PPC / Adwords / General Business development

[Craig Bird]

Hi,

I have spent some time looking through threads on here but a lot of them are old and im not sure how relevant these days.

We are a small Cyber Security Services business in Guildford, Surrey. We perform security assessments and security managed services for businesses. We have a website (ConnectDS.com) but it is not currently bringing us any opportunities as all of our clients have come through personal connections and introductions.

We would be interested in something like Google Adwords but using sites like Spyfu.com is seems extremely expensive, for example "Network Penetration Testing" looks to be around >$12.42 a click.

We have 2 types of client:

-1-40 person companies, requires IT managed services to protect their network and workstations, fully managed Security with performance management and reporting at a low monthly subscription cost
-10+ user companies that require assessment of their current environemnt to ensure it is secure

Any recommendations of platforms or services that would be good for us would be great, we would also consider a company that can advise and do this on our behalf. I think our monthly spend would need to be under £100 until we see some results driven form our campaign.

Thanks,

 

[SimBlack]

Check SerpStat. Rank tracking, monitoring competitors SERP positions, backlink analysis and keyword research for like 19 dollars.

 

[Peter Bowen]

Hi Craig.

An estimate of $12.42 per click can sound terrifying when you're on a tight budget. Don't take that estimate too literally though, it's just an estimate and I've seen them be wildly wrong.

A couple of things to consider if you're thinking of using AdWords.

1. If your market is local, ie you need to be on premises, you might not find enough much traffic to make AdWords worth the hassle.

2. You'll probably find that the your future clients don't use insider jargon like "network penetration testing" when Googling for help. They'll probably look for help when they face a problem - their unsecured MongoDB with their entire CRM on it got ransomed, someone defaced their WordPress website etc - what ever normally triggers a call for your services. Show your ads then.

3. £100 isn't going to get you very far in AdWords. Just doing the keyword research, building the campaign and advising you on making your website suitable for AdWords is going to take several hours. You're not going to buy that expertise for minimum wage.

 

[EC1 Solutions]

I agree with @SimBlack - Serpstat is the most cost effective solution out there. I also strongly recommend taking a HEATMAP trail with LuckyOrange (or similar) which has actual user recordings - so you can physically see how users browse on you site (and exactly where they linger or drop off). I think this is essential when you're paying for ads.

PS. I also recently trailed a new heatmap service called Zarget. Highly recommended. (I am not a affiliate for either provider)

 

[AllUpHere]

You need a more realistic budget. There are lots of ways to generate work for 100 quid a month, but Adwords isn't one of them (well at least not from a standing start).

 

[fisicx]

I'd suggest the main problem it the website. I like to think I know a bit about IT and security but most of what I read on your website is a foreign language.

So even if you did use Adwords the site would need a major overhaul before creating the campaign.

 

[Coversure Hull]

Adwords is great, but you need a decent budget looking at the search term price you have found.

 

[threenine]

I had a quick look at the site, and to be honest, it wasn't immediately clear who your target customer is.

As @fisicx pointed out, it is mostly Jargon.

If you analysed your current customer base, who is the Buyer? is it the geek in the server room or the lady in accounts, or is it the Chief Operations Officer?

Nothing on your website points to what the actual pain you solve. Despite it containing text of stuff that I am sure makes sense to someone somewhere but don't know if they hold the purchase decision or if they would be searching for it.

I'd agree that Adwords would be a waste of time and money at this stage, as you're way to early in the cycle for that.

You don't have any decent landing pages from what I can see, to direct users too.

 

[Rob Herron]

Hi Craig,

If you are gaining business through personal connections and recommendations then it sounds like you are getting business because of YOU, and not your online branding.

Therefore I'd make a few changes and try and push that angle more.

First of all, I'd update your [About Us] page and include information about you (and a team if there is one). Let people learn more about who you are and build up a level of trust with you and your company. Personally, I wouldn't want to hire an invisible online firm with a vague About Us page to secure our company network. I'd want to hire an expert/person who I trusted.

Add a website blog and begin publishing articles which show what you know. Make sure you write them in a way which appeals to your target customers. If you were providing software which other security guys would use i.e pen testing tools, then you would want to go into detail. However, if you're targeting the decision makers at businesses then they won't care about the latest exploit.

The blog should let people know about networking/security problems their businesses have and how to fix them. Establish yourself as an industry expert - not among your peers - but among your potential customers.

If done properly then the blog will help massively with SEO.

**** Actually I have just taken a look and it seems your website was made using WIX. Take a look at your website, right-click and View Source. Instead of clear and readable text/content for the search engines to read, there is a massive block of Javascript.

1) Undertake a review of your business and your services.
2) Do some keyword research to discover what people are searching for to find services like yours.
2) Get yourself off WiX and on to Wordpress
3) Build up brand 'Craig Bird' and put yourself on the About Us page.
2) Add a blog and start publishing content. Keep SEO in mind when doing this.
3) If referrals work for you then make it easier to be referred. Get on LinkedIn if you haven't already.

Just my two cents but thought I'd share them.

Computer security used to be my thing back in School/College (I won roothack a few times!) so I'd be more than happy to help with all of the above. Just let me know if you need it!

 

[threenine]

To be honest I would avoid doing any of that. Get on the phone and start getting in touch with the NHS . Clearly massive demand for your skills