Google Ads (Adwords) is one of the best ways to promote your business. Getting started with Google Ads may seem like an overwhelming task, but it’s actually pretty easy. You have to set a budget, choose keywords to target and create campaigns. And if you want additional features, you can use extensions.
Google Ads work and they can give you nearly-instant results. You can get up and running in less than an hour and if you do it right, you can start generating new sales at the end of the hour.
Google Ads is a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) system that allows your brand to appear in search results when people look up information relevant to your products or services.
What is Google Ads?
We love SEO, but it’s a slower process. Think of Google Ads as your way to go for more immediate results.
Here are some stats to show the importance of Google Ads:
- As per Wordstream, 64.6% of people click of Google Ads
- As per Google, 89% of traffic generated through Search Ads can not be replaced by Organic clicks.
- Businesses generally make an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 they spend on Google Ads.
Google Ads vs Google Adwords
In the summer of 2018, Google renamed their AdWords platform to be Google Ads. They chose the new name to spread out over more features than just text ads on Google searches. Google Ads is a full platform that helps you advertise through product listings, display, and even video integrations on YouTube.
So, while many people are more familiar with “Google AdWords,” we will use the new name Google Ads from here out.
How Does Google Ads Work?
Google’s advertising system is a bit like an auction. Advertisers can choose specific keywords they’d like their ads to show on, and then determine how much they’re willing to pay for each ad that results in a click on their site. That’s where the term “cost per click” comes from.
The amount of that bid (compared to others bidding on the same term) will help determine how high up on the page Google places your ad.
In most auctions, the highest bidder wins the prize. Google Ads is different, however. Your ad rank is determined by factors like quality score and maximum bid. If your quality score is high enough for a certain keyword, you might not have to pay full price for it.
Your quality score is a combination of your ad and landing page quality. The more relevant the ad and landing page are to the user’s search, the less you’ll pay for your ad and have a higher chance at getting the click.
Get Started with Google Ads
You’ll start by creating an account with Google Ads, but then you’ll need to do keyword research and write good ad copy for your product/offer.
Create your Google Ads Account
You can set up your Google Ads account at: https://ads.google.com/home/
You will be guided in setting up an account and asked for information like your email address and website that you would like to send your ads to. You will also choose your country, time zone, and currency.
Here’s What You’ll Need Before You Start:
- A Website or a landing page
- Keywords
- Ad Copy and Headlines
Select your Keywords
When you see “keywords” in reference to ads (or maybe “paid keywords” to be more precise,) think of these as the phrases people search in Google, and your ad would appear in front of them as a possible solution.
Keywords are the building blocks of your ad campaign. You will research them and learn intermediate to advanced keyword strategies in a short amount of time.
That’s the basic premise, but Google Ads campaigns don’t rely solely on a list of products. People don’t always search that way in Google, so you need to cast a wider net in order to catch people with an idea of what they want. That’s where match types come in.
If a business sold balloons for special occasions, their keywords might include:
- Helium Balloons
- Mylar Balloons
- Send a birthday Gift
- Kids Party Supplies
Keyword Match Types
Using the example above, their ads would serve customers looking for birthday balloons and party supplies. There’s a lot of territories to cover, though. Translation: a lot of keywords. Our seller might be tempted to cut corners and just go with any “balloon” search. That would be a poor choice. It opens the door to bad matches.
Consider this kind of balloon search: Hot Air Balloon Rides
This has nothing to do with their business, but they would end up losing money on any of their ads that people clicked. Choosing the right keyword match types is a major part of running an effective campaign.
Should you Bid on your Brand Terms?
Bidding on your own branded terms is actually an easy win.
- Removes Competition:
Once your competitors recognize your brand, they will start targeting your keywords. This is especially true if they are more experienced. You don’t want to leave your brand unguarded. Even if you feel covered with organic results, it’s smart here to play it safe.
- Its effectively Cheap:
Your quality score on your own branded terms should be high, which means that you will pay less per click. This is good for you because the competition is low compared to the high-volume nice terms. And with a high-quality score on these terms, the clicks could be very affordable.
Write Strong Ad Copy
Once you are ready to create your ads, follow these best practices for writing headlines and ad copy.
- Headlines:
You have 25 characters to grab someone’s attention. Forget calling them “readers;” they are “browsers,” skimming the page to see what might answer their search.
Headlines are usually the first thing that catches the attention of your readers. They should be interesting and informative, but not misleading. The headline should be clear and concise.
- Ad Body
Be enticing and clear about what you can do for the reader. Your ad body copy is your shot at getting someone to understand what you offer and then click through to learn more or to take advantage of that offer. Anything vague or mysterious can only waste your money on clicks from high bounce rate visitors.
- Landing Page
High-performing ads get customers to your site, and you pay for them whether or not the visitor buys (or signs up). They can be anything from display ads to social network ads and email campaigns. That means they need to point to a strong, relevant landing page that delivers on what the ad promised.
When creating a display URL for your landing page, it is important that you keep in mind that the URL does not have to be the actual landing page. The display URL can contain any keywords that you would like to use in it, such as www.mysite.com/keyword-you-searched-for.
Final Thoughts:
Understanding Google Adwords is as necessary as understanding the art of growth on internet. Don’t just scroll through the blogs, get in touch with a digital marketing agency that can help you with Google Adwords and PPC services. AI Advertisment can help you, all you need to do is just connect with us.
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The Importance of PPC Budget: How Your PPC Budget Affects Conversions
7 Proven Ways to Improve Your Google Ads Campaign Performance
The Ultimate Guide to Google Ads: How to Use Them for Your Business