Finding Your Mission in Life

What is our mission in life?  Will any of us really ever know?  What are we good at?  What does each of us enjoy?  What were we born to do?  I think that it is a valid statement that each and everyone of us will ponder these questions at some point in their life.

What is a mission?  Personally, when I think about the word mission, I think about religion and what I was called to do by God. Religious or not, mission is something that relates to all of us. So, backing away from the religious aspect of the term mission, here are three things I know for sure will help in your search for your mission in life...

1. You have talents that you are meant to utilize in this life.  Find your greatest talent and put it to use!
2. You may use these talents in the places/settings that most appeal to you.
3. In some way or another, these talents will benefit the world.

Now in more religious terms, 

1. Your mission on earth is to seek to stand hour by hour in the conscious presence of God, the One from whom your Mission is derived.
2. Your second mission is to do what you can, moment by moment, day by day, step by step, to make this world a better place, following the leading and guidance of God's Spirit within you and around you.  
3. Similar to what I said above, your mission is to exercise the Talent that you particularly came to Earth to use - your greatest gift, which you most delight to use, in the place(s) or setting(s) that God has caused to appeal to you the most, and for those purposes that God most needs to have done in the world.  

Here's the thing, religious or not religious, finding your mission is all the same.  It is about finding yourself and what you are meant to do in this life.  Once we find what our passion and determine our mission, it will be much easier in finding the careers and jobs that make us happy because we are doing the things that we like to do.  And to me, that is the most important thing in life: happiness.  

Social Media Campaign

Learning about social media is more effective when you just dive right in.  That is exactly what I did when creating a social media campaign.  The idea was to create a Facebook advertisement, determine who the intended audience was, create a budget and run time for the advertisement, and then wait for the results.

My objective in running this ad was to promote awareness about a not-for-profit organization called Miracles in Progress.  I wanted the ad to essentially lead people to the Miracles in Progress website so that people can become more aware of the organization and learn more information.

Below, you will find a short presentation about this campaign, the background, the budget, and the results.  Enjoy!

Ways to Look for a Job

As we know job-hunting can be extremely difficult.  There are just times that we will face when we realize our job hunt is just not working.  What are we to do?  First, never give up.  Three words that should be inserted directly into the brain and never forgotten: never give up. Take a breath and try a different approach.  Even when you are feeling as low as the ground and feel as if you have tried everything... chances are you haven't.  Time to think outside the box.  Don't just work hard to find a job, work harder at a different strategy.  Do some deep thinking, use your brain, and attempt to solve the problem.

With that said, provided are some of the best and worst ways to look for a job.  Hopefully this will help in avoiding, or perhaps using some of these methods... 

1. Looking for job postings on the Internet.  Many will argue that this method is in fact the best way to look for a job.  Surprisingly this works on average only 4% of the time (according to information provided by the Dictionary of Occupational Titles)
2. Mailing out your resume to employers.  Only works about 7% of the time...
3. Answering local newspaper ads.  As times are changing, so are the ways of employers.  This method works anywhere between 5% and 24% at best.
4. Seeking help from private employment agencies or search firms.  This method works somewhere between 5% and 28% of the time.
5. Responding to ads in professional or trade journals, relating to your field.  This method only works about 7% of the time. 
6. Job clubs.  What is a job club?  I didn't even know... Apparently they are clubs that job hunt together.  Apparently the success rate is around 10%... I sure didn't know these "clubs" existed. 
7. Seeking help from the state or federal employment office.  Only works about 14% of the time.
8. Going to places where employers pick up workers.  This is for union members - assuming you have access to a union hiring hall, this will find you work up to 22% of the time. 
9. Asking for job leads.  Knowing someone is always a plus.  Knowing someone who knows someone is also good.  This method works around 33% of the time.
10. Going directly to the employer/office and knocking on the door.  This works best with smaller employers and is known to work 47% of the time.
11. Using Yellow Pages.  I was shocked to see this percentage.  Apparently this method works 65% of the time.  What you do is go through the Yellow Pages of your local phone book and identify what interests you.  Old fashioned, but apparently it works!  

When it comes to job-hunting, I prefer using the internet to search job postings.  I think that with today's technology, it is the most efficient way of seeing what is out there and I can contact employers with just a click of a button.  I argue that this method works a small percentage of the time.  I have had great luck with finding job postings on the Internet and even landed a job within a few weeks of searching.  But we all have different ways of doing things and that's what makes us different!

