Control cost of ads

With cost-per-click (CPC) advertising on AdWords, the cost of your campaigns really depends on you -- how much you're willing to pay and how well you know your audience. It all boils down to knowing your own goals and letting us know what they are.

Set your own limits: There is a nominal activation fee for Google AdWords. After that, you tell us how much you're willing to pay per click and per day. Learn more about selecting your CPC and daily budget.

Start smart: Don't bid more than you can afford. If you're unsure what to pay per click to acquire a new customer, we help you by giving you cost estimates, specific to your campaign settings, during the sign-up process. In addition, if the maximum CPC you elect doesn't meet the minimum bid required for your ads to show, we'll let you know. You can either raise your CPC to the minimum bid or optimize your keywords, ad text, or campaign settings for quality. Learn more

Grow from what works: Once you know what works, you can start to build more campaigns and ad groups to attract your potential customers. In addition, keyword-targeted ads earn their position based on their maximum cost-per-click (CPC) and Quality Score (quality of your ad) on Google. By creating more relevant and targeted ads, you could end up paying less to maintain the position of your ads.

Pay less for more results: Keep in mind that because of our AdWords Discounter and dynamic ranking system based on your maximum CPC and Quality Score, your actual CPC (what you actually pay per click) is often less than your maximum CPC (what you're willing to spend per click) and often decreases when your ad starts to perform better. Remember: The higher the quality of your ad, the lower its actual CPC.

You may also wish to enable the content bids feature, which lets AdWords advertisers set one price when their ads run on Google and its search partner sites, and a different price when their ads run on Google Network content sites. You can learn more about content bids at our help center.

In addition to daily budget, maximum CPC, and quality -- which directly control your costs -- keywords and targeting are important factors to consider.

Keywords: We suggest you start off with just a small list of strong keywords and a few different targeted ads. This will help save you money by reducing the number of untargeted clicks, which are unlikely to convert to sales. Using keyword matching options also helps you manage your costs by limiting your ads to the most relevant searches and content pages.

Targeting: Your CPC is partly based on what your nearest competitors are willing to pay, so targeting your ads to your specific market ensures that you're competing in the right market and paying only what you need to pay. Effective targeting is accomplished through keywords, ad text, and language and location targeting settings. Learn more

How much does AdWords cost?

Use the Account Fees and Payment Options Finder to find out about AdWords costs and payment options. After you select your currency and location, we'll show you exactly what spending requirements you can expect from us (there's not many) and which payment options you'll have. You'll see that you can pretty much spend as much or as little as you like.

Here are a few basic things to consider when trying to assess the cost of your AdWords campaign.

Set your budget

• There's no minimum spending requirement--just a nominal, one-time activation fee.

• You set the limit on how much you're willing to spend each day.

• You specify how much you're willing to pay per click or per impression.Pay only for results• You pay only for clicks on your keyword-targeted AdWords ads.

• You pay only for impressions on your site-targeted AdWords ads.Avoid the guesswork

• Use the Keyword Tool to explore keyword traffic and cost estimates and make informed decisions about choosing keywords and maximizing your budget.

After you set the framework for costs and get your campaign started, you know you'll stick within your budget. From there, you can access your account at any time to adjust ad text, keywords, campaign settings, cost-per-click (CPC) bids, and daily budget to make sure you get the most bang for your buck.

Google AdWords Editorial Guidelines

The most effective advertising communicates a clear message to a targeted audience. Once you determine whom you want to reach and select appropriate keywords, you need to create ads that will inform your potential customers about the products and services you offer. The Google AdWords Editorial Guidelines will help you create effective ads to generate sales and meet your goals.
Underlying all the Editorial Guidelines are two simple principles that have worked for thousands of advertisers already in the program:
Clearly and accurately describe your site.
Emphasize the unique benefits of your product or service.
Our ultimate goal is your success, and we believe that providing a great user experience is the best way to ensure it. To run your ads on Google and our growing ad network of sites and products, you must adhere to these guidelines. Please also ensure that your site and ads comply with our Content Policy.
In cases where only minor changes are required for an ad to comply with our Editorial Guidelines, an AdWords Specialist may edit your ad for you. Examples of the type of edits we may make for you include the following: removing an exclamation point, removing or adding an extra space, and fixing a spelling error. However, Google shall not be responsible in the event that a change is not made to your ad text and a disapproval results. So, please be careful to follow the Editorial Guidelines to help ensure that your ads continue running.


Ad Style & Grammar

Use clear, direct language and avoid gimmicks.
Use Standard Punctuation and Symbols
No repeated and unnecessary punctuation or symbols.
Your title may not contain an exclamation point.
Your ad text may only contain one exclamation point.

