Hey, Josh here from the InternetBeacon.

Google, as we all know, is powered by advertising. It hardly makes sense to be in the search engine biz unless you can make a little money. Well, Google makes a lot of money. A large part of how they do that is a program called AdWords. AdWords is a marketing tool that allows you to design custom ads that will appear alongside search results from the Google engine. Let’s take a look at how it works.

First, you tell Google what kind of ad you want to post. For our purposes, let’s say simple text. Rather than making you go through an elaborate process, they have a simple, fill-in field system that lets you describe what you are advertising. Formatting and the like are all taken care of by Google. Part of this is determining the keywords you want to use for this ad. This will tell Google when to display your ads. If you aren’t keen on using text only, you can also opt for image ads using their web-based software.

As far as paying for these ads goes, it’s pretty simple. These ads are what we call Pay-Per-Click. This means that you only pay when someone using Google actually clicks on your website’s ad. You can set how much you are willing to pay as well as how much your budget is for that day. This keeps you from racking up a huge bill without noticing.

AdWords is a successful part of the Google brand. For those looking to get started marketing their business or for those who want to expand their reach, AdWords is worth a look.

More info on SEO, check out our SEO Answers page, our SEO Glossary, and our blog posts on SEO.

-Josh

Internet Beacon

Knowing Your Target Audience In Your Store and Online

Hey, Josh here from the Internet Beacon. We are a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) firm located in Maryland. What we do, SEO, is a subcategory of Internet Marketing. Similar to traditional advertising, SEO is all about getting your Brand out there. In this case, we’re working to get your website in front of customers through search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. For more quick, useful information, check out our SEO Answers page, our SEO Glossary, and our blog posts on SEO.

While we here at Internet Beacon specialize in Internet Marketing, what we don’t specialize in is each individual client’s target market. That it not to say we can’t help you with this area. It does mean that if you already know your target market, working together goes faster and smoother. To this end, here are some tips on how to get to know your target market.

First, see who buys your products. This sounds easier than it is, but it is important. If you have a storefront, keep track of who comes in. Then, note who buys things and who browses. If you have a large amount of teenagers coming in to buy things, then you need to make sure you are reaching that market. If your store specifically caters to a particular crowd, like stay-at-home moms, take steps to ensure they are being targeted by your marketing. This will extend to your presence online as well.

Second, tailor your website to reflect not only your business’ offerings, but also the type of clientele you are trying to reach. If your store sells extreme sports merchandise, your website needs to show this. Don’t use boring colors or plain advertisements. This is an area in which we can assist you. We will meet with you and get your feedback on how you want your website to look. From there, we go to work using your specifications. Remember, getting your target demographic to notice you means getting to know them, even if it isn’t something that interests you.

At the end of the day, you are responsible for… Read the rest

Stay Plugged Into the News

These days it isn’t enough to read the paper or watch your local newscaster every night if you want to stay up to date on current events. The fact of the matter is that everything that happens these days can be reported instantly via Twitter, Digg.com. etc. Make sure you stay up to date on what is happening in your field. If not, you may be left holding the bag later when one of your business functions goes contrary to current standards/public demand.

Open Up Your Payment Options

Remember when everyone paid cash for everything? How about when debit cards were just coming on the scene? Over time, people’s methods for handing their wealth change and evolve. Because of this, it is necessary to consider how you receive payments. I recommend checking out alternative payment methods, like PayPal for handling some of your financial transactions with customers. This is especially important if you offer services that are a “one-time fee” or a good that can be purchased online.

Offer Live Chat with Customers

One thing that is certain in today’s Information Age is that communication is king. Because of this, a great idea for your business may be offering an online chat function to prospective clients. This could be as simple as using AOL Instant Messenger or as complicated as Adobe Connect Pro. The point is to establish a tangible online presence for customers/sales leads.

Create a Community

This option may vary based on your business’ goals, but creating an online community can be… Read the rest

Compiling our ideas together in a document will make our ideas real.   Additionally, we are not taking any action yet, just compiling the marketing ideas, assigning a dollar cost for budget purposes, and a due date.   For an over simplified example:   Goal Task Gain 2 additional local customers Mail 100 postcards locally     Budget Due Date $25 February 1, 2010

… Read the rest