Click: the AdWords newsletter for your small business

Welcome to Click, a Google newsletter for small businesses. In each issue, we'll offer insights and strategies on how to grow your business and get the most value out of your marketing efforts. Hear about new products, promotions and services - plus interesting things going on at Google. We want to be sure this newsletter is useful and relevant to you, so please let us know what you think. Happy reading! The Google AdWords team PS: Read about a few AdWords customers whose wishes came true this year. In this Issue MARCH 2011, VOL 1 MONTHLY FEATURE Customers are up for grabs ADWORDS INSIGHT Improve your ad's headline -- and results SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS A flood of new business GOOGLE HIGHLIGHTS Life-saving information services Your AdWords Account

MONTHLY FEATURE Customers are up for grabs Small businesses have competitive advantages over the big guys -- namely agility and the ability to make quick decisions. Use these qualities to go beyond traditional marketing and reach customers in new, creative ways. Here are a few ideas to get you started: improve your online presence, use social networking and collect data online. Location, location, location! Since one out of five Google searches involves location, you want your business to appear in local searches. Try free online listing services, such as Google Places, or free hosting services to help you to establish a website. (Learn more about improving your virtual storefront in our Small Business Success section below). Build a fan base Satisfied customers can be your best promoters, and free services like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter can help you communicate with loyal patrons -- and help them spread the word about your business. Learn more about how these services can offer fresh and compelling information, such as photos, videos or fun facts about your business and employees. Know your customers Reaching customers online allows you to collect valuable data about their habits and preferences. Easy-to-use web analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, can tell you a lot - such as which search terms customers use, what they look at on your site, and where they spend the most (or least) time. Use this knowledge to make smart decisions about site content and keyword choices for your online marketing campaigns.

ADWORDS INSIGHT Improve your ad's headline - and results A good headline will grab attention for your ad -- and your business. You don't have to be a copywriter -- just use descriptive words that communicate what makes your business unique. Think about what your customers want -- not just what your business does. For example, "Joe's Gourmet Pizza" is descriptive, but "Seattle's Best Brick Oven Pizza" will likely get the attention of hungry, local customers. Sign into your AdWords account Select the "Ads" tab Click on the text of your ad (or the pencil icon next to the ad) to edit the headline Click "Save," and preview your new headline SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS A flood of new business   Jessica Soler, Owner of Salon Red in Decatur, Georgia, uses a website and local online listings to help her customers find salon locations and book appointments. She says, "Here's a great example of how the web helps Salon Red: we were nominated by one of the local papers to be a 'Best Of' salon in Atlanta, and tons of people went online to vote for all of our locations. We just were flooded with business, and it all came from online." Hear more about this success in her own words.

GOOGLE HIGHLIGHTS Life-saving information services In disaster and humanitarian crises, access to information can be of vital importance. In both the recent earthquakes in New Zealand and Haiti, Google's Crisis Response offered survivors and relief workers access to critical information on life-supporting services, including the locations of shelters, water tanks, power outages and open grocery stores. In addition, Google Person Finder is helping connect people with information about missing friends or relatives. Find out more, and learn how you can help.

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Posted by Jenn Karakkal, AdWords Small Business Team