Use Standard Capitalization
No excessive capitalization such as "FREE" or "GOOGLE ADWORDS."
Capitalization of the first letter of each word within your displayed URL is permitted.

No Repetition
Avoid gimmicky repetition

Use Correct Spelling
Check that you use correct spelling.


Use Proper Grammar
Your ad text must be in logical sentence or phrase form and must contain grammatically correct spacing.
The use of symbols, numbers, or letters must adhere to the true meaning of the symbol.

Keep It Concise
Please keep the following ad text limits in mind when planning your ads. We believe that concise ads provide a great user experience and ultimately contribute to your success.
Ad titles are limited to 25 characters.
The two description lines and Display URL are limited to 35 characters each.
Note: Languages using double-byte characters (such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hebrew, and Arabic) can have 12 characters in the title, 17 characters for each line of ad text, and 35 characters for the Display URL.


Ad and Keyword Relevance

Your keywords and ad text must be relevant to your site, products, or services.
Write Accurate Ad Text
Your ad text and keywords must directly relate to the content on the landing page for your ad.
Distinguish your ad by including your company name, line of business, or product in your ad text or title.
If you offer a local service or product, clearly indicate your location in your ad text.
Example:If your alterations business only services New York, you should include "New York" in your ad text, mention your company's particular specialty, "experts in reweaving fine garments," and link to a page that displays this service.

Target Specific Keywords
Use specific keywords that accurately reflect your site.
Use keywords that reflect your location if you offer a location-specific product or service.
Example:A New York apartment rental agency would not be allowed to run on only the keyword "rentals." The agency would have to use keywords such as "New York rental agency" or "NY apartments."

Ad Content

Should be informative, targeted, and represent your uniqueness.
Adhere to the Content Policy
As a business, Google must make decisions about where we draw the line in regards to the advertising we accept. We, therefore, may not accept ads or keywords containing or relating to certain products or services. We reserve the right to exercise editorial discretion when it comes to the advertising we accept on our site, as noted in our advertising terms and conditions. Please note that the decisions we make concerning advertising in no way affect the search results we deliver. To learn more, please review our Content Policy.
No Double-Serving
Google maintains a high standard for our user experience and the quality of our advertising. To protect the value and diversity of ads running on Google, we do not generally permit advertisers to manage multiple accounts featuring the same business or keywords. To learn more, please review our Double-Serving Policy.
Follow Proper Copyright Usage
Copyrights are important business assets in which the copyright holder maintains exclusive rights. In your AdWords advertising, you must not use copyrighted content for which you don't have consent from the copyright holder. To learn more about how we handle copyright issues within the AdWords program, view the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and our Copyright Policy at http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/text/19473.html.
Follow Proper Trademark Usage
Trademarks are important business assets that can diminish in value if they are not used correctly. To learn more about how we handle trademark issues within the AdWords program, review our trademark policy.
Affiliate Policy
We allow affiliates to use AdWords advertising. Please note that we'll only display one ad for affiliates and parent companies sharing the same Display URL per search query. We also monitor and don't allow the following:
Redirect URLs: Ads that contain Display URLs that automatically redirect to the parent company.
Bridge Pages: Ads for webpages that act as an intermediary, whose sole purpose is to link or redirect traffic to the parent company.
Framing: Ads for webpages that replicate the look and feel of a parent site.
Support Competitive Claims
If your ad text contains competitive language regarding other companies, support for this claim must be displayed on the landing page for your AdWords ad.
Avoid Superlatives
If your ad contains the comparative or subjective phrases "best" or "#1," verification by a third party must be clearly displayed on your website.
Support Advertised Prices, Discounts, and Free Offers
If your ad includes a price, special discount, or 'free' offer, it must be clearly and accurately displayed on your website within 1-2 clicks of your ad's landing page.
Example:If you mention that you are selling socks for 20% off in your ad text, your Destination URL should link to a page that clearly displays socks at the discounted price.
No Unacceptable Phrases
Avoid call-to-action phrases such as ‘click here’ that could apply to any ad, regardless of content.
The limited text space should be used for concise, informative language that sets you apart from your competition.
Phrases in the 3rd line of your ad cannot continue into the Display URL.

