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Google AdWords?

Is anyone having success with Google AdWords? I'm just starting, and I've listed lots of phrases, but it looks like the only ones getting "impressions" and "clicks" are "massage ", which keeps things simple.

I put in "-erotic" and "-sensual" to filter those out - the minus sign will be sure your ad doesn't show if someone is looking for those terms.

Any thoughts on the ad itself? You don't get much to work with - a title, and two lines of 35 characters each, and a link.

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Permalink Reply by Trevor Chisman on October 8, 2009 at 4:26pm

Hi Stuart
I occassionally use Adwords for my practice but not on a regular basis.

I tend to only use it when my listing falls out of maps for a period or if my site drops below 5 th place in the Goigle organic listings.

Have you tried phrases such as back pain, neck pain etc. Sometimes it's worth picking at these lower lying fruits than the big search terms like massage.

Also I find it's really important to get your site up to at least a top 5 position for the Google main organic listings, that is the real key, so many people just ignore the sponsored link.

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Permalink Reply by Lynne Stiller on October 8, 2009 at 7:09pm

I wasn't getting much success with it but it was spending money quickly & with several searches from friends computer, they never saw my ad...Don't know if it was really working or they were just taking money.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Onofrio on October 9, 2009 at 10:41am

I think it is too expensive. You can do better by just adding your business to the business listings section on the 'local results page."

When people search for massage your city there should be a list at the top of google that shows some local businesses. You can add your business to this list by clicking on one of the listings and then going to the bottom of the page where it says something like 'add business'.

You can also do better by just getting your website to show up for searches using 'massage, your city' and then having a content rich site so that you can educated clients and let them know all about your work and you and develop trust. You have to write about 30 pages at least and be adding new articles on massage and how it works etc all the time.

That's my take on it
Julie
www.thebodyworker.com
www.massage-career-guides.com

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Permalink Reply by Stuart R Dole on October 9, 2009 at 12:44pm

Wow, thanks everyone so far! For now I've set a $100 a month limit - paid for from the money we're saving from a smaller Yellow Pages ad. Yes, time to review and redo the website.

I've looked at the phrases and keywords that get "impressions" and clicks, and "back pain", "neck pain" aren't even on the radar (yet!). The big winners are "massage" plus name-of-city for the three or four nearby cities.

I'll play with turning it on and off (monthly budget?) and see if that makes any differences. Turning it on for gift certificates is a great idea!

I've already done what I think I can with the local listings, but I'll visit that again too.

Many thanks and happy trails...

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Permalink Reply by Liz on October 9, 2009 at 6:15pm

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Stuart R Dole said:

Wow, thanks everyone so far! For now I've set a $100 a month limit - paid for from the money we're saving from a smaller Yellow Pages ad. Yes, time to review and redo the website.

I've looked at the phrases and keywords that get "impressions" and clicks, and "back pain", "neck pain" aren't even on the radar (yet!). The big winners are "massage" plus name-of-city for the three or four nearby cities.

I'll play with turning it on and off (monthly budget?) and see if that makes any differences. Turning it on for gift certificates is a great idea!

I've already done what I think I can with the local listings, but I'll visit that again too.

Many thanks and happy trails...

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Permalink Reply by Lina Petridis on October 9, 2009 at 6:33pm

Its funny to read this because years ago "before internet" I put an ad in Yellow Pages..and the cost hurt for a year.

If I could forsee what the words Full Body or Myofascial Release or Scrub would bring I would have scrubbed it right then! Now
I 'm happy with the Big sign on My office window..
Plus even though I don't pay for advertisements my new clients said they found me on the internet.
Best Wishes