Introduction
Business is a very competitive matter. It is rare for one business to be in a dominant or sole position within the industry, and so marketing forms a very important part of website design and technology. Knowing what works with Google AdWords while being able to operate within the limits of Google’s rules is a vital part of Google AdWords success.
What is a Google Slap?
Now Google Slap does sound like it is the sort of product that would come out of the Mountain View labs. However, it isn’t one of their products, but an informal slang term that has grown up around the area of penalties imposed by Google upon advertisers who don’t keep, in Google’s eyes, to the terms of the AdWords agreement.
This is often as a result of a determination by Google that the advert does not relate to the page to which users are directed after a click, or it doesn’t reach the required quality that Google desires (too many ads, too much graphics, too little text etc.)
Of course, this is an arbitrary measure, and many advertisers have found themselves on the wrong side of Google, arguing that their pages do in fact meet the guidelines. A Google slap can easily destroy an advertising campaign (by raising the price per click) with no easy way of having the issue rectified.
How to avoid a Google Slap
The first way to avoid a Google Slap is to make sure your pages conform to the Google AdWords guidelines. Ensure that the landing pages from any adverts link closely to the keywords of the advert that you bid, particularly in terms of keywords and a good density of related text.
Make your website look as clear and professional as possible, with good quality and relevant text. Make sure that it is easy for users to navigate to other parts of the website from the landing page. You want your website to look to Google like a slick professional affair, not a one-page effort with no substance and a dodgy look.
What to do if you have been slapped.
There is no simple fix if you have been Google Slapped, but the following will help. It is probably better to start your campaign again. Find out why you got slapped and fix it! If the keywords were wrong, correct them. If there is not enough relevant text put more. If the page was a landing page only, then make sure it links well to the rest of the website.
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