In this review you will learn that Ezra Firestone uses Google to increase brand awareness and acquire new customers. You will learn how to use Google AdWords, Search and Display Network, Shopping Ads and YouTube.
My #1 Biz model recommendation for 2021 is hands down Lead Generation.
My #1 Biz model recommendation for 2021 is hands down Lead Generation.
Lead generation is all about initiating consumer interest in your products and services (i.e. the first two stages of the buyer’s journey).
You have your own assets with lead gen. Your Website and number is yours. No one can take it away from you. Lead Gen is also more cost effective, has less continual upkeep & creates a true passive income source.
More on this later… Let’s get cracking!!
1. What is Smart Google Traffic?
Simply put Google is the largest network in the world for both search and advertising (coming in at over double the size of Facebook), yet most business owners aren’t taking advantage of this massive platform.
I mean a lot of Ecommerce guys love using Facebook because Facebook’s advertising platform is so much more dynamic in the way you can target people with their interest, age, income, etc.
In this 5-module training, learn how to use the incredible power and reach of Google to create brand awareness and convert new customers — including how to use AdWords, Search, the Display Network, Shopping, and YouTube.
Ps: Ezra only does the intro, and then he hands the reigns over to Brett Curry who presents the rest of the course... So if you were expecting Ezra to do the training, sorry...
Anyway, the bulk of training / coaching programs over the last few years were all teaching people how to use Facebook ads.
It's a bit cringe to be honest. I mean, where is the originality?
Digital Marketing isn't about JUST Facebook...
Maybe this is why Ezra decided to focus more on Google Adwords this time? Good on you, Ezra!
Module 1: Setting Up Shop & Building Accounts
Building your team – The “A” Team of technology. Everything serves a unique role and works together. this session will walk through the creation of accounts and linking everything together for success.
Module 4: Google Shopping
Google Shopping is the leading comparison shopping engine(CSE) on the market. Product searches either start on Amazon or Google.
Ezra covers Google Shopping as a remarketing vehicle and for brand searches. He also lay the groundwork for using Google Shopping for prospecting.
2. Who is Ezra Firestone?
Ezra Firestone is a successful internet marketer and the business model he is most known for is ecommerce.
He's the owner of Smart Marketer as well.
One thing that is for sure is that Ezra is successful. There's a lot of people faking success in the make money online world but I don't think Ezra is one of them.
He's clearly doing well.
BUT: Is that success from his ecommerce businesses or his ecommerce courses? I have no clue.
He claims to make millions from eCommerce but you have to take income claims with a grain of salt.
Ezra puts out a lot of courses and does a lot of speaking engagements - I'm willing to bet that he makes a lot from them.
3. How Does Paid Advertising Work?
Digital marketing: Any marketing that uses electronic devices to convey promotional messaging and measure its impact
Paid advertising is a form of Digital Marketing & is basically any type of advertising you need to pay for…
…probably why it’s called Paid Advertising
With paid advertising, marketers pay the owner of ad space in exchange for use of that space. The price paid for the ad space is often settled through a bidding process between marketers and the ad space owner.
There are several categories, including pay-per-click (PPC), pay-per-impression (PPI), & display ads.
Paid advertising is a form of Digital Marketing & is basically any type of advertising you need to pay for…
…probably why it’s called Paid Advertising
With paid advertising, marketers pay the owner of ad space in exchange for use of that space. The price paid for the ad space is often settled through a bidding process between marketers and the ad space owner.
There are several categories, including pay-per-click (PPC), pay-per-impression (PPI), & display ads.
Ezra's course focuses exclusively on Google and how to get the most possible traffic from your digital marketing on this platform.
4. Is Digital Marketing Legit or a Scam?
The business model is 100% legit. Think of it as traditional advertising of old (ads in magazines, flyers handed out at intersections, ads on billboards etc.) that has now undergone modernization. Instead of physical advertising media, you now have digital methods and means.
The only problem comes in with unscrupulous marketers / scamsters who steal money from businesses and never deliver on their promises.
So be careful of who you choose to do your online marketing...
5. How much does Ezra's Smart Google Traffic Course Cost? Any Specials?
Smart Google Traffic is NOT cheap, and will cost you $1,497. You do however get access to Live Q&A and Training Recording sessions, not just the course content.
