Google AdWords is a tried and trusted method of bringing traffic to your website, and there are many companies who get such great results, that they are happy to spend millions per year and up to $100 dollars per click. To be honest, these figures relate to some of the biggest companies online, so the question to be asked is: ‘Can Google AdWords work for smaller businesses with limited budgets?’
The simple answer is yes, but as with any business decision you make, there are pros and cons to weight up before you decide to go ahead so let’s look at some of the main ones.
CONS
#1 It Requires A Lot Of Testing
Running a Google AdWords campaign is not a simple case of getting out your credit card and paying for ads. You need to do a lot of research before you start, and then when you are up and running carry out more testing and analysis. In fact, it never ends. If you enjoy looking at data and trying to improve results then you’ll love the process. If not, then you’ll either have to come out of your comfort zone, or employ someone who does enjoy number crunching.
The simple fact is, it is impossible to have any success with Google AdWords without constant testing and tweaking. Without it, your ads will at best break even, and at worst be money poured down the drain.
#2 You Need A Sizable Budget
There’s no getting away from the fact that running a Google AdWords campaign requires a budget that can withstand the testing period and beyond. The level to which this budget needs to be at will depend on which keywords you want to target, and how competitive those keywords are. If you are in a small niche or are happy to target less competitive keywords, your budget might stretch further.
PROS
#1 Immediate Results
Ask anyone who has had success with Google AdWords what they liked most about it, they are likely to say they saw traffic on their website almost immediately. It literally can be the case, that as soon as you set up your ads and they go live, depending on your budget and bidding levels, you can have visitors clicking through to your website within minutes. Compare that to waiting weeks or even months for your free SEO traffic.
#2 You Target Exactly Who You Want
Not every AdWords campaign is set up to get people to buy from a web store. Many companies are happy to pay to drive traffic to an opt-in page because they know how effective email marketing can be. Other businesses might want sign-ups to a webinar as part of a comprehensive sales funnel. The point is no matter what you want the traffic for, you can set up your ads to target the exact keywords which will attract the people you want.
This produces more effective targeting, improved conversions, and means your budget is being spent wisely, which is something every business owner should welcome.
