Hi All. I wasn't able to find a thread with my specific question in mind, so I thought I would start my own. PPC, particularly Google's at the moment, is something entirely new for me. I've recently been hired on to a newly established Website Construction company, and all the client's demand 'SEO! PPC! Web Advertising! Number One!' Of course, that is the goal. However, the waters are new and rapidly approaching. Currently I am focusing on Google's AdWords, and after lurking this sub-forum extensively for the past week, only more questions crop up as I go. We have a large (wealthy) client that is only now stepping into Web Advertising. Along with building their website, they want, of course, SEO and PPC - and have the money to pay for top results and positioning, as long as they are efficient. Their market is very specific and should be a high return per sale (when it does sell - think large specialized appliances). Therefore, it is not an affiliate business or anything like that where Google might not approve (if what I hear on this forum is right, sounds like Google's been pretty cold in that direction recently ) or where a plethora of services/items are offered. This company is selling cold-hard-expensive-specialized-product that the user is likely searching for. My questions are as follows: 1) Does anyone have suggestions for what might be a reasonable amount to spend each month on Google's AdWords? From what I can tell, the results are highly variant depending on very many factors, and there are a lot of other options for PPC out there as well. 2) I read the thread about how much people spend each day, and that there is an option to limit the max amount spent on certain keywords each day -- is it possible to set up a max amount per month as well? Or must this be done through basic math skills and how-many-keywords/their-cost/etc. I'm sorry if this post is a little unwieldy, but I'm new and trying to get a hang of this here. Therefore, any feedback or suggestions at all for this sort of 'beginners' predicament would be really great! Thanks for helping out a newbie!
It's the catch 22 of forums...unless you want to tell us exactly what you're doing (which no one would) all we can provide is general info. That said... "1) Does anyone have suggestions for what might be a reasonable amount to spend each month on Google's AdWords?" Start with an amount that you're comfortable losing. Not that you're automatically lose it, but the learning curve can be steep and initial losses are common with inexperieced account managers in the mix. "2) I read the thread about how much people spend each day, and that there is an option to limit the max amount spent on certain keywords each day -- is it possible to set up a max amount per month as well? Or must this be done through basic math skills and how-many-keywords/their-cost/etc." You set you daily budget which translates into your monthly spend. Check this out for a better explanation. My suggestion would be to "dabble" with a small amount until you feel more comfortable opening the flood gates and spending some real $$$$.
Hmm. I see your point. Thanks for the link -- I figured I should go through Google's own help section eventually, and I guess it's about time. Only problem is we've got a budget to propose soon.. oh my! But like you said, can't open the bag all the way just for help. Well, I'll figure it out. Thanks -- and any other responses would be great as well!
You could always approach from the "what budget do you have available" method as well and base your sales forecasts off of that figure or range. Surely the client has at least ballpark idea of what they available in terms of a budget? I always try and get an idea of what the client has to work with - no point in throwing out a $100,000/month proposal if all they have to work with is $5,000.
Good idea, thanks -- I'll try to squeeze some more such information out of my boss. I also like to have a ballpark idea before entering something like this. = | [[EDIT]] Heh. Looks like they didn't give us a ballpark even. Time to give a range of options.