Keyword Advertising and Google AdWords
October 12, 2011 By Dave Koehler

Advertising that uses specific words or phrases to link to your content is called keyword advertising, and the leader in this field is Google. Their program, known as Google AdWords, allows businesses to "buy" certain keywords related to their business. When someone searches for those terms in Google's search engine, an ad with those terms can be displayed next to the regular (or organic) search results.

Advertisers use Google AdWords to bid for specific keywords which indicates the maximum amount they are willing to pay each time someone clicks their ad. The system has gotten quite sophisticated over the years, and it can be a bit intimitating for new users. They allow you to choose negative keywords for things you do not want associated with your account (i.e. restaurants, but not take-out). They also feature IP exclusion, and frequency capping for more advanced users.

Google has added automatic bidding to help people get used to the system, and offers an extensive set of instructions which starts with their Beginners Guide.

Of course if you are interested in effective online advertising, then you should also give Princeton Online a try.