Pros of Smart Google Traffic
6. Everything you need to know about Google paid and organic traffic
The advantage of paid advertising is that you can start getting traffic right away, but there is always a price to pay for every click, & every customer you acquire. Which I often find a lot of these ecommerce guys conveniently leave out in their interviews.
You need to weigh it up - instant results, but at a price. Or slow and steady for FREE (like with Local Lead Gen).
7. Teaches you proper retargeting techniques to get the most out of your ad budget.
I really enjoyed his attention to his remarketing campaigns.
Remarketing campaigns is basically being able to retarget your customers with additional ads.
Remarketing campaigns is basically being able to retarget your customers with additional ads.
It happens often, for example, you go to Amazon and check out some computer chairs and next thing you know you are seeing similar computer chair ads in Facebook and other sites you visit.
His training course was a good reminder to use the crap out of remarketing campaigns, I mean my mentors always say second money is the easy money.
8. Includes info on YouTube
The course gives you multiple videos with info regarding YouTube and aspects of this platform.
9. Refund Policy
The course is backed by Smart Marketer's ull 30 Day 100% Money-Back Guarantee.
Cons of Smart Google Traffic
10. No Facebook group for course students.
Although Ezra has taught extensively on Facebook advertising before. With this 5 module training course he seems to be focusing on the Google advertising platform like Adwords.
On paper, it looks great to know all these different skills to advertise online, but in actual reality when it comes to making money on the internet.
11. Limited bonus content
The only bonus material which is included in the course is how to leverage the Google Ad Ecosystem.
12. Price, Content, Upsells
There are less pricier alternatives out there with more content and less upsells - Ezra does push his other courses a bit too much...
13. Relevance
The last update I could find was in 2018, and that creates a lot of uncertainty in my mind. If you are learning how to generate Google traffic, then obviously you want the most up-tp-date info, not methods from 2018...
14. Do Ezra's Students Actually Make Money?
It's a strange one, but I honestly can't give you an answer. If you go to Ezra's main website for his business & all his courses (smartmarketer.com), you won't find a SINGLE testimonial...
I also couldn't find any student testimonials on his YouTube channel...
Weird, right?
15. Who's a Good Fit for Smart Google Traffic?
The course is geared towards people who would like to take advantage of the power of Google to drive traffic to their sites.
Once you have visitors, you also want to be able to re-target people who have shown interest in your brand.
Ezra's course helps you with both.
16. What alternatives are there to Ezra's Smart Google Traffic?
For those of you brand new or just getting started in the game of Digital Marketing, Kevin David’s Marketing Agency Program is a good place to start.
It’s an easy-to-follow introductory course & won’t take up much time clocking in at just over 3hrs.
Kevin will share his tips & strategies to get new leads & customers. He’ll even give you scrips to use when reaching out to new clients.
It’s not very in depth but it will definitely give you a feel for the industry.
Plus, as of publishing – Marketing Agency is a Free Course.
For those of you who’s keen for a bit more info & actually wanna get going… Then have a look at Molly Pittman’s Paid Traffic Mastery.
Molly really knows her stuff & that'll show as she teaches you Facebook ads from A-Z.
She also covers how to run Google, YouTube & LinkedIn Ads.
If advertising on social media is the route you want to take, this should be one of your first investments – especially at only $495.
She also covers how to run Google, YouTube & LinkedIn Ads.
If advertising on social media is the route you want to take, this should be one of your first investments – especially at only $495.
How Does Social Media Marketing Stand up to Others? Like Dropshipping, & Lead Generation?
Everyone is different. Some like the hustle & excitement of the High-End Upsell Game…Some, like me, enjoy the quiet laptop life.
Although personalities might differ, we all have one goal in mind – To have a Profitable Business.
Although personalities might differ, we all have one goal in mind – To have a Profitable Business.
The best way to find something that will work for you is to cut through all the BS out there & find out for yourself.
I found MJ DeMarco’s book, The Millionaire Fastlane a fantastic help getting rid of all the over inflated & sometimes ridiculous claims out there.
I’ll just quickly touch on two points that made me decide.
18. Control:
What is Control?
Well, it boils down to if you have the ultimate control over our company or not.
In other words, if someone higher up the food chain makes a decision, could that in effect, half your income…
Well, it boils down to if you have the ultimate control over our company or not.
