The Complete Guide to Google AdWords: Secrets, Techniques, and Strategies You Can Learn to Make Millions (Back-To-Basics) [Paperback]

Larisa Lovelady (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 17, 2011

Google AdWords, when it launched in 2002 signaled a fundamental shift in what the Internet was for so many people and businesses. What was once before a concept that could, technically be profitable, had seemingly overnight become a massive cash opportunity for millions, providing the worlds largest search databases in Google with more than 75 percent of Internet searches through their technology according to Pew Computer Research. Thats millions upon millions of visitors every day searching for keywords that may describe your business. For that reason alone, learning and understanding how Google AdWords operates and how it can be optimized for maximum exposure, boosting click through rates, conversions, placement, and selection of the right keywords, can be the key to a successful online business. This book was written for every business owner who has taken to the Internet in an attempt to market and promote their business through search and content advertising. The keys to success lie in understanding how these services truly work. In this book you will learn about the old methods of direct marketing and why, despite their lack of detail and time consumption, they worked so well. You will then learn how Google AdWords has revolutionized the industry, changing the very definition of direct marketing. You will learn the top advertising strategies used by firms and businesses around the world and how you can write an ad that captures the most possible attention. You will learn how to research keywords, choose a niche in which to market, and then sign up for AdWords and start posting ads. Learn what click through rates, conversion rates, ROI, and CPC are and why they are so vital to the performance of your ad campaign. The worlds top AdWords gurus were consulted for this guide, providing their insight into the best ways to write and present information to your target demographic in a short ad. You will learn how to use every tool provided by Google and a few more not provided by them to research and create your ads and then why things like split testing and demographic research are the fundamental things every business owner must do to succeed. You will finally learn what it takes to become certified in Google AdWords and to start using your knowledge of this revolutionary advertising system to start working as a top paid consultant. Anyone with a business or a great idea who has ever wanted to reach their customers directly and easily needs to read this book and start learning today how Google AdWords can change your advertising methods forever.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishing Group Inc. (March 17, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1601383185
• ISBN-13: 978-1601383181
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #558,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Strong on Context, Weak on AdWords Details, May 21, 2011

By 

Jason L. Mcdonald (Fremont, CA 94536) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Complete Guide to Google AdWords: Secrets, Techniques, and Strategies You Can Learn to Make Millions (Back-To-Basics) (Paperback)

Google AdWords can be a powerhouse of marketing success, if one truly knows how to leverage its secrets. Most books fall apart, however, at one of two levels. Either they give you too many technical details about AdWords, or they are so high level that they provide generalities only.

Larisa Lambert's Complete Guide to Google AdWords attempts a middle ground, and fails. Does that make it a bad book, no? Does it make it an incomplete book, yes.

THE GOOD

The good part of the book is her attempt to situation AdWords within the context of one's broader marketing strategy. Unlike many books on the subject, she does ask you to ask yourself about your marketing mission. Chapter Three, in particular, asks you to "define your mission" and to identify "What do you really do." It's a brief primer on basic marketing - the kinds of basic marketing questions that one should always ask (and answer) about your own company.

* What is your Business Value Proposition (BVP)?
* Who are your target customers? What do they want?
* How do they wants and desires of your customers intersect with your BVP?

That mental exercise is an important part of marketing - kudos to Lambert for including that in the book. She fails, however, to attach this higher level issue with the more down-to-earth aspects of AdWords -

* What keywords do your customer's search, and what tools are available to help you identify both high volume and high value keyword searches?
* Once someone lands on your site, what do you want them to do? How do you connect this desired action with an effective AdWords landing page strategy?
Another chapter goes into far too much detail on branding, and has far too much information on "real-world" marketing. That's not really what someone buys a book on AdWords for in the first place.

THE BAD

The bad in this book is that it lacks an easy-to-read interface, a step-by-step guide to AdWords. All books suffer from this problem. As someone who teaches AdWords in the real world and online (just Google `Jason McDonald' to find me), I know that showing someone how to use AdWords is far, far easier than writing out written instructions.
Pictures and diagrams would have made this book much easier to use, but the book is written in an almost novel-like format; unless you are truly a wordsmith, you will get lost and not really understand how to use AdWords at the nitty-gritty level.

THE UGLY

AdWords can be great, but AdWords is like Google alcohol. You can easily get drunk on it, and do many things that you will regret in the morning. Among them: bad match types. The difference among "Animal Boarding," [Animal Boarding], +Animal +Boarding, and Animal Boarding (no quotes) is an absolutely critical part of using AdWords effectively, but this book does not clearly explain match types.

Similarly, the Display or Content Network, can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Here, Lambert does a better conceptual job at warning you (though not nearly strongly enough), but she does not provide the details necessary for most people to understand where the potential troubles are and how to generate reports to find undesirable sites.
The ugly reality of AdWords is that used without a proper understanding of match types and the Display network, it can cost you a pretty penny and generate little effective return. In my view, any book on AdWords should clearly and loudly state this fact.

This isn't the best book on AdWords; its merit lies in the marketing theory discussion at the beginning. For that, I rate it three stars. Not the worst book on AdWords, but certainly not the best. Not the worst book on marketing strategy, but certainly not the best.

Average, however, is not what one wants in an effective marketing / AdWords book. So watch out for the good, the bad, and the ugly as you become a spending participant in the Google AdWords ecosystem.