For those that don’t know, Google makes most of their money by having businesses advertise around Google’s free online products: Google search, gmail, blogger, YouTube…
“Do people click on Google ads? I don’t.”
Yes, Virginia, searchers do, in fact, do click on the ads when they search for products and services on Google.
Here are lists of the biggest spenders in Google:
- AdBeat.com: top 20 biggest spenders in Google Display Advertising
- Bloomberg.com: Google and Facebook made even more money in their Digital Advertising networks in 2015
- AdAge.com : 25 biggest Search Spenders in 2014
Google doesn’t get paid unless those ads are clicked on.
Google’s making a lot of money.
Those advertisers make a ton of money advertising on Google.
Something’s working somewhere.
“That’s a lot of money. I don’t have that. What if I have smaller pockets? Can Anyone Advertise on Google?”
Absolutely. All you really need to open an account with Google is $5.
Here’s a list of Google advertising success stories. As you’ll see, there are a couple small businesses in there.
- Google AdWords Testimonials
- AmericanMeadows.com
- Google AdWords Blog: About Twiddy & Company Realtors
- Success in Google’s Advertising Network: from Happy Hound to Jordan
“Okay. So how do I start advertising on Google? Where do I begin?”
Google Has a couple places to advertise on Google. The big one is on their Advertising platform, Google AdWords, where most all of the advertising happens and where you’ll probably spend most all your time, especially in the beginning.
Here’s a simple video on “What is AdWords?”
There are two other Google platforms, but before I mention them, take a breath, exhale, inhale, and breathe normally. Don’t get overwhelmed. We won’t use them much for awhile.
Roll. Crawl. Walk. Run. That’s what we’re gonna do.
With that in mind, the other two are YouTube advertising – which has an overlap with AdWords video advertising features – and DoubleClick, a platform that lets you run multiple campaigns on multiple networks – both by Google as well as other companies…
Like I said, don’t worry about those other two today. We’re not going to touch them for awhile. Let them go. No sense thinking about the conditions at the top of the mountain when you’re still at the bottom gathering supplies for all situations. You’ve got to get there, first. And we’re not there, today.
Sign up for your AdWords Account
Go to Google.com/AdWords and follow the signup instructions. Make sure you use your email account you use for all your other accounts. If you don’t have one, make one. Even if it is a second Gmail account. In fact, even if you’re not ready to advertise today (which you probably aren’t), sign up anyways. If you sign up now and wait, you’ll probably get an email or a snail mail in the next two months offering $100 in free AdWords credit. It’s a pretty sweet deal.
If you don’t get them, they’re offered all over the place. Find a coupon site and get the bonus codes.
“Okay. Now what?”
We set up your first campaign, but before we do, we’re going to discuss the components of a campaign so you can spend your money effectively. No sense spending senselessly.
To the next step…