Google Analytics, Adwords and Website Optimizer Seminars Source of Success

Searching Engine Marketing is like the art of carefully balancing rocks one upon another

Wow! All I’ve got to say is Wow!

Okay, that is never all I have to say, but I’m still high from the exhilaration I’ve felt since taking back to back Google Seminars for Success with Brad Geddes. There are 6 seminars in the Seminars for Success series. I skipped a couple because a) I knew quite a bit about the topics already and b) there weren’t any being offered nearby within the month (and I really wanted to work on my own AdWords campaigns). It was a spur-of-the-moment opportunity that led me to sign up for Mr. Geddes’ AdWords 301: Advanced Account Optimization seminar in Portland, Oregon this past week. Things seem to be falling into place after I found out about the workshops and when I found an incredible deal on Hotwire for a 4-star hotel within walking distance of the workshop site, I knew I had to go. I was not planning to stay the second day. I’m often disappointed with the second day of seminars, but not this time… Oh, let me start with Day 1.

Day 1: What Are You Searching For?

Search Psychology, the Buying Cycle and Finding the Right Keywords

We began the day with a look at the Psychology of Search and the search process and how successful SEM is based on aligning our goals with the searcher’s. We then moved to best practices for SEM followed by an incredibly in-depth look at keywords and generating the right keywords based upon where in the buying cycle are target audience sits. Layered onto this depth of knowledge was a look at the right use of negative keywords in our SEM campaigns followed by a look at the handy AdWords Search Query Report. (I did mention this was a Google Seminar for Success, didn’t I?)

Unlocking the Secrets of the Google Keyword Tool

Next we learned how to ride the Google Keyword Tool hard and put it away wet for everything from analyzing our site SEO based upon what Google thinks our keywords are to generating new markets to conquer to discovering what Google thinks our competitors’ keywords are to finding the negative keywords we should address.

The Difference Between the Right Word and the Almost Right Word is the Difference Between Lightening and the Lightening Bug — Mark Twain

All of this work led to learning to write effective Adwords copy and some little known tricks to testing the effectiveness of our ads. From writing effective ads, we natural moved to creating effective landing pages for our ads. Brad Geddes provided several effective examples (and I’ve pretty effectively used up my monthly allocation of the word “effective” at this point) and demonstrated how even a graphic-dominant landing page can be the right place depending upon the searcher’s position in the buying cycle and right information architecture.

Having mastered the fundamentals of advanced ad copywriting and landing page creation, we drilled down into seriously boosting our PPC (Pay Per Click) traffic and using AdWords’ dynamic keyword insertion capabilities to enhance of targeting.

How We Were Converted

Of course, increased traffic is nothing without increased conversion rates, so we plunged into the pool of techniques for building our credibility with the visitor and optimizing our reach across platforms. And I had no idea how much importance Google put on privacy policies (even bad ones)!

And all of this was before lunch!

After lunch was an Orgy of Google Quality Score and AdWords Options

The Google Quality Score was “demystified” (or at least the mystery was explained more clearly) and we ventured well beyond the standard approach to AdWords campaigns including exploring the Content Network and the importance of separating your search and your content network ad groups. Among many other things, I discovered the value of packing the Google AdWords Editor in my travels through GeoTargeting and the potentially treacherous terrain of campaign strategy.

Day 2: Advanced Conversion Optimization

As I mentioned, I had originally planned to head home on Friday, but by the first break on the first day I realized that Brad Geddes was my Yoda and I but a humble Skywalker in need of greater training. Fortunately, there was 1 — just the 1 — space left in the Day 2 session. I whipped out my American Express card faster than Carrie Bradshaw at a Nordstrom’s shoe sale!

This was all about the numbers, baby! Now I confess I was never a math wiz. I took Algebra 1 three times and got a B every time (long story but essentially different schools, different rules, same ol’ math class). I’d rather clean my toilet than do my accounting. But Geddes made these numbers levitate above the murky swamp of ordinary statistics! We ran through everything from setting the right goals to winning bidding strategies to testing, testing, testing to Profit per Impression/Click to Click Quality and even more tools.

Even though it was Friday night on the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day with the green beer and street music flowing throughout Portland, Geddes stayed late to answer questions for around a dozen of us. His passion for online marketing in general and search engine marketing in particular was evident throughout. His knowledge was wikipedic. (Does encyclopedic really mean anything any more?)

In addition to a tome of handouts provided, each Google Seminars for Success attendee receives a coupon for $50 in AdWords credit on each day, a flash drive of the presentation and assorted other swag. Brad Geddes includes an email with additional resources and up-to-the-minute information about changes in online marketing and pay-per-click. The AdWords credits alone knocked 1/5th off the price of the workshops. But even without the credits, Geddes shared enough tips on the first day to save me 4 times the cost of the workshops in advertising costs even before I calculate the increase in results.