May 28, 2008
Find buyers searching for what you sell with Adwords, Google says.
Yahoo Search Marketing asks, Instead of looking for customers, what if they found you?
In the past few years, businesses of all sizes have rushed to capitalize on the benefits of paid search. The advantages are well known…low start-up costs, shorter lead times, opportunity for global reach or local targeting, and more accurate campaign tracking.
The potential benefits are clearly compelling, but what’s less obvious is how to create consistently effective paid search campaigns. Smaller and medium-sized businesses have found that do-it-yourself paid search can be difficult and time-consuming. Larger businesses that outsource have learned to be wary of search-marketing scoundrels who are better at promoting their own business than promoting yours.
That said, there’s a growing body of research and best practices for success in paid search marketing, and you shouldn’t miss out because you don’t have an extensive knowledge of the of the online channel. Many of today’s most successful search marketing campaigns developed over months, not years. With that in mind here’s a brief checklist to keep paid search advertising pointed in a profitable direction. Make sure it’s:
Action- oriented: Clearly, your primary goal is to have prospects click your ad for more information, so it’s OK to be direct. Don’t make people think too much. Include a clear call to action like “click here” or “learn more” for better results.
- Attention-getting: Your online ad has only a split second to gain attention. Use attention-getting headlines and bold images to make your ad stand out. If you use Google Adwords, you’ll have the ability to test and improve your copy with as many as three versions of your ad.
- Brief. The most effective online ads contain a simple, easy to understand message. Keep your ads short and to the point. Use simple, high-impact words. The place to provide additional information is on your landing page or website, not a text or banner ad.
- Offer-oriented: To drive site traffic, specific offers work better than general invitations. Offering a discount, time-sensitive offer or something that’s FREE are time-tested techniques. For example, free shipping or discounts for first-time customers can drive click-thrus.
- Customer-focused: In getting your message across, it’s easy to forget that customers are scanning your ad to learn how they can benefit, not to learn how great your company is. Clearly explain how your product or service solves problems, makes things easier or improves profits.
- Professional: If your ad includes graphics, use a professional designer to select appropriate colors and fonts to gain attention and ensure your ad is readable. Use only high-resolution, professional images in your online ad. Quality design suggests a quality company.
- Relevant: Do visitors arrive at your ad by typing in a search term? If so, try repeating the term in your ad. For example, if you want to attract visitors using the search phrase Aircraft Charters, make sure Aircraft Charters is prominently displayed in your ad - you’ll get higher click-thrus.
- Going somewhere: The ad is only part of the equation that converts visitors to buyers. Make sure your ad clicks through to a page that’s relevant to your offer. If your ad offers a 10 percent discount, make it clear how visitors can get the discount instead of making them figure out what to do next. Landing pages pick up where the ad leaves off, providing specific information and next steps. Targeted landing pages generally outperform home pages when it comes to converting visitors to subscribers or buyers.
- Tested. You may have heard the quip that “All opinions are useless, including this one.” The same might be said about search marketing advice. Don’t take opinions and second-hand research to heart. Learn and use the analysis tools included in your paid search account. It may be that Google skews male or Yahoo is better for consumer marketing than B2B, but you’ll never know until you test. You may even check out MIVA.com, a smaller search player that’s making a play for the #3 slot behind the big guys. Try out the conversion-tracking tools that are included in your account.
It may take a little homework on your part, but there’s no substitute for knowing which search terms are effective, what visitors are searching for, and what each click and conversion costs. The information is worthwhile not only for search marketing, but the lessons learned can then be applied to other marketing channels and campaigns.
Charles Warnock is Marketing Director at PartsBase, the world’s leading online aviation / aerospace marketplace. He writes often on interactive marketing, technology, finance and real estate. More articles can be found at http://marketing-interactive.blogspot.com/
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The Gellert Hotel Spa is renowned as the ultimate spa destination in Hungary. Here’s a first hand account of the Gellert experience.
Gellert Hotel Spa
While in Budapest, everyone kept saying I hadn’t experience Hungary until I had a spa. According to my newfound friends, “a spa” meant the Gellert Hotel Spa.
Being a macho American male, I dragged an American girl I met on the train with me to the spa. The purported purpose, of course, was chivalry and introducing her to an experience she would never forget. After paying $2 each, my bluff was called. Women and men were separated for the treatments. I was alone and didn’t speak a word of the language!
Once separated, I was sent into a large room with what appeared to be a few hundred dressing rooms. An attendant looked up from a desk, said something in Hungarian, slapped a piece of cloth in my hand and pointed to a dressing room.