No Inappropriate Language
Your ad cannot contain offensive or inappropriate language.
Non-Family Safe & Adult Sexual Content
Ads are reviewed and categorized as "FamilySafe," "Non-FamilySafe," or "Adult Sexual Content" on a case-by-case basis.
After our AdWords Specialists categorize the ads, Google generally allows ads containing adult themes, such as explicit sexual content, provided that they meet the conditions for AdWords advertising.
These ads may not be accepted on our ad network of sites and products. Therefore, there is a possibility that your ads will appear only on Google search results pages.
Ads categorized as "Adult Sexual Content" aren't accepted in certain countries such as Germany and India, and won't appear on Google search pages or via the Google Network for those countries.

Links

Your URLs must meet our standards for accuracy, accessibility, and security.
Review the Landing Page and Site Quality Guidelines
Google incorporates certain site quality principles into factors such as ad approval status and Quality Score, so review the Landing Page and Site Quality Guidelines for more information.
Display URL Must be Accurate
Your Display URL must accurately reflect the URL of your website. If your actual Destination URL link is too long for your ad, use a shortened version (such as your homepage) that meets the character limit for this field.
The Display URL field cannot be used as another line of ad text.
Your Display URL must include the domain extension, for example: .com, .net, or .org.
Example:Destination URL: http://www.shoesforsale.com/ladiesshoes/highheels.htmlDisplay URL: www.shoesforsale.com
Destination URL Must Work
Your Destination URL must work properly. Check your spelling and symbols to make sure you entered the correct URL for the page you want users to visit.
Your Destination URL must link to a working website. You cannot link to an email address or a file (ex. an image, audio, video, or document file that requires an additional program or application to open or run).
The landing page for your ad cannot be under construction. We require your Destination URL to link to an actual web page with content relevant to your ad. When your site is under construction or down for maintenance, you must pause your Ad Group(s).
No Pop-ups
We do not allow links to landing pages that generate pop-ups when users enter or leave your landing page. We consider a pop-up to be any window, regardless of content, that opens in addition to the original window.
Working Back Button
Links to your website must allow users to enter and exit the landing page easily, and to return to the Google search results page or ad network by clicking once on the browser's 'Back' button.
Site Security
Your site should use a secure server (https://) when collecting personal information from our users.
Next Steps
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Please click here to learn how to edit your current Google AdWords campaigns.
Please click here to create a Google AdWords account if you do not already have one.

Adwords Glossary - Provided by Google

Account Activation
Account Creation
Account History
Account Performance
Action Name
Activation Fee
Activity
Actual cost-per-click (CPC)
Ad Creation Marketplace
Ad Delivery
Ad Group
Adjustment - Click Quality
Ad Placement
Ad play
Ad Rank/Positioning
Ad Scheduling
Ads Diagnostic Tool
Ad Served Percentage (%)
Ad Serving
Ad Variations
Advertiser Cost
Advertising Costs
AdWords Discounter
Affiliate
Application Programming Interface (API)
Application Programming Interface (API) Quota
Approval Status
Approval Status - Disapproved
Arbitron
Ask a Specialist via Chat
Average Cost-per-click (Avg. CPC)
Average Position (Avg. Pos.)
Average Value
Balance Due
Balance Remaining
Boleto Bancário
Buyout
Campaign
Campaign Negative Keywords
Chance to Beat All
Chance to Beat Original
Channel
Channel Account
Channel Ad
Channel Campaign
Charges
Click
Clickthrough Rate (CTR)
Client Manager
Combination
Contextual Advertising
Control Center
Conversion
Conversion Page
Conversion Rate
Conversion Rate Range
Conversions / Visitors
Conversion Tracking
Conversion Types
Cost / Conversion
Cost per action (CPA)
Cost-per-thousand Impressions (CPM)
Cost / Transaction
CPC
CPM for Audio Ads
Credit Limit
Cross-channel Conversion Tracking
Customer Identification (Customer ID)
Daily budget
Daily Budget
Destination URL
Disapproved Ads Tool
Display URL
Distribution Preference
Domain
Double Serving
Editorial Guidelines
End Date
Exception Request
Experiment
Frequency
Funds Remaining
Geo-Targeting
Gmail
Google Account
Google AdSense
Google AdWords
Google Network
Google Tracking URLs
Gross Impressions for Audio Ads
Image Ads
Impression
Impression Share
Impressions Per Day
Internet Protocol Address (IP Address)
Invalid Clicks
Invoice Adjustment
IRF Tax
Keyword
Keyword Advertising
Keyword Matching Options
Keyword State - Active
Keyword State - Inactive for Search
Keyword Status
Keyword-targeted Campaign
Keyword Tool
Landing Page
Landing Page Quality
Local Business Ad
Local GRP (12+)
Local GRP (Target Demo)
Maximum Cost-per-click (Maximum CPC)
Maximum CPM bid
Minimum CPC bid
Multivariate Testing
My Change History
Network GRP (12+)
Network GRP (Target Demo)
Number (#) of Conversions
Observed Improvement
Opening Image
Optimization
Outstanding Balance
Overdelivery Credit
Pacific Time (PST or PDT)
Page Sections
Pay-per-click (PPC)
Pay-per-play for Audio Ads
Play Rate
Position Preference
Quality-Based Minimum Bids
Quality Score
Quality Score Column
Quality Score - Content
Reach
Recommended Daily Budget
Relevance
Return on Investment (ROI)
Search Query
Search Total
Section Relevance Rating
Service Adjustment
Share of Voice
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
Site-targeted Campaign
Standard Edition
Starter Edition
Starting Page
Station Format
Target Impressions for Audio Ads
Test Page
Text Ad
Time Zone
Total conversions column
Total Value
Tracking URLs
Trademark
Traffic Estimator
Transaction
Unacceptable Content
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
Unique User
Value / Click
Value / Cost
Variations
Web Service Description Language (WSDL)
Zero Impression Keywords

