We all want to be found on Google, but sometimes SEO takes a bit longer than we hoped and SEM or paid search engine marketing is the best way to get you going.

We want you to start out on the right foot so when you are setting up your AdWords yourself, here are five items to take note of when you create your AdWords campaigns.

GeoTarget:

Whether you have a local business or a national business we recommend geotargeting your AdWords campaigns. Understanding where your buyer is can make a big difference in using your money wisely. For example, recently we discussed with a client having her ads show up in more rural areas because there are not as many stores in those towns, so people will turn to the Internet to buy. If your marketing a local business this is also a great way to make sure your ads are only seen in the locations you serve.

Ad Schedule:

We do not want you to waste your funds on late night searches unless that’s your target audience. Understanding when your customer is looking for you and insuring your ads display at those hours can help save your budget. Under your Google AdWords account be sure to set the ad schedule for the days and the time of day you want the ads to show to your perspective customers.

Networks:

Remember that Google ads display not only within a Google search but on other web sites as well. These are known as Display Network ads. If you only want your ads to appear on Google and not on other websites you should adjust this feature in your account.

Devices:

Knowing your audience is key here and understanding your website technology is important. More and more searches are done on a mobile device, but if your website is not compatible you may want to adjust this setting to Desktop and laptop computers and Tablets with full browsers. Google AdWords has also added more options here, allowing you to choose which mobile technology to have your ad display on.

Negative Keywords:

Most of the items discussed above are AdWords settings, but this topic relates to the keyword area of your ad campaigns. Be sure to set up the negative keywords for your ads. These are words that people may add to your keyword phrases but for which you do not want your ads to appear. For example; you want to be found for “dive vacations” but if someone types in “cheap dive vacations” your ad will appear because your keyword phrase is in their search. Add the word “cheap” to the list of negative keywords and your ad will not display. This can save you on wasted clicks and appearing to the wrong audience.

Google AdWords has so many tools for you to use today, but these five can really help you when you are starting out.

Do you need help getting started with or improving your AdWords campaigns? Schedule a consultation to discuss how we can help your AdWords campaign go from good to great.