Hootsuite

Being pretty social media savvy myself, I would say that I have a pretty decent background in the field of social media.  However, it wasn't until a few months ago that I found out about Hootsuite.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Hootsuite, it is a free social media dashboard that allows users to manage and measure their social networks.  It lets users manage multiple social networks, schedule tweets and messages, track brand mentions, analyze social media market, and more!  What a perfect idea for keeping your social media organized and all in one place.

Getting started with using Hootsuite may seem overwhelming at first.  If you don’t know where to start, a recommendation is to start with Hootsuite University.  When I first wanted to see what Hootsuite was about, I dove right in and went to www.hootsuite.com and got a feel for some of the things I could do in Hootsuite to see if it was something that interested me.  Now, I have a Hootsuite certification!  Who would have thought!

Facebook Ads

Facebook has been and continues to remain a huge and influential social media site, which was the first social network to surpass 1 billion registered accounts, according to statista.com.  A very common way of advertising today is through Facebook.  Facebook advertising, just like any type of advertising is important to use carefully and correctly.  With that being said, there are several ways to advertise on Facebook.  However, the most common type of ad that appears on the site is the type that you see on the right hand of your screen after logging in.  Another type of ad can be seen on your news feed that reads, “Suggested Post."

One thing that a lot of people don’t know is that Facebook ads are not just limited to businesses to try to sell you their products.  Anyone wanting to promote something, whether it is an organization trying to spread awareness, or an individual trying to promote his or her published works, Facebook ads are for everyone.

In fact, the graphic to the left is a screenshot of a Facebook ad I just created myself.  The ad is promoting an organization called Miracles in Progress.  The objective of this ad campaign is to get people to click on the website and spread awareness about the organization

You too can make an ad like I did!  All you need is a Facebook account and an idea of what you will be advertising!  You can access www.facebook.com/advertising.  From there, you can click on "Create An Ad" to get your ad campaign started!

Dealing with Handicaps in the Job World

There are times when you go in for an interview and think you nailed it.  There's no way you didn't land the job... you were a superstar and they loved you.  Then reality sinks in and you find out you didn't actually get the job.  When an individual gets turned down, he or she may naturally think about what could have gone wrong.  Then you think about the "I got turned down because I..."

It isn't you or the handicaps you think you have.  Some employers just have a very distinct set of requirements for hiring.  So even if you think the reason for you not getting hired is because of a "handicap" you may have, understand that you can't possibly have a handicap that will keep all employers from hiring you.  Some employer, somewhere is looking for someone like you.

When I use the word "handicap," I am referring to everyone.  Yep, everyone.  Sure, you're probably thinking "I'm not handicapped."  Well... handicapped refers to a disability and it is true that everyone, in some sense has some sort of disability, or the inability to do something.  There are some things a person simply does not have the ability to do.  

So when job-hunting, realize that everyone has some type of disability that can keep them from being hired, not JUST you.  There may be a million things you can't do, but focus on the million and one hings you can do.  Think of why an employer would be lucky to have you.  If the company you just interviewed for turned you down, it's their loss, not yours.  

Things to Remember When Job-Hunting

Job hunting is one of the most stressful processes ever.  Some, however, have more luck than others. But for those of you out there who are anything like me, job hunting is the opposite of fun.  I dread nothing more than finding a job.  What if the job isn't for me?  What if the career I want to go into isn't for me?  What if I fail?  What if I hate it? Job-hunting for me is full of "what ifs."  With that said, you are not alone.  And it is important to remember that you are not as powerless as you think. In fact, you hold the power.

When job-hunting, try and remember that job-hunting itself is a job.  You should be fully committed to finding the right job for you and that best fits your needs, and perhaps your wants as well.  Job-hunting is by no means a science, rather it is an art.  Some simply are better than others in such a process.  Job-hunting is also mysterious and we will never understand why things work and why other times they do not.  Trying to understand these things can not be done, so try and avoid the stress.  And finally, there is no always wrong and always right way(s) to hunt for a job.  Again, job-hunting itself is a job - if your job hunt isn't working, you need to increase the amount of time you are dedicating to finding a job. With that said, do not give up!  You are not alone. 

