Introducing AdWords

My primary job at Google will be to help companies that advertise on Google manage their accounts and improve advertising results. Those results may mean: a) raising the number of times their ad shows up on Google, b) improving traffic to their website, or c) increasing actions like purchases or sign-ups that viewers make on the site). AdWords, as this advertising product is called, is designed to make clients self-sufficient; the campaign summary displays the performance metrics mentioned above, and clients can register or cancel their account online. Seeing as clients have their own websites and were able to set up an AdWords account, I'd assume that they are more web-savvy than average. Still, when they need help with their accounts or advice on improving performance, they contact Google. That's where I come in-- or will, after my training is done.
This morning, I've been "studying" for work by looking through the AdWords page as if I were a client. Google gave new Account Associates (as my position is called) an AdWords account to learn and play with. It's referred to as our Sandbox Account :) I've linked mine to my friends' website, Recipe Tango. Chris Doyle and Sutee Dee, graduates of Olin College, are working on a site to teach people how to cook and have fun in the kitchen. It's an awesome business-- more on them later.
So I set up the account and used keywords like "cooking supplies" and "learn to cook" and "pad thai recipe." Keywords are the terms that people will have searched for when they see the ad. Apparently, my ad has shown up four times! Twice under "learn cooking," once under "learn to cook," and once under "lasagna recipe." It's, like, eighth on the list of sponsored links, which is pretty awful since people tend to pick the top ads if they click at all. Hmm. Good thing I have twelve weeks of training ahead of me. So now I'm reading up on how to improve my ad position. Meanwhile, one of my roommates is meditating in his room and another is making blueberry muffins. It looks like this is going to be a good Sunday.

From the dining room table at the Yellow House,
Renee