Getting started with Google adwords

September 4, 2005

Note that all those guides are taken from main Google FAQ
Google Inc.

How much does AdWords cost?
In the Google AdWords program, the cost of your campaigns really depends on you - how much you’re willing to pay and how well you know your audience. It all boils down to knowing your own goals and letting us know what they are.

There is a nominal, one-time activation fee for Google AdWords. After that, you pay only for clicks on your keyword-targeted AdWords ads, which you can control by telling us how much you’re willing to pay per click and per day.

For example, a new advertiser paying in USD can activate his/her AdWords account with just US$5.00, and can then choose a maximum cost-per-click (CPC) from US$0.01 - US$100.

Daily budgets start as low as 1 cent up to whatever limit the advertiser is comfortable spending. Site-targeted ads require a max CPM price of USD$1.00 or local currency equivalent per 1000 impressions.

Are there spending requirements, a minimum contract length, or other qualifying terms?

There is never a minimum spending commitment when you sign up for AdWords. No minimum contract requirements or other ‘lock-in’ rules apply. You have complete control over how long you participate in AdWords, and you control the maximum you want to spend per day. This is the same no matter how you choose to pay for your advertising.

When do my ads start running?
Once you’ve completed the account creation process, you’ll need to activate your account. The Google AdWords team will send you an email asking you to click on a specific link to verify your email address. After your address has been verified, you can log in to your new account. You’ll see a message asking you to submit your billing information. Your ads will usually appear on Google within a few minutes after we’ve received your payment, with timing depending on the payment method you’ve chosen (credit card, bank transfer, etc.). You may notice that your ads appear on Google before appearing on Google partner sites. This is because all ads appearing on our partner sites must be reviewed for compliance with our Editorial Guidelines before they can run.
Editoriual Guidelines

What basic terminology should I know?
Google adwords Glossary

FULL google FAQ/GUIDE