P.S. - For those of you need help staying on track with job-hunting, visit www.jobsearchpowermeter.com!  

The Secrets of Salary Negotiation

Before accepting a job, a salary must be discussed at some point.  To be prepared for such a discussion with your employer, you should want to and be able to negotiate your salary.  Without going into extreme detail, there are six main secrets to salary negotiation that everyone should pay attention to.

• Do not discuss salary with the employer until after the employer clearly states that they want you.
• This next one is key.  The main purpose of salary negotiation is to reveal the most that the company or organization is willing to pay you to get you in the door.
• When salary does come up, don't be the first one to bring up a salary figure
• Do your research.  Before your interview and before discussion regarding salaries, it is important to carefully research what is a typical salary for your field and in that particular organization. (I find www.salary.com to be extremely helpful!)
• In addition to doing your research on typical salaries within your field/organization, it is also a great idea to research the range in which the company has in mind, and in addition to that, to define a salary range for yourself based on the employer's range. 
• Last but certainly not least, the sixth secret of salary negotiation is knowing how to close the deal.  Avoid leaving the salary an open conversation to save for later.  An important thing to remember about closing the deal on salary is to get it in writing and a signature.  This serves as a contract between both you and the employer.  

Hope these tips have been helpful!  Negotiate away!

Mistakes Made in a Job Interview

Nothing is worse than wondering to yourself for days and months on end why you didn't land that job you really wanted.  Where did you possibly go wrong?  There are ten major mistakes that are made in terms of job interviews that result in a decrease in chance of you landing a job.  These mistakes are described in the best seller, What Color Is Your Parachute?, written by Richard N. Bolles.

1. Limiting yourself to large organizations only.

Going after only large organizations limits your options and your chances are lessened greatly. Landing an interview may be more difficult and you're being compared to tons of other candidates.   

2. Doing the search by yourself for places to visit.
No one wants to go about this type of search alone.
3. Not doing prior research about the company or organization before the interview.
It is like not doing your homework before class.  You are unprepared and have no knowledge about the subject you are supposed to know.
4. Interviewing with the Human Resources department.
Usually the HR department looks for reasons to screen you out, not bring you in..
5. Overstaying your welcome.
If you are being interviewed, you need to have an understanding of when it is over.
6. Only talking about your resume during the interview.
Sure, your resume is important but it is important to talk about other topics also.
7. Talking only about yourself through the interview
It is important to show interest and ask questions to your interviewer.
8. Lack of support in backing up skills you claim you have.
Your resume says you have certain skills but if you can't use examples of how these skills can be applied, you might as well not even list these skills.
9. Acting as if you are begging for the job.
Approaching an employer as if you were a job beggar, is not at all appealing to an employer.
10. Not sending a post interview thank-you.
Saying "thanks for having me" is a huge must after an interview.  They took the time out of their day to listen to you, now take the time to say thank you.  It is courteous and wins in the long run.

There you have it.  Prevent yourself from making these careless mistakes to higher your chances of landing the job!

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great source to use for both personal and professional experience.  Through LinkedIn, you can: build your own network, find job postings and job opportunities, connect with current and former colleagues and  students, showcase your experience and projects, and so much more.

In my case, I am fairly new to LinkedIn and use it to represent myself.  If you are looking to create a LinkedIn profile for a company, you should have an official website and a company e-mail address.  You may connect and link this profile to your personal, individual account.  

A good LinkedIn individual profile should include the following: a summary reflecting yourself, work experience, volunteer experience, skills, endorsements, projects completed, and relevant coursework.

The truth of the matter is, people are always searching on LinkedIn for new opportunities and ways to connect with unique individuals like yourself.  It is important to maintain your profile in order to maximize your opportunities.  

Check out my LinkedIn!  www.linkedin.com/rebeccajordanwatson

The Terrifying Search for Internship

Looking for a job but not sure where to start?  Do you ever find yourself wanting to jump right into getting out into the professional world, but don't want to sign on with a company for a set amount of time just yet? Gaining and trying new experiences is extremely important when trying to figure out what it is exactly you want to do for the rest of your life...

That is where the internship comes in.  Not only are internships something that companies look for when hiring a candidate to see whether or not that person has experience in their field, but they are and should be also essential to your search... your search in determining what you enjoy, and what you don't.  

