Google Advertising Options

AdSense

AdSense lets you earn revenue online by placing targeted ads on your website. It's free to sign up for an AdSense account, and once you sign up you can customize ads to match your site's look and feel. You can choose where you want ads to appear, as well as which types of ads you want on your site. Whenever someone clicks on an ad on your website, you get paid. Google offers several tools through AdSense that let you track the performance of your ads, so you can keep high-performing ads and tweak ones that are not earning you money.

AdWords

AdWords is Google's advertising option that lets you create ads that appear in the 'Sponsored Links' section next to the search results, which can help you boost your website traffic and sales. With AdWords, you can drive targeted traffic to your site by creating ads that show up when prospective customers search for a predetermined set of key words. Google offers tools and support for maximizing the effectiveness of your ads when you sign up for an account, which is free. You pay only a 'per click' fee when someone 'clicks through' your ad and visits your website.

Google Tags

Google Tags is another advertising option you can use to promote your business. Local customers often search Google for the products and services you offer. Google Tags allows you to build a free business listing and add 'tags' that let you highlight information you want your customers to see. For example, your tag can highlight a 'buy one, get one free' offer for new clients, a great review about your business or a link to a cool page on your site. This offers a way to advertise and promote important information about your business. You can try Google Tags free for 30 days and then pay a flat $25-per-month fee (as of January 2011) after that.

Google Places

With Google Places, you can create a free listing for your business, which can help customers find your business online. For example, if you operate a flower shop in Lansing, Michigan, you can sign up for a free listing on Google Places. When customers search for 'Lansing MI flower shop,' a listing with the contact information for your business appears in the search results. This can serve as a free advertising option for your business, helping you stand out and gain greater visibility for your company.