Google search is where you start when you want something — it’s practically become our second nature.

As a result, it has a high volume of traffic from where MSP businesses can scout for relevant prospects. This is where Google AdWords comes in.

Google AdWords is the link that turns intent into actual sales. In fact, it's the only platform that offers an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 spent.

But, before you setup your Google AdWords account, it is important to understand what it really is and how it fits into your MSP marketing goals.

Let’s dive in:

What is Google AdWords

AdWords enable businesses to run paid ads on Google search results

Anytime someone clicks on your ad, you will be charged a certain amount of money a.k.a pay-per-click (PPC). This charge is based on the bid you made to have your ad appear for a specific keyword(s). Pick the right keywords so your ad ranks for the relevant search query.

Here’s a quick video showing how Google AdWords works.

Why MSPs need AdWords

Google AdWords is neither a necessity nor a guarantee for a successful MSP marketing. But, it sure increases the probability of it. If done right, MSPs can drive traffic, target the right audience, and ultimately increase sales at a scale that no other platform can do.

Be found at the right moment

Say, someone is searching for “MSPs in New York.” It’s safe to assume that they are looking for an MSP that’s based out of New York. If you had bid on the keywords “MSP New York” chances are your ad will show.

The beauty of AdWords is that it lets you target ads to people that are looking for your product/services at that very instant. Consequently, your site experiences a sizeable relevant traffic from the search engines.

Keep a pulse on your ads

Measure the performance of your ads by using the tracking capabilities of Google AdWords. It provides an overview of the number of clicks, the people who landed on your site, the source of the traffic, and much more.

Should your ads not perform the way you wanted, you can tweak the ads by changing the keywords and ad copies. In other cases, you can stop running the ads until you can come up with a better campaign.

Get popular

You can't expect users to click on your ad every time it appears for specific keywords. However, the more frequently your ad shows up for relevant keywords, the higher the chances your brand name and site link will be top of mind. This increased brand recollection can result in a later sale.

4 Smart ways MSPs can use AdWords

Here are four hacks to get the most out of your AdWords campaign.

1. Smart campaigns

The AdWords feature makes it easy for small businesses to advertise on Google. Fully automated campaigns that include ad copies, delivery optimization, establishing KPIs based on the product or service advertised.

2. Competitor campaign

Bid against your competitor’s keywords. That way when users search for your competitors, your ads will be shown. A powerful tactic to acquire your competitor’s leads.

3. Ad scheduling

Ensure you get the best ROI by running ads on specific days and a certain time of the day. Use tracking features to find out the time slots when your core audience is most active. Based on that data, run your ads to attract maximum eyeballs.

4. Negative keywords

Use negative keywords to avoid paying for ads that trigger erroneously. Filter out keywords that lead to clicks with no conversions. For example, if someone searches for “mobile service provider (MSP)” you don’t want your ad showing. You’ll be spending money for an audience that has no intention of buying your services.

Back AdWords with a solid sales and marketing process

AdWords is an effective lead-generation tactic — agreed; but, those leads won’t mean a thing if you don’t have a sales process to convert them successfully. That’s where the real ROI happens, and you don’t want to leave that kind of money on the table. Do you?