You always want to rank number one for organic, but for AdWords the choice isn’t as clear. Google is the most popular search site, so it’s human nature that you’d want to be ranked at the top of AdWords results. However, getting that top spot costs more money, so it may not always be worth it. So, how do you know? Today, let’s look a way to make that decision so you don’t spend any more marketing dollars than you have to.
The Cost of Being Number One on Google
Google Ads is a kind of pay-per-click advertising. This means that every time a customer clicks your online ad, you pay a small amount.
It seems like common sense that you’d want to be number one in AdWords for property management companies. But, you have to remember that the cost per click goes up if you’re fighting for the top spot. So, number two will be a little cheaper and number three even cheaper than that, and so on down the line. With that in mind, you need to figure out if that first spot is worth the investment.
How to Judge Your AdWords Competition
One of the biggest issues that people have with certain property managers is that they don’t answer their phone calls. So, you can figure out how much you’ll have to spend by stepping into your customer’s shoes and making a few phone calls.
Step 1 – Do a search on the primary keywords that you want to show up for on Google. Let’s say that it is “Property Management Omaha.” Do this a few times over the course of the day, because, for various reasons, the companies that show up may change.
Step 2 – While you are doing this, compile a list of the property management companies and the phone numbers associated with the ads that are showing up.
Step 3 – Call the companies. Start with the one that is consistently ranked the highest. If most don’t answer the phone in a timely manner, then you know you can be comfortable in a lower spot. Call the phone number used in the ad, because in case they’re using a dedicated sales line, you will get a more accurate estimate of how quickly they get back to leads.
People who make this search are looking for instant gratification when searching for companies. Let’s face it, if someone is bothering to look for property management, they are in the mood to talk about it right now. If a company that they are calling doesn’t answer, they will move along the list until they get in touch with somebody.
If most of your competition isn’t even answering the phone, then they are just wasting money on AdWords and you can comfortably put in a lower bid knowing that by answering the phone immediately, you will take their business. If, on the other hand, these other companies are answering the phone in a timely manner, it is much more important that you get that first phone call and will then have to spend the money to be in that top spot.
The Main Takeaway? Answer Your Phone
We may be talking about AdWords but the biggest thing you can take away from this blog is this: answer your phones. The person who makes a first impression first will get the business. Be the company that responds first to clients and inquiries as soon as possible. When you get that call or that email, respond within a minute. That will make a big difference in your marketing results in 2016.
If you have any questions about AdWords or Internet marketing in general, please contact us at Fourandhalf.
