Two new must-read guides for SMEs from Google and the taxman

Google is setting out to demystify AdWords, launching a simple guide explaining how they work and the options available

Google is setting out to demystify AdWords, launching a simple guide explaining how they work and the options available.

Deepak Ramanathan, Google’s Australian business marketing manager, says Google had a lot of inquiries from small businesses interested in finding new customers but bamboozled by a lot of acronyms and confused about how to get started. “Small business is time poor, facing resources restraints, so we tried to break down the complexity.”

He says Google wants to encourage business owners to do it themselves. “And if they don’t, at least they understand it.” The guide also runs through how small businesses can measure and track value. A lot of small businesses with limited budgets are more focused now on measuring their marketing spend, he says. But he says they should be, with the cost of AdWords rising fast as demand in the global market grows.

The Australian Taxation Office has also released updated guidelines that explain many of the juiciest tax deductions available to small business owners and how to claim them.

How to claim deductions for advertising, business travel and phone expenses are the topics covered in the updated Income tax and deductions for small business guide.