The Gold-Key Readers-only Section
Congratulations! You’ve overcome all obstacles, leaped all hurdles, swum all crocodile-infested moats - OK, enough annoying metaphors. You’re here, and that’s what matters.
The pages mentioned in AdWords for Dummies are all here, plus some extra bonuses that you undoubtedly deserve after scaling all precipitous cliffs - I’m sorry, it just happened again. You can find the resource by chapter, or just browse and enjoy!
Note: this section is a giant buffet line, with tons of good stuff. If you find it overwhelming, allow me to play "maitre de" and recommend a simple and very helpful next step: The "Look Over My Shoulder" (LOMS) AdWords Success Video Tutorials.
LOMS is keyed to the book, so you can see, chapter by chapter, exactly how to do many of the tactics that I teach in the book. You watch each short video (most under 5 minutes) just as if you were standing behind me, watching over my shoulder as I go step-by-step through the most common and most important AdWords skills.
Go here for book updates (Stuff that happened after the book went to press, and you should know about)
Correction! An error has been discovered (and corrected in the second printing): In the table on page 21, the cost per lead should be $2 ($180/90), and the average value of a lead should be $6.67 ($600/90). The number "75" has absolutely no place in this table, and has been sacked. Thanks to all 5,432,104 readers who pointed this error out to me via email
| Big Deal! Gold Key members save $200 on the upcoming AdWords Ball TeleCourse. Read about it here, and use coupon code PLAYBALL (all caps) when ordering to save big. |
Online Tips, Resources, and Tutorials
Chapter 4
AskHowie.com/freewords - a free keyword research tool that you really should be paying for
AskHowie.com/chapter-4 - updates and locations of the best free and paid keyword research tools
AskHowie.com/mpg - download the Market Profitability Gauge Excel spreadsheet
Before you download it, please read the following short tutorial on using the MPG, created after I got tired of answering the same question repeatedly:
Here’s the deal about the MPG. Every cell is password protected, except the yellow ones. You can type in a description of the market in Column B, the search volume in Column C, and your choice of dessert in Column D. Oh, sorry, I mean the average bid price in Column D. Once these are inputted, Column E, the TMH in Column E magically appears.
If you try to type anywhere on the spreadsheet except those yellow columns, you will get a demand for a password.
The sheet is password protected for two reasons.
1. So you can’t accidentally erase the formulas.
2. So some unscrupulous person (not you) can’t copy the formulas and make their own MPG and write their own AdWords For Dummies book and steal my identity and my car and my house and my family and lock me up in a mirror while I helplessly watch them live my life.
AskHowie.com/detective - the latest on the powerful and elusive Google Cash Detective software program, along with alternatives
Chapter 5
AskHowie.com/keywords5 - a video demonstration of the use of Excel for keyword management
UPDATE: I’m no longer recommending KeyCompete.com, as I’ve received a number of complaints about their billing and customer service procedures. Since the book went to press, I’ve found a tool I like better, and so far I’ve experienced decent customer service (fingers crossed). The better tool is called Keyword Spy - it includes other data that you may also find useful, including history, organic search data, and estimates of bid prices.
Chapter 6
AskHowie.com/zoneedit - a video tutorial on how to use ZoneEdit.com for subdomain redirection (be still, my beating heart)
Chapter 7
AskHowie.com/sitereports - instructions and examples of the power of the Ad Placement report (created after my editor forced me to stop rewriting AdWords For Dummies)
AskHowie.com/offline - introduction to a not-cheap but possibly very worthwhile strategy to capture offline sales in your reports and analytics
Chapter 9
AskHowie.com/gtools - I can’t believe I promised video tutorials for every stinking AdWords tool. I mean, how was I to know that Google would add several more tools after I wrote this chapter. Oh well, my pain is your gain.
AskHowie.com/valve - this link redirects to the wonderful Asepco "Odyssey of a Valve"
AskHowie.com/chatwise - loads of information about how to deploy live chat on your Web site, including strategies and preferred vendors
AskHowie.com/copy - this page redirects to Ken McCarthy’s sales letter for the System Seminar. Notice his compelling use of bullets, testimonials, and credibility-builders to overcome objections.
AskHowie.com/audio - recommended audio services, advanced testimonial-gathering strategies, and a live demonstration and video tutorial of the Audio Acrobat phone-to-site feature
Chapter 11
AskHowie.com/email - tutorials on how to use email autoresponders and broadcasts
AskHowie.com/forms - examples of Aweber’s code to put an opt-in form on your site
AskHowie.com/redirect - an example (including code) of a redirect page
AskHowie.com/reports - examples of lead generating magnets
AskHowie.com/autoresponders - examples of autoresponder series worthy of emulation
AskHowie.com/personal - how to personalize an aweber email
AskHowie.com/cart - my recommendations for good ecommerce shopping carts
AskHowie.com/spam - how to get your emails delivered in spite of spam filters
AskHowie.com/aweber - tutorials and articles on using Aweber
AskHowie.com/phone - how to use the telephone and some cheap/free tools to create a lead generating magment in one hour for less than the cost of a plywood mandolin
Chapter 12
AskHowie.com/blogrules - 7 big business blogging mistakes, courtesy of Dave Taylor of Intuitive.com
AskHowie.com/chatwise - vendors and strategies for including live chat on your website
AskHowie.com/audio - audio resources for your site
AskHowie.com/sonyaudio - how to get the Sony SoundForge audio editing software
Askhowie.com/video - web video tips, courtesy of Joe Chapuis of WebVideoZone.com
Chapter 13
Askhowie.com/split - free split-testing software to determine the statistical significance of your ad and landing page tests
Askhowie.com/winner - video tour of WinnerAlert.com, along with a special deal for Gold Key members
Askhowie.com/taguchi - articles on incredibly smart multivariate testing, courtesy of David Bullock of DavidBullock.com
Chapter 14
AskHowie.com/norefresh - how to put the "no refresh" code on your php web page, courtesy of the smart folks at Vaelos.com
Askhowie.com/conversioncode - video tutorial: how to add AdWords conversion tracking code to a web page
Askhowie.com/valueimp - video tutorial: how to create the $/1000 impressions column in Excel
Chapter 15
Askhowie.com/dates - Google Analytics in action
Chapter 16
AskHowie.com/split - free split-testing software to determine the statistical significance of your ad and landing page tests
Askhowie.com/kvg - free software! the $39.95 Keyword Variant Generator (KVG)