But of course internship searches are questionably just as intimidating as finding your first entry-level job.  Chances are you are a college student wanting to gain valuable experience to your field.  So where do you start?  Where do you find these internships?

The search for my first internship was over nine months long.  I searched for several months trying to get an idea of what companies want, the related requirements, etc.  Time had passed and I would regularly check for new internships on different sites, applying to some, but not exactly being as proactive as I should have. 

One day it clicked.  I was only a couple of months away from entering my senior year of college.  It was my time to get the experience I needed, and to find an internship where I would be taking all that I learned from my years of schooling and applying it in the real world.  

Yes, finding an internship is intimidating.  For the longest time I put it off.  Here's the good news. You try it, you don't like it, you gained experience.  Time to try something new.  My suggestion is to jump right in, find an internship that appears to suit you, and apply.  I would highly recommend Looksharp.  It is a career site that it is easy, convenient and I suggest it to everyone.  Good luck in your search, but remember, you're here for the experience!

Twitter

What is a better way to get involved in social media than Twitter?  If unfamiliar with twitter, the best way to understand  this social media source is by getting directly involved by creating your own account.   

Known for the infamous hashtag (#), Twitter allows users to search for or find a main keyword(s) that is relevant to a specific tweet.  Another great tool twitter uses is the @ sign, allowing users to directly include a username in their tweets.  Not only that, but Twitter posts are limited to 140 characters each, so the information is very brief and concise, getting to the point.  

In regards to a company, Twitter is great in the sense of promoting a service or product because many people tweet about them, giving their opinions and recommendations. It is always a great idea for a company to be directly involved in social media, including Twitter.  You can gain followers to keep current and potential customers in the loop.  Another great way to use Twitter and social media in general is to see and monitor what is being said about your company.  

So, if you don't already have an account, all you need to do is go to www.twitter.com and click "sign up". From there, you are asked for basic information.  Then, you can create your own unique Twitter username and password.  Once that is completed, you are ready to go and can start using Twitter.  #ENJOY!

Social Media Marketing for Beginners: Working with Content

What content is important when it comes to social media? What are some of the tools that I can use to do it myself?  There are a ton of things you may try when working with social media.  In Todd Kelsey's book "CASA Marketing: Into to Social Media Marketing", he introduces concepts and tools that he feels are worth trying from personal experience.

Curation/Creation/Collaboration
In terms of content, each of these areas have importance.

• Curation: When curating content, it is pretty much simply gathering and collecting information, or finding it, sharing, reviewing, and commenting.  The main goal here is to create an awareness for what you are marketing (site, blog, etc. for the company or organization you're doing it for).
• Creation: This is about creating content to share on social media.  Examples of this include: writing an article, making a video, creating blog posts, etc.  You have the power to create whatever you want for whoever you want.
• Collaboration: Find someone you can work with, or collaborate with for experience.  When working with someone else, you get the benefit of seeing things from another perspective.  It is a great place to start or great for professional experience!

To make working with content more doable, here are some suggestions:
1. If you don't already have a Google account, get one! - Google has a lot of useful, free tools that make it easier working with content.
2. Start a blog.  As you can see here, I am using blogger.com, which I find easiest to use!  If you are the slight bit interested in social media marketing, blogging is an awesome way to start.
3. Create a free website.  This website can be used for your own social media presence or it can be used for a specific professional project, campaign, etc.
4.  Work on a video!  Whether it is making a video from scratch, or simply editing a video, having a background in working with video media is extremely attractive to businesses.  Showcasing this kind of skill via social media not only gives you experience, but makes you an attractive candidate for a position.

These are only a few of the many options one may get started with... While social media marketing can be intimidating, it is important to remember to start somewhere and work your way up.  Now get out there and dive in!

Resumes Then vs. Now

Years ago, all anyone had to do was put together a piece of paper consisting of experience, what you've done, where you've been, for how long, etc.  Things were once so simple.  Your resume was made by you and it could be anything you wanted it to be.  Of course today people still use resumes. I know I do.  It may just be a paper, but it is a paper that showcases who I am and what I have done.

