1) Find more keywords

Don't limit your keywords to variations of your primary keyword. If you promote individual items, add those keywords to your list. Be sure to include misspellings.

There are a number of excellent free keyword tools to help you come up with ideas. Try these sites for a start:

? Google's free Adwords keyword tool

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordSandbox

? Overture's Keyword Tool

http://www.inventory.overture.com

? Good Keywords

http://www.GoodKeywords.com

? NicheBot

http://www.nichebot.com/

? Keyword Research Tool at the Webmaster's Toolkit

http://www.webmaster-toolkit.com/keyword-research-tool.shtml

If you're really stumped for ideas, visit other websites in your niche and review their keywords. Pay particular attention to keywords in metatags, alt tags and title tags.

2) Bid smarter

Being in the first position isn't always ideal. PPC research has shown that the ad in the first position frequently gets clicked as a reflex. These ?curiosity clicks? tend to have a low return on investment. Your best bet may be around 3rd position; on the first page, ideally above the fold.

Use the Overture bid tool at http://uv.bidtool.overture.com/d/search/tools/bidtool/. You can frequently get an excellent position by bidding just a penny above your competitors. If you're an Adwords aficionado, remember, Overture doesn't calculate click-through rate for ad positions ? your ad is ranked according to bid alone.

Take a look at these ads for an example:

#1

Wallpaper Wholesaler - Open to Public

Wholesale prices. Free shipping and samples. No sales tax. 250,000 patterns. Every brand, residential and commercial first-quality wall coverings. Shop online, by phone or showrooms.

www.wallpaperwholesaler.com

(Advertiser's Max Bid: $0.96)

#2

Save up to 85% on Wallpaper Period

Shop over 300,000 patterns. Free shipping and low prices on name brand wallpaper and border. Enjoy our everyday low price guarantee. Join 7 million customers.

www.americanblinds.com

(Advertiser's Max Bid: $0.64)

#3

Wallpaper and Border at Wholesale Prices

Save up to 85% on wallpaper, border and wall murals. All brands, first quality. Over 300,000 patterns available. Huge online catalog.

www.usawallpaper.com

(Advertiser's Max Bid: $0.63)

The top bidder is paying 96 cents per click, but the second highest bidder is paying almost a third less; just 64 cents per click. Savvy advertisers on Overture use the bid tool for all their major keywords, and bid accordingly. In this example if you entered $1.00 for all your keywords, you would be overspending by 35%.

3) Write better ads

Use action verbs. Be very specific about what you're offering. Don't use generic calls to action like ?click here? ? use action verbs and facts. Tell prospective visitors what makes your site different. Avoid superlatives like ?We're the best? and ?#1? ? searchers are sensitive to marketing hype, even if you are #1.

4) Ad format matters

Is your URL more than one word? Then capitalize the first letter in each word ? it will make your ad easier to read. Be sure to include your keyword in the ad title, and repeat it again in your ad's copy. Also, resist the temptation to save space with an ampersand (&). Shortcuts give off a non-professional image.

5) Track your results

Overture has a robust, free tracking tool called Conversion Counter. Take the time to set it up and you'll be able to see where the results are coming from ? and where they're not coming from. Some keywords may not generate a positive return on investment for you. Find out which ones are worth the money, and delete the non-performing keywords.

6) Get all you can out of each click

If you can't make a sale, maybe you can at least capture a name. Test offering a free report or other item of value in exchange for a visitor's email address. That way you can keep the conversation going even if your prospect decides to not buy.

7) Test your landing pages

Success lies in your conversion rate. Small elements on a page can make big changes in a site's conversion rate. Hypertracker (http://www.hypertracker.com/) is an excellent tool that will enable you to easily test landing pages. By making small changes over time, many merchants have more than quadrupled their sales. What would it be worth to you to triple your conversions?