Sunday, May 13, 2012
How to Clone an AdWords Campaign to Target Mobile Users
As more and more consumers adopt mobile devices, it makes sense to look at mobile advertising as a viable way to get in front of potential consumers. Fortunately, Google AdWords provides the capability to target different platforms for paid search advertising. In particular, Google allows you to separately target desktop and mobile visitors in paid advertising. This article will walk you through how to adapt a separate mobile campaign from an existing campaign set up in Google AdWords that currently lumps desktop and mobile platforms together. In order to quickly clone the campaigns, you will need to first download and install Google AdWords Editor desktop tool. AdWords Editor is one of my favorite "power user" tools for managing larger or more complicated campaigns. The tool will allow you to make bulk changes, global find-and-replace, etc. For this effort, we will be concentrating on the copy-paste options that AdWords Editor brings to the table. We will be using AdWords Editor to do the heavy lifting.The basic approach here is to clone an existing campaign, then customize the original and cloned campaigns to properly target the relevant audiences. Once the software has been installed and your account has been loaded into AdWords Editor, here are step-by-step instructions. We will need to make changes at the Campaign, AdGroup, and Ads level.The following nine steps should be performed for each campaign that you want split into desktop and mobile versions.1. Copy the campaign. Select the "Campaigns" tab in AdWords Editor. Highlight a specific campaign and copy with Ctrl-C (or Edit/Copy from the top navigation).2. Paste the campaign. Use Ctrl-V to paste the campaign into the account to create a new campaign. This will generate an error since the new campaign has the same name as the original. Ignore the error message for now; we will fix this in Step 4.
3. Edit the Target Devices. Under the Campaigns Tab, Choose the "Edit" link in the Devices section (you may need to select "Let me choose..." first), then uncheck the "Mobile devices with full browsers." We have chosen to include "Tablets with full browsers" as a type of desktop, since the screen size is such that a desktop design should render properly on these devices.Now it's time to clean up the new (cloned) campaign to make it distinct from the original campaign.4. Rename the Cloned Campaign. I recommend you develop a way to differentiate mobile campaigns from desktop campaigns so at a quick glance you know whether a campaign is mobile or not. For example, at KeyRelevance we like to start mobile campaigns with an "X" prefix so that they all show up together in the campaign list, down towards the bottom. (For what it's worth, we also use "Z" for Display/Content Network Campaigns for the same reason.)5. Edit the Targeted Devices List in the Cloned Campaign. This is done like in Step 3, above, except we are flipping which devices are and are not targeted. In this case, we will uncheck the Desktop and Tablets and select the "Mobile Devices with Full Browsers" option. No changes should be needed on the options on this page (unless you are specifically targeting Android or iPhone users).The next two steps need to be performed for each AdGroup within the cloned campaign.6. Rename the AdGroups (Optional). Again I like to have the AdGroup name reflect the Mobile focus as well, so I'll prefix an "X" onto the AdGroup name.7. Set up Bidding. You may want (or need) to adjust bidding. If the original campaign was using Cost Per Action (CPA) bidding , the new campaign will still need to start with Cost Per Click (CPC) bidding. You will need to a) set a reasonable CPC bid, and b) set the CPA Bidding to "Auto." AdWords Editor will complain if you skip this step.You may need to perform some additional cleanup at the Ads level in the campaign. For example, you may want to point visitors at a mobile-friendly landing page or use a "Call us" call to action rather than a long survey form. There may also be some obsolete ads from earlier experiments that got cloned from the original campaign. 8. Delete Paused Ads/Keywords. Earlier test ads. from the original campaign should be cleaned out of the cloned campaign. You may also want to do some housecleaning on your keyword list in the cloned campaign.9. Retarget landing pages. We like to have a mobile-friendly landing page for mobile visitors, so we modify the Ad landing page Destination URLs to point to those new pages. Assuming a one-size-fits-all mobile site, you can edit one ad and trim/modify the URL to match the mobile home page, then copy the URL, select ALL ads in the cloned campaign, and paste the copied URL into the Destination URL field, replacing the "
3. Edit the Target Devices. Under the Campaigns Tab, Choose the "Edit" link in the Devices section (you may need to select "Let me choose..." first), then uncheck the "Mobile devices with full browsers." We have chosen to include "Tablets with full browsers" as a type of desktop, since the screen size is such that a desktop design should render properly on these devices.Now it's time to clean up the new (cloned) campaign to make it distinct from the original campaign.4. Rename the Cloned Campaign. I recommend you develop a way to differentiate mobile campaigns from desktop campaigns so at a quick glance you know whether a campaign is mobile or not. For example, at KeyRelevance we like to start mobile campaigns with an "X" prefix so that they all show up together in the campaign list, down towards the bottom. (For what it's worth, we also use "Z" for Display/Content Network Campaigns for the same reason.)5. Edit the Targeted Devices List in the Cloned Campaign. This is done like in Step 3, above, except we are flipping which