they must click on your ad to learn more. Typically, you?ll have three short lines of text with which to grab your potential customers? attention. To get your ad right, try these tips:

* Include your keywords in your title and description

* Convey key product benefits

* Get to the point quickly

* Write copy that includes a strong call to action such as ?buy now? or ?sign up today?

* Direct users to the landing page that most relates to your ad

* Hit the right users with the right ads

Once you know your potential customer, you can target individual campaigns to reach your audience. Write and target ads in a variety of languages if you have a global business. You can also target a particular geographic area, such as a region that your business serves.

* Track down to the last customer

After your campaign goes live, measure its results regularly. Keep a close watch on your account statistics, review your own web logs, and use conversion tracking software (available free).

* Test. Adapt. Thrive

Continually review what you?ve set up, keeping in mind that there?s always room for improvement and that the online advertising environment is dynamic. Don?t be afraid to make changes and try new things.

Source: Google

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First published on: 14-02-2014 at 03:43 IST
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