Kevin Dahl asked:


Know anyone who doesn’t google occasionally? Probably not. Google is the gold standard in internet search engines. There are many others out there, and many others that as an affiliate marketer you will need to give due attention. But nothing is more important to affiliate marketers then learning everything they can about how Google works and how Google can work for them.

As a for-profit company and one that is publicly traded on the stock market, Google makes billions of dollars each year. It also makes affiliate marketers billions of dollars each year.

But Google is a complex monster, and the success you achieve in affiliate marketing is directly related to how well you master each of the different areas of Google. Don’t kid yourself; this is not overnight learning. But boy, does it pay off!

GOOGLE ADWORDS-ONE PIECE OF THE PIE

Many of you already know what Google Adwords is. And some of you may be already utilizing this in your own affiliate marketing business. But it never hurts to make certain you clearly understand what Adwords is and what it’s not.

Google Adwords is the most used, most profitable way of advertising on the internet.

To get an immediate example of Adwords, search for anything using Google. An example - search for beach balls. The very familiar search display pops up with the first page of relevant material on beach balls. This information is summarized and sources are cited and the link to find the information is the last line of the search.

Now look at the far right side of the page. You will see several small advertisements for products or services or websites related to beach balls (in Google’s determination). These are Google Adwords and they are written and placed there by affiliate marketers who have paid a fee. Many product companies also use Adwords to advertise directly, so you really can’t tell who has placed the ad; the selling company or an affiliate marketer who has partnered with the selling company.

The whole idea behind Adwords is reaching targeted customers (those already looking for information about beach balls) who may be in the market for the product or service you are promoting.

Advertise using Google Adwords because it produces potential customers who have already shown an initial interest in your product.

Obviously, there are many techniques and strategies for using Adwords and many ways to fine-tune your ‘campaigns’ to produce the highest profit. The good news is that Google has made the process for getting started in Adwords fairly simple. But keep in mind before you start paying to advertise anything on the internet, you had better have a complete understanding of what happens when a potential customer clicks on your ad and reaches the desired link. The best-written, best-placed Adwords in the world won’t make you any money if where they lead the customer is a sub-par site.

Don’t start your affiliate marketing business with Adwords. Start with understanding the entire business, researching the best products to promote and developing top-notch presales and sales approaches.

REGISTERING FOR AN ADWORDS ACCOUNT

As mentioned, the process for getting started in Adwords is really quite simple. It’s even more so if you’ve done your homework and understand the big picture of affiliate marketing. Since Adwords is just one piece of the pie, you’ll be able to get follow the step-by-step directions for creating your very first ad.

Go to http://adwords.google.com/select to get started. When you click the “Sign Up Now” button, you’ll be prompted to write your first ad. Many people start here by creating a “mock” ad. You may or may not have already identified products or affiliate partners you want to advertise for, so creating your account by just filling in the blanks with fake information can be a quick way to get started. You will delete this “ad” later.

You will now face two important questions: How much do you want to spend per day (average) and what is the maximum amount you want to pay each time someone clicks on your ad? Again, if you’re entering fake information, it really doesn’t matter. But these will become very important decisions as you venture out in to the real world of Adwords.

You will need to decide how much money you are willing to spend on Adwords, per product and as a whole.

Your final step will be to choose a login, which will necessitate having a Google account. If you don’t already have one, there are steps to follow to get one. Now it’s time to really dig in and learn all the ins and outs of how Adwords work. It may appear simple, but the profits are in the details.