In other words, if someone higher up the food chain makes a decision, could that in effect, half your income…
Take Amazon for example, they decided to cut their affiliate program commission by almost half – OVERNIGHT.
Not much you can do about that.
Same issue with Paid Advertising. As you all know, the rising costs of ads are staggering & don’t seem to be inclined to decrease any time soon.
With Local Lead Generation you don’t have this issue as you rank organically.
Not much you can do about that.
Same issue with Paid Advertising. As you all know, the rising costs of ads are staggering & don’t seem to be inclined to decrease any time soon.
With Local Lead Generation you don’t have this issue as you rank organically.
19. Time:
Time is our most precious resource is a cliché we’ve heard many a times.
However, it stands true.
Having your own business is not the easy laptop lifestyle everyone claims. In most cases it takes hard work, long hours & it’s a never-ending cycle.
That’s why I love Local Lead Gen because once you’ve ranked your website organically, it takes very little in the time to maintain.
Which provides you with a truly passive income & allows you the freedom to spend your time the way you truly want to.
However, it stands true.
Having your own business is not the easy laptop lifestyle everyone claims. In most cases it takes hard work, long hours & it’s a never-ending cycle.
That’s why I love Local Lead Gen because once you’ve ranked your website organically, it takes very little in the time to maintain.
Which provides you with a truly passive income & allows you the freedom to spend your time the way you truly want to.
CONCLUSION
To be honest, it would have been better if Ezra had all his different training in ONE SINGLE COURSE. This would make it so much easier for beginners to understand the complexities of an eCom business properly.
The main takeaway from this course for me, was his attention to remarketing campaigns.
You use remarketing campaigns to retarget your customers with additional ads.
Ezra's training was a good reminder of the importance of remarketing campaigns, and there's a reason why my mentors always say: "Second money is the easy money."
Customers that buy from you are gonna be warmed up to buying more from you, AGAIN!
BUT: for a paid advertising Ecommerce biz, you need capital up front to spend. There's a steep learning curve to paid advertising, and it will cost a lot before you actually master the skill.
I will not recommend this route if you’re someone that is struggling to make ends meet, or still working that dreadful 9 to 5.
WHY? There is always a price to pay for every click, & every customer you get. It's something a lot of these ecommerce guys conveniently forget to mention, so be warned...
PARTING THOUGHTS ON DIGITAL MARKETING
19. Ezra's Course works, but Generating Leads is Better, Here's Why:
I can already hear some of you thinking – but isn’t it the same thing in the end? Well yeah – all forms of Digital Marketing inevitably lead to generating leads/paying customers.
The real difference comes into play when you weigh up organic vs paid.
The real difference comes into play when you weigh up organic vs paid.
This is what I mean:
Organic vs Paid
Organic searches will always gain top spot in search listings & will continue to bask in the beautiful advantage of longevity.
Paid Advertising is great don’t get me wrong, but I view it more as a short-term solution.
Temporary Listing Results
One big disadvantage with Paid Advertising is that as soon as your budget runs out, your listings will disappear.
Increasing Pay-Per-Click Marketing Costs
Pay-Per-Click Marketing can sometimes be costly.
When bidding for keywords, even though you are only placing bid for sometimes less than $1, eventually they mount up - especially if you get caught in a bidding war.
Fewer Clicks than Organic
This shows the advantages of ranking organically instead of paying Google to pin your page to the top of search results.
Not only do most users ignore sponsored search results; they’re also more likely to distrust the brand that’s advertising itself.
Click fraud
It’s not something that most PPC platforms openly discuss, but there’s a very real possibility of click fraud. This occurs when PPC advertisers barrage their competitors’ ads with fake clicks from different IP addresses, racking up expensive bills from ghost traffic
Now let’s take Organic:
Cost Factor
In comparison to paid search, organic search comes with zero upfront costs.
All you need with organic search is time. That time commitment can range from researching SEO basics to building a strategy to creating optimized content and more.
Impressive ROI
When it comes to organic search vs. paid search, return on investment (ROI) is an undeniable point of discussion.
No matter the channel, whether it’s organic search, social, or paid search, you want a return on your efforts.
That’s why almost 90% of marketers say SEO is successful in returning an impressive ROI
Compounds Benefits
Organic search also delivers benefits that compound.
When you launch and maintain your SEO strategy, as well as expand on it, you maximize all the advantages of organic SEO.
Local Lead Generation
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