How do I create an AdWords account?

How do I create an AdWords account?
You may be just minutes away from running ads and reaching users on Google and our growing network of search and content sites and products in the Google Network. You can preview the ad creation process with no obligation. Your ads will only begin to run and accrue charges after you submit your billing information. To create an AdWords Standard Edition account, and to price your keywords, please follow the steps below. (To create a simplified Starter Edition account, please see

What are the steps to creating an AdWords Starter Edition account?)

Target & Create Ad

Please visit the AdWords homepage.

Click Sign up now.
Select Standard Edition, and click Continue.
Select your language and location targeting options, and click Continue. Note: Ads and keywords in our program are reviewed to confirm that they meet our guidelines. Please click on the AdWords Editorial Guidelines link before creating your ad and check to be sure that your ads and keywords comply with our guidelines.
Enter your ad text in the form to the left.
Click Continue.
Choose Keywords
Select keywords that will best target your ad to Google searchers. Note: It is important that you submit keywords that are relevant to the products and services you offer on your site, and that you avoid general keywords. When creating your keyword list, ask yourself: 'If I were searching on Google for my products/services, what search terms would I enter?' Users are much more likely to type in 2 to 3 word combinations to find a product or service. Because our keyword default is 'broad matching,' your ad may appear for a number of keyword variations. Our system also allows you to designate keywords as exact or phrase matches, and to submit negative keywords to limit the display of your ad on irrelevant queries. Read more about keyword matching options.
Click Continue.
Choose Daily Budget
First select your billing currency -- the currency you'll use to pay for your AdWords advertising charges. Then enter the amount you're willing to spend on this ad campaign each day. Note: The daily budget controls how often your ad appears on Google; if your daily budget is low, we will spread the delivery of your ad throughout the day to stay within the amount you set.
Choose Maximum Cost-Per-Click (CPC)
Enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay per click. Note: Your CPC influences the position of your ad on our search results page. Our AdWords Discounter will automatically monitor your competition and reduce your actual CPC so that you do not pay more than necessary to maintain your ad's position.
Click View Traffic Estimator to view your average CPC and cost estimates.
Click Continue.
Review Your Selections
Review all your ad selections so far. Click Edit to change any selection; you'll be able to return to this review page after you make your edits.
Click Continue to Sign Up.
Sign Up
If you already have a Google Account and would like to use the same login information for your new AdWords account, select the first radio button. Then select 'I'd like to use my existing Google Account for AdWords.' Enter your Google Account login email and password in the fields provided. Click Continue.
If you don't have a Google Account, or if you do but would prefer to use different login information for your AdWords account, select the second radio button. Enter the email address and the password you'll use for the AdWords account. If you receive the error message 'user already exists,' see this FAQ for instructions. Then click Create Account.
If you used your existing Google Account login information to create your AdWords account, you can now sign in to your AdWords account. If you used new login information, you'll receive an email asking you to click on a link to verify your email address. Click on the link in the message and then sign in to your AdWords account with the email address and password you submitted on the registration form.
Activate Your Account
When you first log in to your account, you'll see a red message box at the top of the page. Click Billing Preferences.
Complete the account setup process: enter your billing information, set the time zone for your account, and agree to the AdWords terms and conditions. On the final setup page, click Save and Activate.
If you choose to postpay by credit or debit card, your ads will appear on Google almost as soon as you complete the sign up process and enter your billing information. If you opt for postpay by direct debit, we may need to receive and process your debit authorization before your ads start running. If you elect to prepay for your AdWords account, your ads will run after you've submitted your payment information and we've received your first payment.

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