Introduction
Given Google’s expansive use worldwide, almost everyone has come across Google ads and clicked on them at least once. On average, 99,000 Google searches take place every second. So, if you leverage Google AdWords to promote your business, you will witness tremendous benefits.
To learn more about how to set up Google AdWords and its best practices, read the article below:
What is Google AdWords?
Google Adwords is a PPC (Pay-per-click) advertisement platform where advertisers display their ads and only pay for the number of clicks or impressions a particular ad has received. Since you only need to pay when your ad gets an impression, it is a cost-effective solution for business owners, offering great ROI if done correctly. Moreover, it enables you to attract qualified traffic to your website since these users are searching for similar products and services. Additionally, it helps spread awareness about your business. Over time, you can also analyze the performance of the ads, optimize them, and understand what is working in your favor and what is not.Is Google Ads the same as AdWords?
Yes, Google Ads and AdWords are the same and often used interchangeably. In 2018, Google rebranded this part of its services and changed Google AdWords to Google Ads. Now, even though Google Ads have undergone some minor changes since the rebranding, both terms ideally mean the same thing, and one can use any of the two terms to describe Google’s advertising platform.How does Google AdWords work?
Google ads are shown to your target audience based on your bid and the quality score of the advertisement. Moreover, the user's search intent and alignment with their interests and needs are also considered before the ads are displayed. To understand how Google AdWord works, one needs to know about the following concepts: Types of Google Ads:- Search ads: Google search ads are displayed as a part of a search result when users search for keywords related to the advertiser’s business.
- Display ads: These are image or banner ads shown across websites within Google’s display network, which includes millions of websites, apps, and Google-owned properties like YouTube.
- Video ads: Ads that appear before, during, or after YouTube videos and across Google Display Network. These ads are skippable as well as non-skippable.
- Shopping ads: Product listings that appear in Google Shopping, Google Search, and across Google Display Network. These ads show product images, prices, and store names.
- App promotion ads: Ads designed to drive app downloads and engagement, appearing on Google Search, Google Pay, YouTube, and within other apps and sites on the display network.
- Responsive ads: These ads automatically adjust their size, appearance, and format to fit available ad spaces across the Display Network. They can include a combination of text, images, and videos.
- Local service ads: Appear at the top of Google search results for queries related to local services. These ads connect potential customers with local service providers.
- Smart ads: Automatically created and optimized ads using machine learning to help small businesses achieve their marketing goals with minimal effort.
- Discovery ads: Appears on YouTube Home and watch next feeds, Gmail promotions, and social tabs, and Google Discover, offering visually rich, engaging formats
- Call-only ads: They are designed to encourage users to call your business directly from the ad. They are particularly effective for services that rely on phone inquiries.
- Expected clicks
- Relevance
- Landing page experience
Why use Google AdWords?
