Google PPC is Tedious. Anyone tried outsourcing?

[wildsoul]

I've been using AdWords for several years now, and do get business. But I almost never log in and change my ads or my keywords. I'm pretty tech-savvy, but not a true analytical type.

I know I could be making better money and spending more wisely if I managed my campaigns. So there's a price-tag associated with my procrastination/avoidance of doing this myself.

Has anyone tried outsourcing their PPC management?
My AdWords monthly budget is only $300, so I don't want some fancy-shmancy firm who'll charge me thousands.

Should I even delegate this? Or just bite the learning curve and learn it?

[PhilnCedarPark]

Way too many people competing there.

While there are other PPC engines, for a site up as long as yours you should be getting a lot more organic traffic. You have some SERIOUS SEO problems with this site, which is why you are not seeing more organic clicks in.

Where is your blog?
Where is your facebook page?
Where is your robots.txt and sitemap.xml?
Why does your meta descriptions tag look the same for at least the pages I checked.

Before you spend another $ on PPC, do these three things:

1. Go to http://searchengineland.com/. Read it!!!! Subscribe to their daily email. You will find at least one way to dramatically improve your SEO and PPC results EVERY DAY.

2. Create a blog on blogger - its free - and find some neato-keen stuff in it. Doesn't matter what, just TRY to be original. Email all your customers and ask them for success stories you can feature on your blog. Link back to your web site. Create some link bait and start squeezing for that link juice.

3. Get the following two books (they are sitting right in front of me on my bookshelf - just had to reference the PPC one for a partner about 15 minutes ago) - treat them like the old and new Testaments - the first for the Thou Shalts and the second for redemption for your PPC sins:
Search Engine Optimization: An Hour A Day (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471787531?ie=UTF8&tag=certificati0c-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0471787531)
Pay Per Click Search Marketing Handbook (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1411628179?ie=UTF8&tag=certificati0c-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1411628179)

4. After you do 1-3, read How I built 10,000 links in 3 weeks (http://www.blogstorm.co.uk/blog/build-10000-links-in-3-weeks/). Wait - DON'T READ IT YET. Do the heavy lifting in 1-3 first!!!

5. Okay, you did 4 without 1, 2 and 3 anyways. Couldn't resist. Then you might as well set up an affiliate program for your site. Yes, you should. Not my idea - see Every Brand Needs an Affiliate Program for Reputation Management (http://www.firstpagefitness.com/blog/2007/07/05/every-brand-needs-an-affiliate-program-for-reputation-management/)

[wildsoul]

Alrighty, I just checked back in and was delighted to get your post that went above and beyond my question. I'm going to try bold-fonting my replies in your quote below.

Way too many people competing there.
Interesting point. You're right, the competition is making it expensive.
While there are other PPC engines, for a site up as long as yours you should be getting a lot more organic traffic. You have some SERIOUS SEO problems with this site, which is why you are not seeing more organic clicks in.
Note that you must be referring my my muse site mentioned in another post of mine. It's not my main biz, but is a true 4HWW model. The downsize of this muse is I don't have control over all of it. That's the downside of the fact that I also have very little work to do on this project (besides marketing.)

Where is your blog?
Coincidently, I just realized this on my own today, and have been setting it up since then. I've already got 3 blogs for which I write a LOT of content, so I've been hesitant to increase my workload. But I've got a few ideas up my sleeve (as well as a log of already-written content I can reuse.)
Where is your facebook page?
I'm so time-crunched that I haven't wanted to add another thing! But okay then, I'll look into it.
Where is your robots.txt and sitemap.xml?
Not possible with this particular muse, though I have it on my other sites.
Why does your meta descriptions tag look the same for at least the pages I checked.
Because I don't control all of it.
Before you spend another $ on PPC, do these three things:

1. Go to http://searchengineland.com/. Read it!!!! Subscribe to their daily email. You will find at least one way to dramatically improve your SEO and PPC results EVERY DAY.
Done!
2. Create a blog on blogger - its free - and find some neato-keen stuff in it. Doesn't matter what, just TRY to be original. Email all your customers and ask them for success stories you can feature on your blog. Link back to your web site. Create some link bait and start squeezing for that link juice.
I've already got unlimited TypePad accounts and started one for this muse today. Also thought about the testimonials. Agreed. I'll give them blog-love in exchange for testimonials.

3. Get the following two books (they are sitting right in front of me on my bookshelf - just had to reference the PPC one for a partner about 15 minutes ago) - treat them like the old and new Testaments - the first for the Thou Shalts and the second for redemption for your PPC sins:
Search Engine Optimization: An Hour A Day (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471787531?ie=UTF8&tag=certificati0c-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0471787531)
Pay Per Click Search Marketing Handbook (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1411628179?ie=UTF8&tag=certificati0c-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1411628179)
Done! Ordered the first one!

4. After you do 1-3, read How I built 10,000 links in 3 weeks (http://www.blogstorm.co.uk/blog/build-10000-links-in-3-weeks/). Wait - DON'T READ IT YET. Do the heavy lifting in 1-3 first!!!

5. Okay, you did 4 without 1, 2 and 3 anyways. Couldn't resist. Then you might as well set up an affiliate program for your site. Yes, you should. Not my idea - see Every Brand Needs an Affiliate Program for Reputation Management (http://www.firstpagefitness.com/blog/2007/07/05/every-brand-needs-an-affiliate-program-for-reputation-management/)
Agreed. I have an affilliate program in place now, but it's not automated really. It drives me NUTS because I have to use a spreadsheet by hand. I've looked into affillate programs many times, but hit stumbling blocks in one way or another. I was researching it again this morning... but then that's when it occured to me to do a blog for the organic SEO first. AWARE of my overworking burned out self, I think doing what I already know how to do first makes sense, instead of days of learning something new.

That was great advice and I really appreciate you taking the time to write to me.

I'm so glad I joined the forum today. I read the book & Tim's blog, but didn't think there *was* a forum. This is fantastic.

[Vagabond]

Hey Phil, great post!! I'm in the process of having my website designed now and will def follow your ideas also. thanks!

[cheez avenger]

Great stuff everyone!!!!





-cheez avenger

[cheez avenger]

Hey Phil, how would I use Facebook to promote my muse. I can't get past the fact that face book is just a social networking site. Obviously it's much more, but it's not registering with me.




-cheez avenger