There has been a lot of controversy over the past couple of weeks concerning Google's new privacy policies. No matter how they change, Google is the largest, most powerful advertising system in the world. Have you ever wondered how ads show up next to your search results? How do they choose what ads you'll see? Most importantly, how can you get your organization in front of potential audience members' based on their search results?

With AdWords, you can choose where your ad appears, set a budget that’s comfortable for you (I'll even tell you about a way to get free AdWords), and easily measure the impact of your ad. You can reach people exactly when they're searching the Internet for keywords based on interest, location, and what you sell.

Why AdWords?
With all of the places you can spend time and money to advertise, why go with Google? Well…almost 2/3 of all internet search traffic is through Google. This is where your audience is - not just when they're trying to find something to do, but when they're looking for celebrity gossip, booking a hotel, or deciding on where to eat dinner. 

I am going to share some of my experiences and insights on AdWords with you. I have primarily used AdWords in my work with Mad Cow Theatre, but these are ideas that you can use and adapt within your own organization. I'm not an expert, but I am excited to share some of the successes I have found by teaching myself the system and through trial and error.

The Basics

Targeting
In this article, I am focusing on the two most basic methods of targeting AdWords to reach your audience: Keywords and Geography. There are other more advanced and nuanced methods for those with an in-depth understanding of the system, but these are the most straight-forward tools to begin with.

There are a couple standards of ad groups that you should consider when getting started with AdWords. These will reflect your offline advertising, and will probably be closely tied to your programming. For example, I have a production of Hedda Gabler opening at Mad Cow Theatre. For this campaign, my ads are focused on people in Central Florida and a couple of other drive markets where many of our patrons live. When you select your keywords, go in with the mindset that you're searching Google. For example: My basic campaigns have general keywords: "Theatre," "Mad Cow Theatre," "Orlando Theatre," "Performing Arts," and "downtown Orlando." I also include keywords about the specific play, including the title - "Hedda Gabler," the playwright – "Ibsen," and other related information –"Norwegians in Orlando," or "Norway," for example. 

It is also useful to look at your local competitors and influencers for keywords. For example, we know we have a very similar audience to the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, so I also use their name and programming as keywords in my programming ads. This way, if a patron searches for Orlando Shakespeare Theater, they may see an ad for Hedda Gabler - which is perfect if they'd prefer to see "Hedda" instead of the two Shakespeare plays that are currently running. Also, look for other websites that potential audiences are searching for, include local newspaper arts coverage, the names of critics, arts and culture blogs, or even visitors bureaus.

Non-traditional strategies

On top of the program-specific ads I discussed above, here are some ideas for out-of-the-box ways to reach new patrons.

Look Outside of your Organization for Content
The ads that you place don't have to send people directly to your website. Did you get an amazing review? Did a group you're presenting do an educational program? Leverage the publicity you receive through news pieces, feature articles, and blog posts to help drive ticket sales by directing Google audiences to them.
Keyword Ideas: "reviews," "music reviews," "theatre reviews," titles of programming or names of composers/playwrights.

Dinner and a Show
When people are looking for dining options in your area, hit them with an ad for your organization and encourage them to upgrade their evening. Send them to a page on your website that features dining deals or promotional partners in your area. See if any restaurants in your neighborhood will include valet parking for patrons dining with them. This is a great way to add value to the experience.
Keyword Ideas: the names of local restaurants, "(your neighborhood) restaurants," or "dining."

Date Night
Put your performance or exhibit front and center for someone looking to put together a romantic, memorable night. A lot of guys (including myself) are clueless and will go directly to Google for the answer to many questions.
Keyword Ideas: "valentine's day," "gift Ideas," "romantic restaurant," or "babysitter."

Focus on Cultural Tourism
If you're looking to bring in tourists and non-local visitors, simply focus your ads on other regions, and go. For these ads, I use a much broader focus for the keywords, ad text, and geography. For example, one of my ad headlines is "Orlando's Got Culture!" and it brings visitors right to my homepage.
Keyword Ideas: hotel names, "AAA," other local attractions, or "travel discounts."

Niche Marketing
If you have affinity groups that you cater to or have special programming for, try a campaign focused on them with keywords that aren't specific to what you offer. Then, direct them to a specific area of your website. For example, I have an LGBT campaign where the strongest keyword is "LOGO Schedule." Just because someone isn't searching for your organization doesn't mean they aren't interested in what you do.
Keyword Ideas: other culture-specific entertainment, "babysitting services", or ethnic food selections.

Maximization

Google Grants
"These are great ideas," you may be thinking to yourself, "but how much do they cost?" Well, Google gives in-kind AdWords advertising to nonprofit organizations who are part of their Google for Nonprofits program. Get more information about Google for Nonprofits at. http://www.google.com/nonprofits/. There are a few requirements for the program, but I generally place thousands of dollars in ads each month and drive thousands of incremental visitors to the Mad Cow Theatre website - all for free.

Advanced Features
If you use Google Analytics for your website, you can enable conversion tracking. With this feature, you can set up goals for ticket/admission sales, merchandise sales, email list sign-ups, and more. It will help quantify what the ads are doing for you and it will also help you create better focused ads based on what is driving revenue.

Is this as easy as it looks?
Unfortunately, AdWords isn't a very intuitive interface. You may not have the time to learn the system with local or online classes, or even by yourself using online guides or message boards. See if there is a member of your staff or a volunteer that may be interested and able to invest the time in administering your account. You can also save time and get help from an AdWords-certified professional close to you. There are even some Google Grants for-certified businesses and individuals who have committed to helping at low or no cost to you.

Hopefully, this has started you thinking about how you can diversify your online advertising, or about how you can apply some of these strategies to additional marketing and advertising you do. Are there any other campaigns or groups that have come to mind after looking through these examples? What keywords would you use for your campaigns? 

Preview image: A.C. Sanford |Tate |Topdog/Underdog | Mad Cow Theatre | Photo by Tom Hurst
Top Right Photo Credit:  Legacy-151 – Heather Charles | Legacy of Light | Mad Cow Theatre | Photo by Tom Hurst