Recently when I published an article on setting up Google product listing ads campaign, I received various emails and comments from beginners asking for guide on setting up Google Adwords account.  By considering those feedback, here I come up with basic but important guide that will help you to setup your Google Adwords account and campaigns. Before we go, here is one simple question I would like to answer.

Why one need to have Google AdWords Account?

A website without visitors is a waste of an investment. But how does one ensure that it gets enough relevant traffic? Well, the simplest solution available today is Google Adwords. Though a complicated and daunting system in itself, it really isn’t that hard. The service can be availed with just a dollar for every day and the returns are multiple folds. A well optimized Google adwords account can help you to generate most relevant traffic that can convert into customer and will help you to improve ROI.

Here, we look step by step process to setup Google Adwords Account

Setting up the account

Once you are ready to advertise on Google Adwords, visit http://www.google.com/adwords/ link and click on Get Started Now button. You will be landed on page that will display two options as shown in below screenshot. Choose appropriate option as per your requirements.

Note: If you are business owner or working for some agency, I strongly recommend using their business account for setting up Google adwords account. You can also use Google adwords coupon code if you are creating new account (generally it works for account that is created before 15 days).

Once you click on relevant radio button, it will ask for Google account details. Complete the registration process by selecting time zone and currency.

Make sure you choose same time zone as your other traffic tracking tools like Google Analytics. If you choose different time zone, you will see variations in traffic and other important data. You will only able to set your time zone once, so choose it carefully.

For more details, you can read Google guidelines on setting up currency and time zone for your adwords account.

Now click on continue and verify your Google account. After completion of verification process, you will be asked to create your first Google Adwords campaign.

Starting your first Adwords campaign

Google Adwords account has very simple hierarchy as explain in below image. If y0u are creating your first campaign, you really need to understand points mentioned below.

• Understand your target persona
• Categorized your products in different groups. This will help you to organize your campaigns and Adgroups as shown in given image.
• Analyze keywords that can brings most relevant traffic to your website
• Define goal (it can be sale, submit form, file download etc).

If you are a first time user, it can get a little confusing with the first ad campaign with Google Adwords. Google segregates advertisement options into various categories and each of these categories will have multiple ads and keywords. Since you are just starting, it is advisable to keep the number of advertisements to its minimum. Read this detailed article by dejanseo explaining Google Adwords account hierarchy with example.

Now, go to the Campaign tab and click on the Red button for “+ Campaign”. Here you will get options whether your ads are directed to display network, search network or both. Initially go for Search network only campaign and insert requested information on given page.

Kindly set your target location, bidding and other option based on your requirement.

Setting the budget for your campaign

This is perhaps the most important part of the setup and needs special attention. The bid is the amount you are willing to pay for the advertisement (CPC, CPA or CPM). Go for small bidding like 25 cents (10-12 INR) for a click would be a safe number and is the amount you are willing to pay to Google every time a person gets to your website using the ad.

Note: Once you create campaign and ad-group, Adwords will recommend bid by considering your targeted keywords and quality score. First page recommended bid will vary from your targeted keywords and industry. Here in given example, i recommended small amount of bidding which you need to modify based on your targeted keywords and Google recommendation.

Checkout this detailed guidelines provided by Google to learn more about creating campaign and setting up budget.

Creating Adgroups in your campaign

After creating your first campaign, click on continue and you will be landed on below page:

As shown in given screenshot, give name to your AdGroup and enter your targeted keyword in given box. Google will recommend more keywords based on keyword inserted by you. Select the list of keywords and click on continue to ads.

Writing the ads

After completion on given process, when you click on “Continue to Ads” button, you will see one popup entitled “create ads”. This is just the same thing as you would have done via other mediums of marketing. Needless to say, the description should be something that attracts visitors to click.

For more information on writing ads, i recommend reading Google guidelines on writing compelling ads.

Setting up billing information

To run your Google adword account, you will require to insert valid billing and account information by visiting billing section of Google Adwords. If you are having Google Adwords coupon, kindly use them before it expire.

If you are creating new adwords account and need Adwords coupon code to test the campaign, do contact me via contact form provided here. Being a Google engage partner, i can provide FREE Google Adwords coupon for your account.

Tracking the performance

Once you are done with campaign and adgroup creation process, do add conversion details by visiting tools and analysis section as shown in below image. Conversion tracking will help you to monitor and analyze the ads and campaign which is performing best for your business. Google will graph the performance in tables and other schematic diagrams and giving facility to export the reports as per your requirements.

Refining the Campaigns and AdGroups

Constant monitoring of your Adwords account is mandatory. It will not only help you to filter out the best performing campaigns and adgroups but also helps you to eliminate non performing campaigns. Based upon the performance you receive on the adgroups, you can refine them with respect to keywords, more bidding budget and several other advance setting i will discuss in upcoming articles.

The opportunities with Google Adwords are many. Gradually, as you optimize, you will get to the core of the process and invest well.

If you still need any help in setting up your Google Adwords account, feel free to write me by visiting this contact page.