9 Tips for Startups Using Google Adwords

Google Adwords is one of the most prominent cost per click tools for customer acquisition on the Internet.  Because of its dominance in the marketplace, many startups use the tool to help gain exposure for their products.  The problem for startups new to Adwords is the sheer complexity of the platform.

Here are some helpful tips for creating successful Adwords campaigns and making the most of your budget.

1. Do thorough keyword research

There are a number of keyword research tools that are provided by Google including the Adwords keyword tool, Google insights and the Google traffic estimator.  Use these tools to understand the number of queries for a specific term, the competition for those terms and the cost of a campaign targeting those terms.

The general principle with keyword targeting and Adwords campaigns is the more specific and targeted your keyword is, the better the conversion rate.  Look at what customers want and what your startup provides, then think about the keywords to link the two.

2. Use multiple keyword match types and negative keywords

In Adwords you can set a type of keyword match to target (Broad, Phrase and Exact). Tailor the keyword match types with care and think about how your prospective customers will be looking for your product. If there are keyword combinations that don’t match the intention of your startup, remove them by using negative keywords. Also utilize category targeting and topic targeting to further target your advertisements. By being very specific you can stretch out a small Adwords budget.

3. Consider bidding on your business name

If your search engine optimization is not up to scratch, it is possible that customers searching for your startup by its name may not see it on the first page.  If this is the case, bid on the name of your business to help people find it easily.

4. Build ad groups around a theme

If you have a product that has multiple functions, create ad groups tailored to each function.  For example, if you were selling an iPhone video application that can change the format of videos, upload to Youtube, share via iPhone and add creative effects — create an ad group for each of those capabilities.  The “upload to Youtube” ad group would target people who are searching the Internet for a way to upload edited videos directly from their iPhone to Youtube.

5. Write great copy and use a call to action

If you aren’t the best at copywriting, hire someone to do it for you.  Adwords can be expensive and if you aren’t making the most of the short sentences in the advertisement, you could be wasting money.  Also include a call to action in all advertisements to help obtain a better click through rate.

6. Create multiple advertisements and test them

By split testing advertisements you can ascertain which ones have the highest click through rate and conversion rate.  Continue to refine your advertisements even after finding combinations that work.

7. Check ads for quality score

The Adwords quality score refers to how relevant your keywords, ads and landing page are to people who see the advertisement.  A high click through rate (CTR) indicates that people seeing the ad find it highly relevant to what their needs are.  It is important to maintain a high quality score for a number of reasons, but chiefly the fact that it leads to lower cost per click, lower first page bid estimates, lower top of page bid estimates and better ad auction eligibility.

8. Make great landing pages relevant to keywords

At the end of the day, your Adwords campaign is about making sales and gaining customers.  You should spend a great deal of time crafting and testing landing pages that are highly relevant to your target keywords.  It is a good idea to create multiple landing pages for different ad groups, so you can split test these pages.  Again, copywriting is extremely important and this last step of the conversion process requires a flawless marketing pitch that meets customer expectations.

A great landing page will also have a lower bounce rate, which is tracked by Google and helps maintain a high quality score.

You should pay close attention to functionality as well.  If you have a shopping cart on the website make sure it is extremely fast and easy to use, make sure the text is easy to read, make sure the landing page has a sense of legitimacy and security about it.  Mobile traffic is also increasingly important, so make sure your website looks great on everything from laptops to tablets and smart phones.

9. Use conversion tracking and Google Analytics

It is critical that you understand which parts of your Adwords campaign are successful and which parts are not.  You should use Google Analytics and track successful conversions to understand what is working within your campaigns.  If your product doesn’t have a checkout process, look at bounce rates to determine if the visitors are a good match for your startup.

Setting Expectations

It’s important to remember that Google Adwords should only be one part of your promotional campaign for your startup.  When you are starting out, expect to spend money simply determining what works and what doesn’t.  The key is to start small, test often, and work your way up to having a highly targeted and successful Adwords campaign.

Turning Apps into Money Makers

Most people create apps for one reason: to make money. But before you start developing that code, there are a few realities you should know in order to understand revenue modeling for free apps. 

It’s not easy to make it. And it’s going to take persistence and money to get off the ground and get the word out for people to find your app. Don’t fall in to the trap of assuming that your app is so amazing that people will find it on their own. As of May 2015, there were 1.5 million apps available for Android devices; and 1.4 million available apps on Apple’s App store (source: Statistica).  There’s no market where competition is fiercer than the app world. You will need to be ready to create buzz, visibility and traffic to generate downloads and this will require a dedicated budget spend.

So how do you start money coming in? Here are 3 key factors to building financial success:

1.  APP UPGRADES

Attract downloads with a free, ‘lite’ version of your app which allows users to try out the app and get used to the features. Promote the benefits of a full/premium version of the app to generate conversions and paid upgrades.

2.     IN-APP ADVERTISING

This is perhaps the easiest way to generate revenue from your app, as well as build engagement for your app.  The way it works is by allowing advertising with linking to be integrated within your app. A successful strategy is to offer a free version of your app with advertising and offer users the option to remove the ads by upgrading to a paid app version. An easy way to do this is to tap into the services of a mobile advertising network like InMobi. In addition to handling effective integration of ads, they can also ensure that the advertising is delivered with the right ad experience for your app users.

3.     IN-APP PURCHASES

Your app may be free yet you can make money by providing and charging for special features or content, subscriptions and bonus offerings that can be purchased directly through the app.  Make sure that your app is set up to facilitate easy payment and delivery of purchased products. An easy an effortless integrated experience increases the opportunity for continued purchases.

