Many small-to-medium local businesses do not realize that paid search can be a cost-effective way to get new clients. Many businesses use paid search to create localized paid search campaigns to generate leads, sales and brand awareness.

Paid search enables your business to reach people actively looking for information about your products and services online. Running an effective paid search campaign is one of the most effective ways to find new customers in your area. The costs associated with can be kept low due to being charged only when people click on your ad. Knowing that your marketing dollars are spent only on obtaining people interested in what your business offers is a great use of your budget.

Here are four great tips to make sure your paid search campaign is a success

1. Target Properly

Many paid search advertisers fail to realize how localized a paid search campaign may be targeted. Google allows for targeting customers in an area as small as a five mile radius. While that small of an area may be too small for most businesses, it gives you an idea of exactly how targeted your campaign can be. An effective targeting strategy ensures that your ads are reaching people who are potential customers and makes your budget go further.

2. Go Beyond Search

The content network enables a small business to use display advertising without having to spend thousands of dollars. By creating a content network campaign in Google AdWords and using the robust display ad creator a small or medium business can reach their target audience. These campaigns can be run via a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression approach (CPM). I personally like using a CPC approach as I get thousands of ad impressions and only pay when a person clicks on the banner and visits my site. Using smart geo-targeting in conjunction with a content network campaign enables your paid search campaign to reach thousands of potential customers in your area.

3. Track Conversions

All of the major paid search providers make it easy to see if your campaigns are working. Simply cut and paste a generated “conversion code” onto a “thank you” page on your website and you’ll be able to see what ads and what keywords are leading to sales or leads. Tracking conversion allows you to optimize your campaign and spend your marketing dollars effectively.

4. Set Realistic Goals

You need to set a realistic goal from the start. If your daily budget is $25 don’t expect to make thousands of dollars and have a massive amount of traffic to your website. Start small, set a realistic goal and increase your budget once you optimize your campaigns. Check how well your campaign is running daily. While Google has implemented a number of tools to help manage your account, you still need to make adjustments and make changes often.

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