Sponsored Listings for Young Websites

So you've developed a small website for your business, product or service and you've done the basic optimization or had it done for you, but you're not ranking yet. How do you get quality traffic to your site while your optimizing and waiting to get those initial SERP rankings.

Try a sponsored listing campaign, otherwise known as pay-per-click, on Google or Yahoo!. Personally and professionally, I prefer Google as Yahoo! seems to be sliding into oblivion daily. Maybe Microsoft can bail them out.

Google is the number one search engine for a reason, they provide more to their customers and also try to make the Internet an easier place for us all to navigate by providing the best and most logical search engine results. This being said, their AdWords platform for sponsored search is really comprehensive and easy for a novice to set up and understand with a little coaching.

There are many resources online that will help someone to set up their first AdWords campaign. Check out a few of these below:

https://adwords.google.com/select/Login - Google will give you a lot of info prior to setting up your campaign

https://adwords.google.com/support/bin/static.py?page=tips.html - Google's AdWords tips center.

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/adwords-select-parts-1-4 - A good article over at SitePoint.

http://www.isitebuild.com/mastering-google-adwords.htm - Not too bad for general info.

Once you feel comfortable continuing with the setup process, sign up for a Google account and then sign into an AdWords account. Set up the basics by following the steps Google supplies.

When you are ready to go, the major elements of importance for your first campaign are as follows:

1. Start slowly, which means into not more than a few terms to start to get familiar with the whole procedure and to make sure you aren't spending more than you can afford.

2. Make sure you have chosen the best keywords to attempt to get clicks for.

3. Make sure your creative is top-notch and will grab the searchers more than your competition.

4. Make sure you set your per click bid no higher than what you can afford.

5. Add additional ads for the keywords to test which one is performing best.

6. Monitor and monitor closely to make sure everything is running smoothly and make changes as necessary.

A well setup sponsored listing program can generate instant quality leads for your business, and it can also break the bank if it is not taken seriously. Set one up today and take it slowly and you should see prospects popping onto the site before you know it.

Good luck.