Launching an app is hard work and real success is limited to the few. In addition to gaining downloads and users, you need to maintain them. Statistics show that there is often a drop off after three months. App developers need to be persistent and woo their users. The dream payoff is to make a sale like SnapChat or WhatsApp. It only happens to a few, but it's not a bad vision to have in your rear view mirror.

Preemptive Marketing Strategies for Startups

Business accelerators and incubators have become popular options for startups. For one, having a dedicated, loyal backing (i.e. group of advisors) helps these small companies tackle any developmental crises like financial planning and forecasting or even marketing.

Even with an idea in place, it's often a challenge for startups to get their infrastructure up and running. Operational consultants help businesses get started by providing expert advice on how to operate backend operations and take care of any legalities and licensing. Marketing, however, is a more complex procedure.

For starters, much of today’s marketing includes online campaigning. From social media and blogging to Web development and advertising, there are a lot of factors to consider. All of these elements add up to create a digital brand that can make or break startups that, more than existing businesses, have the unique opportunity to generate a lot of fan-based hype and promotion.

The first step for startups is to determine the direction in which they want to go. This direction is usually outlined in a company’s business plan, an often-misunderstood template of what a business’ objectives are. Below are a few key elements of a business plan that have the potential to drive a startup’s fledgling marketing campaigns in the right direction:

§  Business Basics: The opening sections of a business plan include soft goals such as mission statements and company values. These are important to consider because they later become buzzwords for marketing tactics.

§  Market Analysis: In this section, business planners take a look at local competition and the industry they are entering as a whole. Is the idea even feasible? What sets it apart from other similar companies? Without broad market analysis, it becomes a challenge for startups to initiate successful marketing strategies.

§  Product and Service Overview: Based on the startup’s purpose and concept, this section includes an in-depth write up on what the company plans to deliver or manufacture. It is important for entrepreneurs to consider questions like, “Is this product purchased only once?” “Is there only one target audience that will consider this service?” Even with products in the prototype stage, it is important for startup owners to imagine what their company’s sellable assets will look like in the future.

§  Marketing Plan: This section pulls together the previous three topics. Here, entrepreneurs will start outlining their brand and strategize ways to market it. It is often advised that companies begin by infiltrating one particular market and working outward from there.

The business plan also includes a section on finances and operations. Planners will look into the total costs of producing products and operating a business and figure out how much they have to sell (and at what price) to stay competitive and successful. Importantly, business plans are proactive ways for entrepreneurs to find investors and procure bank loans.

 

Web Branding and Developing Online Presence

What is online is what people see. Most companies understand the importance of having online assets like websites and social media accounts, though startups are in a much better position to create long-lasting campaigns that actively attract new and existing consumers. Here is a rundown on different marketing methods entrepreneurs should consider. They are all easy to manage, efficient, affordable, and show results if handled properly.

Websites

Domains tie everything together. When it comes to websites, the most important thing to do as a startup is to avoid the things that do not work. Having huge blocks of text, abusing keywords, inserting videos and media on every page, and creating an online mess is unattractive and a waste of resources.

Instead, startups should focus on creating a site that introduces people to their brand. Short videos are a good start. Investing in simple, sleek designs, easy navigation, and other features are a must, too. Most importantly, Web marketers need to constantly update their sites to meet visitor demand and to inform rather than promote.

Social Media

Like with websites, it is easy to overdo social media. Tap into the platforms that make sense for the idea. Is it a tech company? Consider using Google+, Facebook, and Twitter to keep followers interested by posting updates and other industry insights. For product and craft-based companies, use other sites like Pinterest to promote creativity. Because social media works both ways, entrepreneurs should pay attention to the success of their posts in order to tailor future ones that pick up more shares and likes.

Blogging

Blogging, of course, is one of the easiest ways to stay in touch with consumers. Startups have a lot to say; why not tie it all into a blog? Keep them informative and leave out the promotional content.

For more on how to build content marketing into your plan, check 5 Quick Tips for Great Content Marketing

5 Common Mistakes Entrepreneurs Can Avoid Launching A Business

1. STAY PUT IN YOUR JOB UNTIL THE TIME IS RIGHT

Don’t leave your job right away! It is important to never leave a stable job until your new venture is up and running. Many people have found themselves in financially awkward situations because they left a secure job to pursue a business opportunity before they even had a plan. While it is good to take risks, these need to be tactical risks. Quitting a job without a safety net can be damaging to your business opportunity.

2. DON’T DO IT JUST FOR THE MONEY

Another mistake made by entrepreneurs is not carefully considering what business you are about to go into.  Don’t assume that you should structure your startup venture around something that will solely make a lot of money. It is not a bad idea to aim for a prosperous market, but entrepreneurs do not want to get stuck in a business that they do not enjoy. Running a business should be as much enjoyable as it is profitable. That is what will create real success.

3. ONLY TAKE CALCULATED RISKS

As mentioned previously, any risks taken should be calculated risks. This means that entrepreneurs should never risk entire assets. This is a very common and crucial error that has left many entrepreneurs with little money after their business failed. Starting a business is risky and it should always be planned with a safety net in case something was to happen.

4. DON’T RUSH IT

Think through your opportunity and plan it before you seize it. Don’t rush to market in fear that you will lose out on the opportunity. Do the right groundwork to secure your success.

5. AVOID HIGH-RISK STARTUPS

Don’t try to champion the most difficult industry for their first business venture. It is okay to start small and work upwards. Shooting too high can cause a business to fall short of its goal, leaving you in a financial pit. The best idea is to go for a low-price business at first. That way, you don’t have to invest too much capital. When you start small, you are leaving the rest of the field open for improvement. Once you have secured a stable startup, then you can begin to grow.  

For more useful tips on developing your business, check out Assessing The Potential Of A New Business Opportunity