Building Your Business with Google For Dummies (Paperback)

by Brad Hill (Author)
Key Phrases: backlink network, clickthrough revenue, valuable ads, Elie Edit, Control Center, Google Catalogs (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“…clear and well-placed diagrams…plain English explanations…” (Internet Works, Autumn 2004)

Product Description

• The first-ever book to show businesses step by step how to capitalize on advertising programs offered by Google, the world's #1 search engine, with more than 200 million search queries per day
• Written by a veteran For Dummies author working in cooperation with Google, which will help support the book
• From selecting the right keywords to crafting the right message, the book explains how to boost site traffic using AdWords, Google's hugely successful sponsored-link advertising program, which now has more than 150,000 advertisers
• Also details how to make money with AdSense, a Google program that funnels relevant AdWords ads to other sites-and pays those sites whenever someone clicks on them

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (June 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764571435
• ISBN-13: 978-0764571435
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #292,449 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Book for People Who Use Google Services, July 27, 2004

By	Elizabeth J. Woolley "Editor, DiabeticMommy.com" (Tucson, Arizona) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am the editor of Diabetic Mommy Online Magazine. I want diabetic women to be able to find my site, so knowing the ins and outs of using Google to increase your visibility is essential.

I am not an internet guru by any means. Nor am I well-versed in the wild business jungle of the internet. I am just a stay-at-home mom who has a little site and wants to create a little haven for diabetic moms. I want the same opportunity as the big guys when it comes to making my site findable.

My site wallowed in obscurity for a couple years. I thought that time would allow it to be found. Well time passed, and still nobody could find the site. I searched the internet for information and was bombarded with hype and pipe dreams. All I could find on the net was how to get rich. That would be nice, but my main concern is being findable to moms who are needing help.

So, I got this book and am giving it a whirl. I found it simple and easy to understand. Plus, the author...well...he's just silly - and I LOVE it. I rarely laugh outloud when reading a book, but a couple times some chuckles escaped.

This text gives a good overview of Googles services Adwords and Adsense and how you can incorporate them into your site and increase your visibility. He makes reference to another Dummies book about Google, and suggests you read that one too. He also talks about site optimization - both having someone else do it, and doing it yourself. Those are the sections that were of huge interest to me. I have to let you know, before you buy this book, it is assumed you know basic HTML and know how to build a webpage. He doesn't walk you through that - mainly talks about keywords, titles, description, headings, links, networking, etc.

I think this book would be great for both the little guy(girl) like me or for big sites.

I've been slowly incorporating the suggestions and have seen some improvements.

So now you are wondering, Hmmmm, seems like she really enjoyed th book, but why 4 stars?

Well, I do appreciate detail. However, I did not like the detail that described setting up and logging into sites (especially when they have instructions on the site). I DO appreciate the detail on setting up Adwords though. I thought it could have been done in fewer words and could have freed up some space for more detail in other areas, such as site optimization. Then again, that's my subjective opinion, somebody else might think the exact opposite of me!

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid Overview of AdSense, AdWords, Froogle and Catalogs, March 18, 2005

By	A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com "RIP MJ" (Glen Ellyn, IL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

"Building Your Business with Google For Dummies" by Brad Hill is one of many options for learning Google's tools. This one is focused on using it to promote business websites.

You might not need this book. To find out, go to Google's website, and create an account. Look at the FAQs, testimonials and the help areas. Much of what's in Hill's book is logical, but is organized in as sensibly as any I have seen. I need this book for that reason. It saved me time from having to learn this information in a too slow trial-and-error way.

You'll learn a few important things about Google, and how to help them help you attract traffic, sell products, or create interest in your website.

AdWords
I have an online e-commerce site, and need to know Google. As a smaller business, I can't compete with the major companies in being listed in categories I feel are important. That's where Google AdWords comes in. It allows me, for a fee per click, to compete.

Hill's explanation of strategies and process is solid. There are ways to lose money, and he helps show how to test keywords, use ad groups, edit ads, and how to bid intelligently. He also looks at the premium service that allows big businesses to use oogle with less worry about click-through rates.

AdSense
AdSense, the tool that places Google ads on websites based on the page's content. While I only make a few cents when a vistor clicks through an ad, it helps me provide a service to my customers who do not feel my site met their needs.

Hill explains how AdSense makes money, and warns against cheating.

Increasing Your Page Rank
No one knows Google's formula for ranking pages. The most important factor is having useful information, being linked on other like-minded sites, not abusing the process.

Hill tells you what page rank means, and how to avoid mistakes many webmasters make. This includes tips on design, domain choice, keyword use.

Using Froogle and Google Catalogs
These are two features I have never used. Hill gives a good overview of this Google tool, which provides exposure to those websites selling products in a catalog-style, or through AOL and Yahoo shops.

I fully recommend "Building Your Business with Google For Dummies" by Brad Hill.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great AdWords and SEM Primer, July 13, 2004

By A Customer

This has got to be one of the best references I've seen that addresses what can be done with online marketing using Google AdWords. AdWords is a confusing but powerful program, and this book offers an excellent primer to becoming an effective AdWords user. That's the primary reason I bought it. There seems to be no end to the ways you can use Google to promote your business. This book helped me familiarize myself with several tools I hadn't looked into beforehand.

Also a good intro to search engine marketing. I purchased Search Engine Optimization For Dummies at the same time that I bought this book. Also an excellent reference. Both highly recommended.