While resumes are still very relevant today, there is actually another major way of finding of who you are.  Ahhhh, the internet.  Google specifically holds the power of allowing employers to search your name with just a click of the search button.  And just like that, anything that you once didn't want revealed on your piece of paper resume can now be accessed by employers.  Richard N. Bolles, author of "What Color is Your Parachute," explains that more than 69% of employers have rejected some applicants on the basis of what they found.  Inappropriate content on social media is the number one reason for this.  With that being said, if you want a job, it is crucial to understand that it takes more than just a piece of paper with experience to get you hired.  How you are represented online today is huge and has become a resume in itself to employers.

There are a few things you can do about this new resume of yours.  You can edit, fill in, expand, and add.  How?  You can start by searching your name via Google and just like that, pull up the things you have published (whether it is professional or recreational) through social media or whatever the case may be.  Do the results that pop up represent you in a positive manner?  If not, it is highly recommended that you have it taken down or changed.  You are going to want to edit anything that portrays you in a negative manner,  You are then going to want to expand the results.  For example, being specific is key.  Also, expanding how you appear via Google is also extremely important. Make yourself appear on LinkedIn.  Create blog posts.  Showcase yourself via social media in a way that intrigues potential employers.  And last but not least, add anything about yourself that you want employers to see.  Just as you would on a normal resume, add anything you want an employer to know.  Make yourself stand out.  What makes you unique from other candidates?

And just like that, you have not only an old fashioned resume, but you also have the internet on your side (or not.... depending on what you share with the online world.)  Remember, what you put on the internet is anyone's business.  So keep that in mind the next time you consider applying for a job!

Intro to Social Media Marketing & Importance of ROI

As most of us know, social media has become a way of the world.  Social media marketing, on the other hand has also become a prominent tool for business people and corporations worldwide making it possible for them to brand themselves in a way that can make themselves marketable to potential customers, employers, etc.

Todd Kelsey, author of CASA Marketing: Intro to Social Media Marketing explains in his book that social media marketing has a ton of options, making it a bit overwhelming for people to approach at first.  However, he explains it is very doable when leaving intimidation behind and taking incremental steps by trying things out to build confidence in the field.  

ROI

Of course social media marketing is a great skill to have.  However, it is essential to know how to apply this skill in ways more complex than just advertising via social media sites to promote a product or service.  A key question in social media marketing is: what is the return on investment when an individual or organization spends money on social media marketing?  However, regardless of how closely people are tracking the ROI on social media, it is clear that social media will be around for a long time...Essentially, social media marketing should be viewed and treated as any other skill and should contribute to a business or organization in a positive way.

Social Monitoring

Social Monitoring

You are an account executive at a publicity firm and everyone left the office to go to lunch and left you there. Then a new client walks in, and says they need your help urgently, and they lay $10,000.00 down on the table. "Can you help me? I just want to know what the public thinks". So you say, "sure, no problem, I'll do a search right now. Please feel free to drink a cup of coffee while you wait." So you need to do some research using various tools.

What can one do to research this client? What company is this client representing? How is this person or company viewed by the public? There are a lot of questions that may come to mind when attempting to research a client. It is essential to gather information through research using various tools.  Without a doubt, Google is the first thing that comes to my mind when needing to do a search on something or someone that I am not familiar with.  However, when it comes to certain people, brands, products, companies, etc., it takes more than just a search through Google to get what information you are looking for.

Social media has clearly made a prominent impact on our world today and has become a leading source of the news and is the key source that allows access to the public's opinions on almost any topic or person of discussion. So in regards to researching the client who wishes "to know what the public thinks"... here are some of the things that I would do:

• Start by gaining background information through Google
• Definitely use www.socialmention.com - this site is life changing! Just by searching your topic of interest, you will instantly find out the search's strength, sentiment, passion, reach, in addition to: average seconds per mention, last mentioned, etc.  It truly is a great way to get the information you are looking for quickly and effectively.  
• Check Twitter by using the infamous hashtag (#) by putting the topic of search in front of it. (For example, when searching Barack Obama, I would personally type #obama into the twitter search bar to find what topics are trending about him and to see what the public is saying about him)
• Check other social media sites that use the hashtag (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) by searching the same way (#obama)
• Search blog sites! This is a way of finding a more detailed description of a person's view and opinions on the topic or person that you are searching. 

AdWords: Bidding for Performance

Learning the basics of performance-based bidding

Campaigns are focused around performance, and therefore it is essential to have an understanding of how your bids impact each performance metric.