devices are and are not targeted. In this case, we will uncheck the Desktop and Tablets and select the "Mobile Devices with Full Browsers" option. No changes should be needed on the options on this page (unless you are specifically targeting Android or iPhone users).The next two steps need to be performed for each AdGroup within the cloned campaign.6. Rename the AdGroups (Optional). Again I like to have the AdGroup name reflect the Mobile focus as well, so I'll prefix an "X" onto the AdGroup name.7. Set up Bidding. You may want (or need) to adjust bidding. If the original campaign was using Cost Per Action (CPA) bidding , the new campaign will still need to start with Cost Per Click (CPC) bidding. You will need to a) set a reasonable CPC bid, and b) set the CPA Bidding to "Auto." AdWords Editor will complain if you skip this step.You may need to perform some additional cleanup at the Ads level in the campaign. For example, you may want to point visitors at a mobile-friendly landing page or use a "Call us" call to action rather than a long survey form. There may also be some obsolete ads from earlier experiments that got cloned from the original campaign. 8. Delete Paused Ads/Keywords. Earlier test ads. from the original campaign should be cleaned out of the cloned campaign. You may also want to do some housecleaning on your keyword list in the cloned campaign.9. Retarget landing pages. We like to have a mobile-friendly landing page for mobile visitors, so we modify the Ad landing page Destination URLs to point to those new pages. Assuming a one-size-fits-all mobile site, you can edit one ad and trim/modify the URL to match the mobile home page, then copy the URL, select ALL ads in the cloned campaign, and paste the copied URL into the Destination URL field, replacing the "Christine Churchill is the President of KeyRelevance.com, a full service Dallas search engine marketing company that specializes in helping businesses succeed online. Christine and her experienced team of online marketers provide a holistic approach to marketing: increasing a site's visibility online, improving the user experience on the site, and maximizing the site's conversion potential.
Dr. Ralph Wilson Announces Sale of Web Marketing Today
LOOMIS, CA and GRAND JUNCTION, CO, April 23, 2012
Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Founding Editor, Web Marketing TodayDr. Ralph F. Wilson, creator and long-time editor of industry-leading e-zine Web Marketing Today (www.wilsonweb.com), today announced the sale of this historic website and newsletter, effective May 1, 2012, to e-commerce publishers Kerry and Joy Murdock of Practical eCommerce."Web Marketing Today is one of the best-known Internet marketing resources and has been in publication since the start of the commercial Internet in November 1995," says Kerry. "Web Marketing Today taught an entire generation of marketers how to promote their businesses on the Internet."
Kerry Murdock, editor and publisher, Practical eCommerce"We're delighted to add Web Marketing Today to our group of publications focused on the needs of small to medium online businesses," he says. Kerry and Joy Murdock launched Practical eCommerce in July 2005 to help smaller online retailers. It has since grown to include a dedicated staff of editors, contributors, and advertising consultants. A companion site, Ecommerce Developer, was launched in December 2009 to help developers and designers of ecommerce sites. Practical eCommerce and Web Marketing Today have worked together for several years, since they both serve small to medium online businesses and attract advertisers that seek to reach this important demographic.While Kerry Murdock will take over day-to-day editorial responsibility for Web Marketing Today, Dr. Wilson will stay on as Founding Editor. "We're excited that Dr. Wilson will continue to contribute his popular video interviews as part of our regular content," says Murdock. Dr. Wilson applauds the arrangement. "Web Marketing Today will be in capable hands when Kerry Murdock assumes the editor's chair in May," he says. "My passion for nearly two decades has been to help online small businesses in the United States and abroad. I know that Kerry shares this passion."Wilson previously published two newsletters in addition toWeb Marketing Today, the popular question-and-answer e-zine Doctor Ebiz, and the highly respected paid publication Web Commerce Today (1997-2008, later renamed Web Marketing Today Premium).Dr. Wilson is the author of numerous books, including the foundational Planning Your Internet Marketing Strategy (Wiley, 2002), as well as many of the seminal works on Internet marketing topics, including: The Shopping Cart Report, The E-Mail Marketing Handbook, Guide to Search Engine Optimization, How to Develop a Landing Page, 10 Steps to E-Business on a Shoestring, How to Promote Your Local Business on the Internet, and How to Write an Ad that Clicks. Over the last five years Dr. Wilson started adding video content to his publication. These five- to seven-minute video interviews have featured the world's top experts explaining various aspects of Internet marketing and e-commerce, and Dr. Wilson's lights and video camera have been common fixtures at Internet marketing conferences. Nearly 250 of these interviews are currently available.Dr. Wilson won the Tenagra Award for Internet Marketing Excellence in 2001. For five years he brought the one-day Doctor Ebiz Internet Marketing Seminar and Best Practices Internet Marketing Briefings to 20 U.S. cities. He has spoken on Internet marketing at universities, trade shows, at Internet marketing conferences, and to corporations worldwide."The last 17 years have been an amazing ride," says Dr. Wilson. "I think God put me in the right place at the right time so that I could help make a difference for thousands of aspiring online businesses."Dr. Wilson currently serves as the Interim Pastor of First Baptist Church of Nevada City, California. He has also been a pioneer in helping to bring Christian ministries on board the Internet. His Internet based-Bible studies typically draw 5,000 to 6,000 students from up to 130 countries. He is the director ofJoyful Heart Renewal Ministries and the author of 29 books in the JesusWalk Bible Study Series. The most popular of these isJesusWalk: Beginning the Journey (JesusWalk, 2009), a video-based, mentor-led approach to developing new Christians in the faith. Dr. Wilson and his wife Jean live in rural Loomis, California.For more information, photos, and interviews see:Web Marketing Today (www.webmarketingtoday.com)
