You have most likely seen Google AdWords, even if you dont realize it. Its that list of sponsored links that runs down the right side of your computer screen when you Google a word. Youll often see links at the top in a little blue box as wellweve all seen em.

So what is Google AdWords?

Google Adwords is simply an online advertising solution that companies who have a web presence can use to drive more traffic to their site.

At-a-glance:

1. Google sells the space along the top and sides of their search engines to site owners interested in getting more exposure.

2. Site owners bid on keyword(s) that relate to what they have to offer.

3. When people perform a search on Google using that keyword(s), the site owners ads display as text-links in a column next to the organic results.

How Will Google Position Your Ad?

One of the things that set Google AdWords apart from their competitors is the way they rank their sponsored ads. Most search engines let you bid on keywords. He who bids the most per click wins the top spot. Period.

With AdWords, the amount you bid is only one factor. Google also takes into account the relevance of the text in your ad and the number of times your ad is clicked on and gives you a quality score. If your quality score is high enough, you can actually bump off the guy above you who pays more per click, but whose ad gets clicked on significantly less than yours!

Writing Effective Ads for Google

Frank Travisano, president of http://Linkateer.com, a leading Search Engine Optimization company says that when you are writing an ad for Google, selecting the right keywords is critical. Since you are paying each time someone clicks on your ad you dont want a lot of misguided shoppers visiting your site and running up your tab.

Travisano advises, Target your market as specifically as you can. In other words, if you have a pet food store that offers organic, all-natural pet food; advertising for pet or pet food is not necessarily focusing on your target audience. Your target is consumers who are looking for all-natural, organic pet food. So your keywords need to reflect this.