Conversion rates don't play a huge role in relation to ad position, and therefore it is significant to know the following, as listed of importance by Google:

• Increasing bids generally results in more conversions at a higher average cost-per-acquisition (CPA).
• Decreasing bids generally results in fewer conversions at a lower average CPA.
• Increasing bids while limited by daily budget generally results in fewer conversions at a higher average CPA.

Another crucial aspect is to prioritize your business objectives. While you may have many different goals, tradeoffs are often necessary...

Google wants you to consider managing a campaign with the following objectives:

• Aim for ad positions 1-3
• Maximize profit
• Maximize conversions
• Maximize clicks

You might discover that your most profitable CPC bids come from ad positions that are outside the top three.

Google lists an another example, asking you to consider pairing any of the objectives listed above with the objective below:

• Keep CPA below $10

The CPC bids necessary to keep the CPA below $10 may be lower than the CPC bids that maximize profit, clicks, or preferred ad positions.

Make sure to have a clear business objective so that you know whether your goal is to keep CPA at a certain level or to maximize profit.  If you find that you are having a conflict between the two, decide which one is more important.

An example of how CPA will appear in an AdWords account within the Campaigns tab:

Measure Your Results with AdWords!

Wondering what AdWords does for your campaign?  With a campaign, you are able to measure ad performance.  You can analyze basic account, campaign, and ad group information using different data and reports available in AdWords.  With that, you are able to see the number of clicks or impressions that you are getting.  Going beyond that, there are more advanced reports that show you the impact that AdWords has on your business.

Measure your results!

• Customize your data: customize the data in your statistics table to see your performance.  While there are several ways to customize your data, segments is an important and useful thing to focus on.  Segments allow you to analyze and improve performance by allowing you to split your data into rows based on information that matters to you most.  There are multiple segments that you can use depending on what AdWords account you're viewing.
• Dimensions tab: use the dimensions tab to look at data across your entire account, individual campaign, or ad group.  Use the different dimensions to gain more insight on your performance to help you understand opportunities that may help you improve.  Three ways to use the dimensions tab filter your data include: time, geography, and landing page. 
• Search terms report: allows you to see the terms people were searching for when your ad was shown.  You can also performance metrics for those particular searches. Ways you can use your search terms data: new keywords, negative keywords, match types, and ad text.
• Top movers report: shows which campaigns have the biggest chances in clicks, costs, and conversions, in addition to potential causes for those changes. 
• Paid and organic report: In order to use this particular report, you need Webmaster Tools account for your website, and link that to your AdWords account.  The paid and organic report lets you see how often pages from your website are popping up in search results on Google, and what triggered those results to appear.  A few uses for the paid and organic report include: discovering additional keywords, optimizing your presence on high-value queries, and measuring changes holistically.   
• Auction insights: use to compare your performance with other advertisers who are participating in the same auctions that you are.  With this report, you are able to view how often your ad ranks higher in search results, in addition to how your total impressions compares with others. 

AdWords Tools & The Importance of Negative Keywords

AdWords tools are useful in the sense that they can be used for various functions.  AdWords tools consist of: account management tools, keyword tools, placement refinement tools, bid and budget management tools, ad creation tools and troubleshooting tools.  The overall purpose of these AdWords tools is not for each and every individual to be of help, but that they are there and are found useful when they are needed to work well with your account.  These tools are intended to make the job easier and to improve quality.  Using the right AdWords tools is designed to save you time, and to potentially improve ROI.

Additionally, your AdWords account contains keyword tools, you may wish to consider adding negative keywords to your campaign. Negative keywords serve a few main purposes: they can help you reach the most interested customers, reduce your costs, and increase your ROI.  Additionally, with negative keywords, you can show ads to people who are more likely to click them, prevent your ad from showing up to people who are searching for things that you don't actually offer, and reduce or maximize your money being spent.

Campaign & Ad Group Management: The Three-layer Design of Adwords

In order to effectively reach your targeted audience with your ads, it is first crucial to have an understanding of the organization of the campaign and how your ads are setup.  AdWords has a three-layer design consisting of: the account (dealing with email address, password, and billing information), campaigns (determines where ads appear based on budget and settings), and the ad group (contains a set of similar ads and keywords that trigger ads to show). Why organize your ads into campaigns and ad groups?  Well, we can already assume that when someone is searching for particular keywords, they expect the kinds of ads that matches the search to appear.  And so, to show ads that are similar and relevant to these searches done by people we are trying to market to, we can bundle related ads together with related keywords into an ad group.  More simply, all of your related ads will be able to be shown to customers searching for similar things.  A collection of ad groups is called a campaign.  Your campaign allows you to have complete control over your ad groups where you are able to have control of certain things, including how much you are willing to spend on clicks, where and how you want your ads to show (geographically), other settings that affect ad groups, etc. 