For historical survey Doctor Ebiz Press Room (www.doctorebiz.com/press)
Original release
You may contact Dr. Wilson personally at
www.doctorebiz.com/contact/Kerry and Joy Murdock
Practical eCommerce (www.practicalecommerce.com)
518 28 Road, Suite B-203
Grand Junction, Colorado 81501
(970) 257-0606
Mobile Marketing Tips for Small Business. Part 1
There's no denying the growth in the use of mobile devices. Mobile's growth isn't just big news for big business; there are new marketing opportunities for small businesses too. As exciting as the new frontier of mobile marketing tools and technologies are, the uncharted territory can leave many business owners and marketers lost and uncertain. New marketing journeys are less overwhelming when you know how to navigate, so here are some mobile marketing tips to help you get on the best road for a rewarding trip.
Example: Tax problem resolution company TaxResolution.com has an extensive website full of information to help people with tax problems. They saw how this big site looked on a small mobile screen and realized that this breadth of information was overwhelming from a mobile perspective. They wanted to better help people read their site (that was one of their "where do you want to go" goals). To optimize, they built a mobile-specific site that has their most commonly viewed pages and an easy to access phone number. The true meaning of marketing is maximizing exchanges, new customers, referrals, upselling/reselling existing customers. Mobile marketing, like all marketing, is not a destination, it is an ongoing journey, so get in the habit of using the:Assess - Optimize - Newmarketing model to make the journey more navigable. Mobile marketing is a new tool in the web marketing toolbox. Remember that it is not the tools, but how you use the tools that will increase brand, build, and boost business. There are many aspects that go into making your mobile marketing campaign a success. Starting with a strategy is a healthy first step. Now that we have a mobile marketing foundation to work from, we can look more at new creative ways to do mobile marketing, which I will share in my next article.
There's no better place to start your mobile marketing journey than from your current location -- if you know where that is! First things first: get clear on where your mobile status stands. Get your hands on a smart phone and type in your website address in the address bar. How does your site look? It is your site on a mobile device user-friendly? Does it work as well as it does on a computer browser? Does it need improvement? Would a mobile-specific website be a better option for you? Look at your site on different devices (iPhone, Android, etc.) and note the experience. Think about it from the perspective of your current or potential customer -- are their needs being met? Know your mobile site options -- there are mobile-functional sites, mobile-optimized sites and mobile-specific sites. Next, go to Google from a mobile device and type in some descriptive key phrases that describe your business. How are your search results from mobile search? Starting any marketing journey from a place of knowledge (essentially, knowing where you are) will help determine smart next steps to help you get to where you want to go.
Example: Tax problem resolution company TaxResolution.com has an extensive website full of information to help people with tax problems. They saw how this big site looked on a small mobile screen and realized that this breadth of information was overwhelming from a mobile perspective. They wanted to better help people read their site (that was one of their "where do you want to go" goals). To optimize, they built a mobile-specific site that has their most commonly viewed pages and an easy to access phone number. The true meaning of marketing is maximizing exchanges, new customers, referrals, upselling/reselling existing customers. Mobile marketing, like all marketing, is not a destination, it is an ongoing journey, so get in the habit of using the:Assess - Optimize - Newmarketing model to make the journey more navigable. Mobile marketing is a new tool in the web marketing toolbox. Remember that it is not the tools, but how you use the tools that will increase brand, build, and boost business. There are many aspects that go into making your mobile marketing campaign a success. Starting with a strategy is a healthy first step. Now that we have a mobile marketing foundation to work from, we can look more at new creative ways to do mobile marketing, which I will share in my next article.Lorrie Thomas Ross, MA is The Marketing Therapist and CEO at Web Marketing Therapy, a marketing firm that diagnoses, prescribes and guides healthy marketing solutions for small businesses. Her team of Wild Web Women (and men!) diagnose, prescribe and guide healthy marketing solutions to help make small businesses big with the web. She is the author of the 36-Hour Course to Online Marketing for McGraw Hill.
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