How To Make Money With Google Ads Certification

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Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday, a day to support local businesses. More than 1 million people "liked" the American Express OPEN Facebook page for the campaign in just two weeks. For signing on, which involves offering discounts to Amex card users, 10,000 small businesses received $100 worth of free Facebook advertising. With the big day approaching, we had to wonder: Just how valuable are Facebook ads for small-business owners?

We put the question to our friends on Facebook. As it turns out, many of you had a lot to say. The responses were varied. Some said Facebook ads are too expensive, while others said they've seen a great return on investment. Here's a sampling:

Chance Chapman: I've had success using FB ads for my business and for helping customers. The micro-targeting is unbelievable. The key is to monitor your ads closely.

Katie Barnes: I notice that there is traffic and increased clicks, but since my business is service-related, I'm not sure that it's very useful as it doesn't translate into new business or inquiries.

Dennis Andrew: It is expensive, and it's not worth doing if you don't know how to do it. Find someone who is good at it. You'll be astounded.

Michelle McHargue: It was definitely beneficial for us. It helped us gain our "like" following which in turn increased our sales. The other thing I love about using FB is the instant feedback you get from your followers.

Garry Conn: Very expensive. Not effective. Most of the clicks occurred from curiosity rather than true interest. Google AdWords is by far much better.

-- What do you think about Facebook ads? Are they worthwhile for a small business?