In the dressing room, I prepared to change only to realize the cloth was no more than a string and a 2 x 2 inch square of cotton. For those anatomically challenged, the string went around your waste and the cloth hung in front. At this point, there was only one thing to do. Chant the traveler mantra, “Ah, what the heck. I’ll never see any of these people again.”
Outside the dressing room, I proceeded to immediately stand around, try to look casual and see what the locals were doing. This was a bit difficult as I was the only person in the room. Eventually a local showed up, changed and headed down a hall. I followed and hoped he didn’t notice.
At the end of the hall, we walked through two giant pools. The walls were painted in baroque styles, the steps into the pools were marble and the whole place was impressive. I nearly let my loincloth slide up.
After the pools, we approached a room that looked remarkably more industrial. There was a line out the door and I dutifully joined it behind my guide. After a few moments, we rounded the door and I saw something I did not expect. Eight loincloth clad men like myself were lying on metal tables. Large male masseuses were standing over them. They would slap them about, spray them with garden hoses, slap them about and repeat as necessary. This wasn’t the massage I was anticipating, but I sure as heck wasn’t getting out of line. That would be to embarrassing!
After a few moments, it was my turn to jump up on a table. My “masseuse” looked at me and said, “Americanski?” I nodded. He grinned. And the beating began. A Hungarian/Turkish massage reminded me of the movie “Rocky.” In Rocky, the lead character pounds on sides of meat to get ready for his fight. In the case of the massage, I was the side of meat. It didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t exactly relaxing.
After a few moments of tenderizing, I was lifted off the table and sent flying through the air. As time slowly passed, I noted this hadn’t happened to any of the men who went before me. I also noted the limestone and marble material used in the walls. Just as I started panicking, I splashed down into a pool to the sound of laughter. While I was trying to decide if I should laugh or be enraged, my body started sending its own signals. I was in a pool of what had to be the coldest water on the planet earth. I am talking Antarctica kind of cold.
Leaping out of the pool, the men in the room gave me a standing ovation accompanied by hunched over, gasping laughter. Now I knew Hungary.
Well, when in Rome…err, Budapest.
Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of travel journals. Writing journals are the perfect travel accessories. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more travel articles and travelogues.
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When traveling to the Magic Kingdom with children, it is important to perform advanced planning before arriving in Florida. Preparing for this trip will make the difference in a stressful family vacation and a fabulous, magical vacation that your family will always remember.
The Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World in Florida is one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations. Millions of visitors tour the Magic Kingdom Park each year and although it is the smallest of all four Disney Florida Parks, it is also the most crowded. It is not uncommon to see families touring the parks in the hot Florida sun, with parents yelling at their children and the children crying or screaming for something. This tends to happen as families spend a lot of money on this type of vacation and want to be sure to “get their moneys worth”. This leads them to drag their families throughout the park, with over-tired, hot and hungry children. It is important to remember that children function best when in their normal daily routine. Their days at Walt Disney World will be filled with early mornings, off schedule (or skipped) naps, changes in eating times, and late nights. Also the weather in Orlando can be extremely hot and humid or very rainy, depending on when you visit. It is crucial that parents understand that children will be on sensory overload and will be out of their routines when on vacation.
You can visit the Magic Kingdom with children and still have a fabulous time. If you are only able to visit for one day, you should arrive at the parks before its scheduled opening time. As the park opens you should visit Fantasyland (if traveling with small children) or Frontierland (for older children). A one day touring schedule is possible, however, if traveling with children you will have to be willing to limit your list of “must-see” attractions. With children, it is always better to allot two full days at the Magic Kingdom. This will allow you to tour at a calmer pace and allow your children to take in all that the park has to offer.
Your advanced planning when visiting the Magic Kingdom should include deciding what time of year to visit, what day of the week will be least crowded, and how many days you have to visit the Magic Kingdom. You should also review the park layout and policies before you arrive. Being knowledgeable on the attractions will help you decide which ones you would like to visit before even arriving in Orlando. Reviewing Disney information on stroller rentals, the Fastpass system and parades and shows are just a few examples of things you should strive to learn about before you arrive. This will allow you to maximize your time at the Magic Kingdom and concentrate on your Disney family vacation.
A little planning will help you create your best visit to the Magic Kingdom!
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Jennifer Mitchell is the author of the Disney Travel Guide the Mouse Manual (www.mousemanual.com). This ebook has www.mousemanual.com’>Disney Travel Tips that can save you time and money on your next Walt Disney vacation.
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