Business Requirements

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Your Non-Existent Paid Search Campaign is Losing Your Business Money!

Paid search advertising is one of the most cost effective internet marketing strategies available.This article will provide you with information about paid search advertising and how ignoring it could cost your business a lot of money.Whether you're a small business just starting out or a large corporation, the following information will be beneficial to you.

According to a recent survey conducted by Microsoft adCenter, 59% of small businesses who own a website do not have a paid search campaign and an astounding 90% of those small businesses haven't even given it a shot.

What is Paid Search Advertising?

Paid search advertising, or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, is a form of search engine marketing where advertisers bid on keywords that their customers would type in a search bar when looking for their product or service.If a user matches a keyword to that of the advertiser, they may see one of the advertiser's ads.When a web user clicks on an advertisement that leads directly to the advertiser's website, the advertiser pays the bid price that the market bears for that keyword and position.These PPC ads displayed by search engines are called "Sponsored Links" and appear above or next to organic search results.Sponsored links can also appear on advertising networks, content network sites, websites and blogs.

Sounds pretty easy, right?Well, to the 70% of you small business owners who would rather do your own taxes than run a paid search campaign, we hear you!Setting up, managing and maintaining a successful paid search campaign is not for the faint of heart.It requires know-how and extreme motivation.A lot of amateur marketers tend to get overwhelmed trying to manage their budget, bids, keywords and tracking.They may never know if their campaign is truly successful!

On the other hand, if you never try, you could be throwing money away by failing to bring in revenue from the millions of paid search customers that may never make it to your site.This form of search engine marketing has become one of the most effective internet marketing strategies for businesses both large and small.

What is Search Engine Marketing?

Search engine marketing is a form of online marketing that tries to promote websites by increasing their visibility in the results pages of search engines.Search engine marketing methods include paid search advertising (also known as pay-per-click advertising or sponsored search advertising), paid inclusion and other forms of online paid advertising.

How Can Paid Search Advertising Help My Business?

Using any one of or all of the search engine marketing methods described above can help your business drive more high-qualified traffic to your website.The costs associated with each of these advertising methods varies and which ones you choose for your business depends on your marketing goals and your budget.

When you hire an online marketing firm, make sure you choose one that will work with you to develop a search engine marketing strategy that best suits the needs and budget of your business.A good firm will have extensive experience with a number of search engines, including Google AdWords, Yahoo!Marketing Solutions, Microsoft adCenter, Business.com and IndustryBrains, as well as shopping feeds like ShopZilla and Shopping.com.Another thing to look for is a certified Google Adwords Professional on staff!


About the Author

Sheila Kloefkorn is President of KEO Marketing, a marketing firm specializing in innovative online strategies including search engine marketing and optimization, online advertising, social networking and media.

For more information about paid search advertising in Arizona, visit our website.

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Monday, December 22, 2008

Designing Profitable Trade Show Displays -- Don't Make One Of These Mistakes

Finding tradeshow booth designs that are profitable and attention getting isn't easy.There are some basic flaws that if you avoid, will greatly improve your chances of achieving that very goal.Making even one of these mistakes can cost you big dollars in terms of design and even more when you take into account lost sales and leads.It you want to avoid this disaster, make yourself aware of what the mistakes are and carefully consider each step in the process.

Trade Show Displays That Are Difficult To Use


You have to create tradeshow booth designs with both attendees and staff members in mind.

While it doesn't sound the greatest, customers should be thought of as lazy.Unless you have an earth-shattering product that 90% of the world is already dying to have, they aren't going to fight to get access to your exhibit.Therefore, it is imperative that your trade show displays are easy to access.Otherwise, they are just going to walk away.

The floor plan should be easy for them to enter and exit, explore your products, and feel comfortable.This also indicates to your customers that your business considers the client's needs.Poor set up also interferes with the staff's ability to deal with customers because of the inconvenience, loss of patience, and efficiency.

Failing To Get The Message Across With Tradeshow Booth Designs


Trade show displays have to attract attention and demonstrate that you are better than the competition.

However, you need to achieve a balance between standing out and being scary or intimidating.At the same time, you need to express your marketing goals and ideas across to those who see your exhibit.Going too 'out there' with the visual concept of tradeshow booth designs will cause many businesses to think that you are unsuitable for their company.Try not to rebrand or change the face of your company too drastically -- do it gradually and give clients and leads a chance to become familiar with your brand and business.

Making Exhibits Without A Specific Purpose


How do you know if your tradeshow booth designs are perfect if you have no idea what perfect is?

Don't even consider the graphics or any other component until you know exactly what your marketing plan is.This includes your message as well as your customer base.Every item and option chosen for your trade show displays should work toward reaching this goal.You essentially gain ROI on every dime you spend.

Not Testing The Exhibit Prior To Show Time


With all of the time, money, and effort put into tradeshow booth designs, it can be difficult to look at things with a clear and objective eye.

Having several people with different degrees of experience look at the entire package is the best way to test the display and find out what the results will be.Start with experienced staff members who already know what their needs and difficulties are out on the floor.You also want to include those outside the company who are experienced in the industry and those who have no experience in the industry at all.

Tradeshow booth displays take a lot of work and careful consideration in order to find the right format.Knowing some of the mistakes others make can keep you from repeating history and increase your chances at success.Trade show displays are your first chance to leave a good impression on your customer base so make sure it is a positive experience for everyone.


About the Author

Christine O'Kelly writes for Productive Displays, Inc.

Graphics, a leading trade show displays Chicago provider.The tradeshow booth designs provider rents, refurbishes, and creates top-quality trade show exhibits.

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