Image thanks to Fabian Blank of Unsplash
Before you spend megabucks on AdWords and/or Social Media
Posted on 19/11/2018 by Karen
Over the past few months, I have been noticing a trend. Small business owners spending a fortune on AdWords — before doing some very essential work on their website.
CASE STUDY 1
During our brainstorming session, Gary* told me they’d been spending quite a few thousand dollars on AdWords every month based on the recommendation of the people ‘looking after’ their website. AdWords was helping them get traffic and sales, but it was costing them a fortune. It was only after 18 months that the people ‘looking after’ their website suggested that it might be useful to get a copywriter to help with the words on their actual website.
CASE STUDY 2
Belinda* came to me after spending quite a bit of money on AdWords for over a year. She had nothing to show for it. No extra sales. Belinda knew she had to stop spending lots of money for no return but didn’t know what to do next. She found me on Google when looking for a copywriter because she realised she needed help with her web content. She chose Copy with Cream because she specifically wanted a brainstorming session, and for us to work on strategy.
Social media overwhelm causing small business stress
I see a similar trend with small business owners getting all distressed about which social media platform they should be on, and trying to do it all in the fear of not getting left behind, not losing business, etc.
Before I go any further, I am not anti-social media nor am I anti-AdWords. I have worked on AdWords campaigns with an Adelaide SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) expert with great success for a number of his Adelaide business clients. I have also helped a number of my own clients with their blog posts, LinkedIn articles etc. But my advice to ANY business, large or small, would be to sort out their website first.
The importance of ‘putting your house in order’ first
Before spending megabucks and/or valuable time and effort into AdWords and/or social media, please, please, please have a good long hard look at your website and see if it’s up to scratch. Is it the very, very, very best it can be? If not, get it sorted.
That doesn’t necessarily mean is has to be scrapped (I’m a big fan of the saying ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’) but it may well need a bit of a facelift, rearranging of information, editing or rewriting sections and/or the addition of brand new, well-written relevant information, which Google just loves. If you think it might need a bit of an overhaul, give me a call. I’d be happy to have a quick no-obligation chat with you, on the phone, at no cost.
It’s just like selling your bricks and mortar home
Imagine putting your house on the market. You get a real estate agent, spend big on putting your ads online, getting fabulous signage, getting photography done, getting editorial in the papers, advertising the open inspection times and so on. Spending loads of time and effort and money to get droves of people to come and visit your house.
But when they actually do get to your house…
You haven’t done the housework or the dishes, the kids are running around screaming and the potential buyers are wandering through the sheets on the clothesline and stepping over dog poo in the backyard. Yes, I know I’m labouring the point here, but you get the message.
Don’t spend tons of money, time and effort on social media or AdWords before getting your website up to scratch. Because you only get one chance to make that great first impression.
P.S.
I recommended Gary talk to a different web developer. They built him a fabulous new website with new copy written by me. They are also organising their social media and AdWords. I recommended Belinda to a free business coach and a web developer. She is currently working with the business coach on strategy and is considering a couple of quotes for her improved/new website.
*Names have been changed.
Karen Zaskolny,
Copy with Cream