Yields faster results: If you are tired of trying search engine optimization to make your website grow, you can opt for Google AdWords. SEO is a lengthy process that requires keyword optimization, building a backlink profile, publishing high-quality content, and ensuring your website runs optimally and ranks well. However, Google AdWords is a shortcut that helps attract relevant traffic to your website in a short period. Since your website is always on the top of the search engine result page, you will always experience high website traffic. This, however, doesn’t mean that SEO is not necessary. Several factors, including landing page experience, are considered when deciding where your website will be displayed. Reach the right audience: Google AdWords helps you target an audience based on their location, keywords used during a Google search, and interests. Moreover, it also enables you to display your ads to people who have previously visited your website or shown interest, which helps you stay on top of the minds of relevant users. So, instead of spending thousands of dollars on other digital marketing strategies, you spend your money in the right place with Google ads. Monitor and measure your ad campaigns: This platform provides every metric you need to measure the success of your ad campaign, including traffic, clicks, conversions, and impressions. You can also track where the maximum leads are coming from and what keywords they used to search. This way, you can discontinue the campaigns that are not producing the desired results. Increase brand awareness and recognition: For most people, Google is the first place they go when they search for a product, service, or other information. This is why displaying your ads on Google AdWords dramatically increases brand awareness and recognition. Since most people rely on Google as their ultimate source of information, displaying your ads on this platform will help you gain the proper attention from the right people. Effectively control your ad budget: With Google ads, you can fine-tune your ad budget. You must begin by finding keywords relevant to your products and services. Along with this, you also need to specify the bid amount that you are most comfortable with. You can also set a daily budget to ensure you do not exceed your limit.How to get started with Google AdWords
Get set up on Google Search Console
You must first set up your Google Search Console account to start with Google AdWords. Setting up your Google search console account will allow you to see all the analytics. Moreover, you also have to open your Google AdWords account, for which you need to visit the Google Ads website and sign up. As soon as you sign up, Google will automatically take you through the process of setting up your first Google Ads campaign. Remember that Google runs pay-per-click campaigns, so you will be required to share your credit card details when you set up your account. However, don’t worry because you won’t be charged anything until you have set up your campaign and get clicks.Determine your goals
Your goals are the sole factor that determines the entire route of your Google Adwords campaign. Your goal will decide whether the budget is viable and which path you must take. Your goals for Google AdWords consist of the following:- Get more callbacks and enquires
- Get people to visit your physical store
- Get more sales and signups
Determine your budget
Determining your budget is one of the most important things you must do if you want your Google Adwords strategy to succeed. When you are setting up your AdWords account, you need to consider how many website visitors you can convert into customers. If your website is new and you don’t have proper data on this metric, you can also take out an average and work on that. Studies show that conversion rates for many websites are less than 2.3%. Therefore, spending too much money on Google ads may not be a good idea. Set your budget based on your landing page's average conversion rate. Additionally, consider the cost per acquisition when setting a budget for your ads.Do keyword research
Keyword research is fundamental when it comes to finding keywords for which you want your ads to rank. To discover the keywords, you need to start thinking like your customers. You need to think about how your customers would think about a product or service and search for it. One of the best things about signing up for your Google Ads account is that Google will automatically suggest some keywords based on the content of your website. This is a great starting point for determining which keywords will be the best for you. However, remember that you can use these keywords as a base, but you are competing with hundreds of other competitors, so you need to spend as much time as you can determining which keywords will be the best fit. For instance, if you run a clothing store, instead of targeting keywords such as best t-shirts for summer, you can be as specific as white cotton t-shirts for summer. Targeting this keyword ensures that most customers who use this keyword to search for t-shirts are most likely to make a purchase as soon as they come across your ad. Since the users are not using a generic keyword and being as specific as possible, the likelihood of them making a purchase is the maximum.Write the ad
To write an ad for your AdWords campaign, you need to ensure that the copy is compelling and genuine. To write a persuasive ad, your ad copy must focus on the benefits that your users can enjoy when they avail of your products and services rather than on what you offer. You must also include a specific call to action so that people know what to do after they see your ad. Moreover, your ad heading and description must be as unique as possible to grab the attention of your target audience and encourage them to take the desired action. There are three essential components of A Google Ad:- Headline: The headline is the first thing that users come across when they see your ad. So, ensure that the headline is as relevant as possible with all the keywords and phrases related to your niche.
- Description: Right below the headline are two descriptions, each 90 characters. As mentioned above, the first description should focus on the customers' pain points and how using your products will benefit them. It should clearly state what your audience will gain from your product rather than simply providing them with information about what your product is all about. The second description can highlight the key features of your products. Remember that getting your ad copy right on the first attempt is almost impossible, so don't be afraid to experiment if you think your ad is not getting the traction you were hoping for.
- Destination URL: Your destination URL is the last element of the ad. This is the URL that people will click to visit your page. To add the URL, you need to choose a page that you want your target audience to land on and paste the URL in the field mentioned in Google’s Ad account.