Is Google adwords, worth it ?

SCOBAHCAN · #1 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 04:43 PM

I have been putting Google adsense on my site now for almost a year with only limited results.

Recently, I have been submitting my site to various directories , classified ad sites as well as any other

Free advertising ways that I could find.

Since I am on a very limited budget I was thinking about investing a small amount of money into

Google ad words - but before I did so. I thought I would ask the SBI forums opinion whether on not

Google ad words, is worth the money ?

Thanks Craig

ssmorgan · #2 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 06:25 PM

Google Adwords could be worth the money, but you have to know what you're doing, or you will lose a lot of money!

What were you thinking about promoting using Adwords?

For an Adwords ad, I would not make it point to the general website, in order to get good ROI, you should point the ad to a landing page, with little distractions (like menus and links and other things).

In your case, I wouldn't suggest experimenting with Google Adwords right now.

Adsense is a good strategy, but it sounds like it hasn't been working for you... but it doesn't have to stay that way... you would be surprised that a few simple changes could make a big difference.

How much traffic are you getting? Do you use Google Analytics or any program that tracks which pages on your sites visitors find you through the search engines?

Make a list of all the pages that visitors find you through the search engines, and you can pick a few and try different adsense positioning and such, and we'll see what works best.

Sorry I threw a lot at you, so please let me know if you want me to elaborate on a point or two

I noticed you submitted your site for review... I will try to take a look at it later today. Keep up the good work!

Sherif

SCOBAHCAN · #3 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 06:49 PM

Thanks for the reply Sherif

I have a travel site www.victoria-bc-canada-guide.com

If I was to use Google ad words, it would be to increase my presence on the web as from what I have seen Adwords users ads get put in the top right hand corner of a particular search.

At the moment I am only getting 50 + unique visitors per day (which is not very good….. I know)

Craig

ssmorgan · #4 (**permalink**) 03-06-2008, 07:05 PM

50 visitors a day is not bad at all. Do you have stats on how they arrive to your website and which pages do they land?

Typically, I have used Google Adwords to promote specific products. You could use Adwords to increase your general web presence, but you have to be careful not to spend too much time.

If you decide to use Adwords, I would stay very very far away from general keywords such as "travel" because you could lose a lot of money on non-targeted visitors.

I have not looked closely at your site, but is Adsense the only monetization tool you have right now?

The reason I ask is because if you pay 5 cents in Adwords per click, and let's say you have a good 10% click through on your Adsense, that means you will spend 50 cents in Adwords for every Adsense click... and if that click to Adsense does not make you 50 cents, you will be losing money... do you see what I mean?

If you have other specific things to promote, though, it may be worth using Adwords.

WB Sponsors