An example of the three-layer design of AdWords can be seen below.  Imagine having your own electronics store.  With that in mind, you would have one account consisting of the electronics store.  However, imagine selling both speakers and televisions.  Creating an ad for each individual product is much more ideal and relevant than combining the two in one ad.  Luckily, AdWords makes it possible for you to advertise both products by creating two campaigns so that you can promote each product area.  So first you have the electronics store as the account.  Then it splits into two campaigns: speakers and television.  Focusing on the speakers campaign, you may create different ad groups such as: wireless and classic. Same goes for TV, the ad groups may be "plasma", or "flat screen."  Then, focusing on each ad group, you can then choose keywords that relate to the ad text.  Once that is completed, the structure of your account should look similar to the example provided below!

 

Google Adwords: Account Management

Google AdWords: Settings & Account Management 

Google AdWords, (just like any other typical website that requires you to sign up) allows you to manage your account.  In terms of navigation, there are four main tabs and a gear menu.  The four main tabs consist of: home, campaigns, opportunities, and tools.  In the gear menu, you can find: billing, account settings, send feedback, and help. 

When wanting to change your account settings, you may do so in the "account settings" tab found within the gear menu.  Certain changes may be made, including the display language, number format, and time zone.  One thing that cannot be changed is currency, due to the fact that AdWords allows only one currency throughout the life of the account. With setting up currency and time zone, you will be asked to select an option for both when you set up your account.  Again, you can't change currency later on, so make sure to be careful when selecting an option.  Time zone may be changed only once in the settings.

In regards to changing your information, you are allowed to change your password and email address. However, keep in mind that when you change your password for your AdWords, that will also change your password and impact the way you sign into other Google products.  The same goes for changing your email address.  If you change it for AdWords, your Google account also changes.

Google AdWords also sends out notifications.  These notifications are generally to: alert you if there is a problem with campaign set up or with ad delivery (a red triangle will appear), to announce a new feature or update (a blue info icon will appear), or to suggest ways to improve your performance (a yellow light bulb will appear).  The more important notifications, like the ones dealing with problems with campaign set up and ad delivery will be shown in a red bar at the top of the account screen. Crucial information will be sent via email, however, if you wish to receive other notifications as well, you may do so in account settings under notification settings.

Overall, the way that Google AdWords works is pretty straightforward and simple to use.  The consistent and simple page layout allows for easy use for almost anyone looking to expand their business or organization through AdWords.

Intro to Adwords

Introduction to AdWords: Ad Quality and Relevance

Quality over quantity.  In relation to ad placements, this can sometimes be found to be true.  The quality to an individual ad, in addition to making that first impression of a possible customer is essential.  In regards to ad placement, there are key factors that control how these ads do in fact get placed.  Ad quality is determined by something called Quality Score, meaning how well it does with components such as expected clickthrough rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience.  With that being said, the quality of one's ad factors into the overall success of the ad. 

Of course, it should be common sense that if you are going to go through the trouble of posting ads for people to see, that the ads should be of good quality.  However, sometimes even if it's the best looking ad, that doesn't guarantee a high rate of clicks.  Here's why: Relevance.  As mentioned above, ad relevance is one of the components that contributes to ad quality.  You can have one of the best looking ads and pay a fair amount of money for that ad to appear, however, it means nothing if you don't have ad relevance.  Relevance makes it possible for matching keywords with relevant ads.  Making sure that you include the correct and relevant keywords is what plays a role in the overall quality that your ad will have, and overall, the success that the ad will have. 

Reflecting on this topic, quality and relevance are extremely important in the overall process of AdWords.  Going back to the idea "quality over quantity", it is important to remember that it isn't always about getting a high quality of clicks for your ad.  Sure, it would be ideal, however, if that quality and (more importantly,) if relevance isn't there, what's the point?  The goal should be to attract the consumer, not push them away with potential false advertising.