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How to Set Up Google AdWords: Step 3


Create your first campaign: Networks, Devices, and Extensions

You’ve set up your location, language, and demographics settings; now it’s time to decide where your ad is going to show up.

Networks

Google has two networks: search and content.

The Google search network includes a huge number of Google search and website partners (including Google Search Results, Google Maps, Google Product Search, Google Groups, Amazon.com, etc.) that will display your ads. This is the traditional portion of AdWords we’re all used to.

The Google content network includes a large number of websites, blogs, and content affiliated with Google. Some of the most popular sites in the content network include: The New York Times, HGTV, About.com, FoodNetwork.com, and Gmail. Google only shows your ad on content placements where it applies. (For example, my Maine pet store ad wouldn’t show up on a blog about home improvement, but it would probably show up on a blog by a Dalmatian lover in Maine.)

By default, AdWords will suggest you push your ads out to all available sites (the entire Google Network). By “letting me choose”, you can decide where you’d like to show your ad.

Within the content network, you’ll see you have another choice to show your ad on relevant placements you manage. Ads with placements are simply those websites and blogs within the content network you choose your ad to show up on. For example, I might choose to place an ad specifically in Maine Pets on Maine Today. (If you’re interested in ads with placements, you’ll be able to choose the content network(s) later in the setup process.)

google networks

Devices

Unless there’s a strong reason for not wanting your ads to show up on both computers and smart phones/mobile devices, I would suggest leaving the device setting on “all available devices”.

devices

Congratulations!

As they say on the all the reality shows, “you’re one step closer to…” completing your first AdWords campaign! Tomorrow we’ll dive into bidding and budget.

Nicki Hicks
Wannabe reality show host

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This entry was posted on Thursday, December 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pm and is filed under Pay Per Click (PPC). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • http://mainebusiness.mainetoday.com Carl Natale

    Very good information Nicki. Thank you. I have a question about the networks. Does one deliver better results than another? Or are there certain instances when the search pages are better than the content pages?

  • http://www.flyte.biz Nicki

    Carl,

    Fantastic question! (Gives me an idea for a new blogpost ;) )

    More often than not, ads will have far more success on the search network than the content network – simply due to the nature of the beast. (If I’m reading a blogpost, I’m far less interested in ads trying to get me buy something than if I’m literally searching for something to buy.)

    Because of this, Google says that something like a .05 – .25% (if memory serves correctly) conversion rate is fantastic for the content network; where something more in the range of 1 – 2% is ideal for the search network.

    That said, the wording used in content vs. search ads are more than likely going to vary. The art, then, is to figure out how they should be worded different…using your stats.


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