We know that all new businesses in Hull and East Yorkshire want their website on the first page of Google straight away, especially above their competitors. However, this process will normally only happen gradually over a period of months.
In fact, when the particular keywords you want to place high on Google are very competitive, your climb to the top of Google can even take years. When developing websites we make sure to follow all best the practise Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques and our client websites perform very well on Google, but the results are never instantaneous.
So, what are the options available to you while your newly-launched business website is lingering of page 5 of Google Search in the early months after launch? One of our favourite options is Google Adwords and if you would like to know more about using Google Adwords for your business website please read on.
What is “Google Adwords” & how does it work?
When you type a search phrase into Google, for example, “Florist Hull” you will notice that as well as the 10 organic search result websites that are listed, there are also several text-based adverts that appear which you can identify by the yellow “Ad” icon next to them. There are usually 3 large adverts at the top and then several smaller ads down the right side of the page. These companies that you see adverts for are all paying for these adverts and are charged each time somebody clicks on them – this is known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC). The companies can bid whatever amount they want for a click, although the ones that bid the most will appear nearer the top and are more likely to be seen/clicked by potential customers.
How much does it cost and how effective is it?
How much Google Adwords costs depends on how competitive the keywords you want to bid on are. Keywords such as “Florist Hull” will be competitive as there are likely to be several florists in Hull (and some nationwide florists) who want to have the top advert, however it is only the highest bidder that will be top and this could cost several pounds per click. However, if you were bidding on much more specific keywords such as “Bridal Handtied Bouquet” it is unlikely many, if any, other businesses would also be competing for these keywords and therefore a bid of well under £1 would likely get you the top advert space. As you can see, how far a budget of say £30 goes depends entirely on what keywords you are bidding on.
We have used Google Adwords for months now and have found it very effective. What we like about it is that you only pay each time somebody clicks on your advert rather than each time the advert is seen. This guarantees that you are getting people on your website, and if you have a good website it will do the rest, turning these potential customers into customers.
We also like the fact that you have control over how much you spend, which means you don’t have to spend a fortune to know if it’s going to work for your business or not. We recommend starting with a budget of about £30 or £40 and seeing how it goes. When that money is spent you could then decide whether you would like to pursue with your advertising or drop it. We also like the fact that you can increase your bids when your business is quieter and reduce or even stop your bids when your business is busy.
Is it something we can help you with?
This is most definitely something we can help you with. Google Adwords is a very powerful tool with many features and therefore it can be quite daunting setting up yourself if you are not familiar with it. Not only do you have to pick which keywords to bid on you also have to set a bidding price for each keyword, one which gives you the best value for money.
For a cost of £40 per month we will do all the setting up and maintenance for you. You will then have to decide on a budget which we ask you transfer to us up front, the rest you can leave to us.
If you want to know more about using Google Adwords do get in touch.
