Have you heard of this thing called AdWords?

You may be wondering how to get to the top of the search results page and drive more traffic to your website. Perhaps you have heard about the mysterious world of AdWords.

Or maybe you live under a rock, and neither of these is true.

Let’s look at it this way:

You need a new project management tool and you’re ready to explore your options. Maybe you’re even ready to download a product spec sheet or submit a form for more information. Possibly even make a purchase.

You’ve got some down time on a Tuesday evening while sitting on the couch at home, so you grab your phone, which is obviously sitting right next to you, and you open up your favorite search app — Chrome or Safari — and you Google “top project management tools for business.”

The first three or four results on the page — ones that you’re likely to click on — are paid ads, also known as AdWords.

As a business owner, if you’re not running Google AdWords you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to acquire new leads. Roughly 80 percent of all online searches happen on Google. Searching often correlates with intent; intent to begin the research process, learn something new, contact a company, and potentially make a purchase.

When done right, advertising through Google AdWords is an effective tactic within your marketing strategy.

Before integrating AdWords into your marketing, ask yourself the following questions:

Do you have the resources to maintain it?

AdWords is not a “set it and forget it” service. Without ongoing campaign maintenance and optimization, your AdWords campaigns will perform terribly and you’ll essentially be wasting your money. On the other hand, a well-optimized campaign can help you beat competitors while actually spending less.

Pro Tip: Do not hire an intern to maintain your AdWords campaign. AdWords is a very elaborate system — it’s best to leave it to the pros.

Do you have a responsive website?

Given that over half of all searches take place on a mobile device (yes, even in B2B markets), if you send your new audience to a poorly optimized website, they’re going to hit the “back" button faster than you can say, “AdWords.”

Have you clearly defined your goals and objectives?

Because of the time, effort and expertise it takes to run an AdWords campaign, it can be a large expense. Just like any marketing initiative, it is critical to define your goals up front so you can determine your success. Define your target conversion rates and cost-per-acquisition. Do a bit of math to ensure that your investment will generate a return for you.

AdWords will not save your business

If you’re selling a terrible product and have poor messaging, AdWords won’t save you. Those fundamentals need to be in place prior to investing in AdWords.

AdWords is just one tool within your marketing toolbox. Be sure that all your efforts are integrated to produce the best results for your company.