What Is Google Ads, and Why Should You Use It?
With the ability to reach millions of audiences across the globe, Google Ads, formerly known as Google Adwords, is the most popular platform for online advertising on the world wide web. Google AdWords leverages advertisements created by advertisers who bid to display ads featuring their products or services on a simple pay-per-click marketing channel that makes up the Google Display Network.
Creating a google ad campaign can not only increase brand awareness and effectively reach your target audience, but with a wide range of features and benefits, creating an effective Google Ads campaign is a company’s ace in the hole for increasing their bottom line. This a smart investment for any small business owner who is seeking to increase their presence in the marketplace and effectively reach a greater number of potential customers. Let’s take a closer look at what Google Ads is and why investing in this online advertising platform is advantageous.
10 Google Ads benefits
High-quality traffic
When the internet went public in 1991, Google was the first online search engine. Since its inception, Google has grown into more than just a brand. It has morphed into a verb that can now be found in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. When we have questions, many look to Google for answers. Why is the sky blue? Google it. Want to learn how to make homemade bread? Google it. Looking for a particular product or service in your area? Google it. Business owners can harness that traffic by advertising on Google Ads. Reaching the right audience was challenging. When anyone searches for your particular product or service, or searches for specific keywords, your ad can pop up, significantly increasing your visibility and reach.
Wide targeting
Google is the number 1 rated search engine in the world. It dominates the web with a whopping 90% of all the world’s search engine traffic. With that kind of reach, there is no doubt that this is one of the most effective ways to navigate website traffic to your target audience and positively impact your bottom line.
Harness intent
By now, you know that Google is in a league of its own regarding reaching the masses. But that’s just one of its many benefits. Creating visibility and learning what your customers are looking for is an intentional marketing strategy that has been around for some time. When potential customers search Google Ads, they are intentional about finding something specific instead of someone online for entertainment. If you’re advertising to someone who isn’t looking to be sold something, they will likely disregard you and move on. But when your ad is on Adwords, you can be sure you’re reaching the right people in the right place, ensuring better results, and maximizing your time and efforts.
Campaign control
Consider Ads your one-stop shop for online advertising. Managing multiple online ad campaigns can take time, skill, and money. Resources for a small business owner could be better utilized in different areas. When you consider purchasing ad space, it’s easy enough to train just one employee on how to manage your Google Ads campaign.
Budget flexibility
You have complete control over how much you spend each month. Set a monthly budget that works for your business. If your ad is doing well and you want to invest more, increase the cap. If you’re not experiencing the traffic you anticipated, a simple adjustment will get you back on track. You have control over your budget at all times. If you set a budget, Google Ads will always stay within it and even forecast your campaign results based on your budget.
Detailed reporting
At this point, you’ll want to know precisely how well your Google Ads campaign is performing. In just a few clicks, you will see all of your reports listed by default on your reporting dashboard. Use Google Ads reports seeing what outcomes occurred as a result of users clicking on your ads. Here are a few examples:
- Google Ads Keywords Report – Provides a complete analysis of the effectiveness of each keyword you bid on.
- Google Ads Hours of Day Report – Get a clear understanding of the best times of day to position your Ads campaign.
- Google Ads Campaign Report – Review conversion rates and which ad campaigns drive revenue.
Can produce fast results
Google is known for attracting new customer leads with impressive conversion rates. So, how long does it take Google Ads to work for your business? While the timetable will likely be different for each business, with effective Google Ads management, you can expect up to 12 months, regardless of the size of your business. It can take approximately six months to develop an Adwords campaign and 6-12 months to allow a strong PPC (pay-per-click) campaign to flourish. With Google being the most cost-effective advertising platform for companies of all sizes, the results are well worth it!
Build brand awareness
Research shows that growing brand awareness is the number one priority for advertisers. Closely followed by converting leads to sales and generating new leads. Most people think of PPC ads when thinking about advertising with Google Ads. But when you consider that approximately 9 billion people search google every day, the potential to increase your brand’s visibility to the public is enormous. Even if prospective new customers don’t click on your ad at first, they’re seeing your tagline, your name brand, or the service you offer, thereby giving your brand new strength and building momentum.
Increase leads and customers
Creating a compelling post-click landing page is a surefire way to increase leads and land new customers. This is the page that people land on after they click on your ad or a promotional link. Don’t be fooled into thinking that an “About Us” or “Contact Us” page is equivalent to your landing page. Google Ads support states:
“post-click landing page experience is Ads’ measure of how well your website gives people who click your ads exactly what they’re looking for–quickly and effortlessly. Your post-click landing page is the URL people arrive at after they click your ad, and the experience you offer affects your Ad Rank and, therefore, your CPC and position in the ad auction. Your ads may show less often (or not) if they point to websites with poor user experience.”
Utilize your time and resources effectively. Save your marketing budget by directing potential new customers to your homepage. In time you’ll be glad you made the extra effort!
Maximize ROI with different bidding strategies
The Ads team has developed several bidding strategies to help advertisers get the most out of their marketing efforts and maximize their ROI. Here are just a few:
- CPC Bidding – AKA cost-per-click advertising where advertisers are billed for the number of times visitors click on a display ad attached to their site. Google recommends this if your goal is to drive website traffic.
- CPA Bidding – This bidding strategy allows you to get as many conversions as possible. When you create the target CPA, or target cost per action, the strategy, you set an average cost you would like to pay for each conversion. This is recommended when advertisers focus on conversions such as sign-ups and purchases.
- CPM Bidding – also known as cost per Mille or cost per thousand impressions. This bidding strategy is often utilized by those investing in social media or display advertising. Google recommends this approach for building brand awareness.
How does Google Ads work?
Google Ads is straightforward and user-friendly.
- Advertisers create ads that target their specific product or service. This usually includes selecting the search terms, or keywords, that you want your ads to show since the vast majority of Google ads are for google searches.
- Google will then present these ads to the appropriate users. The advertisers are charged based on the bidding strategy chosen when creating their accounts.
- Users are directed to the advertiser’s landing page when they click on an ad.
The five types of Google Ads
When deciding which type of ads to run to reach your target audience effectively, there are several things to consider. Envisioning the goals that you have in mind for your business, being authentic, and staying true to your brand are all very important factors to keep in mind. These five different types of Google Ads will work differently in different cases:
- Search Ads – These are text-based ads that allow you to put your ad at the top of the results list when a person searches for a targeted keyword. Let’s say you’re a veterinarian. You would create a google search ad that would be shown whenever someone searches for “veterinarian.” When people see your ad, they click on a link to your website.
- Display Ads – While these ads come in many shapes and sizes, the one thing they all have in common is that they all contain some text, an image, or a logo. They can be found all over the internet and are a great way to reach people who may be interested in what you’re selling.
- App Ad Campaigns – These are exclusive to the Google Play Store App. They are a great way to promote your app to potential users.
- Video Ads – Just as it sounds, these video ads can be found on the Google Display Network, YouTube, and Gmail. Video ads are a great way to achieve various marketing goals, such as brand awareness and customer engagement.
- Shopping Ads appear when a person searches for a product you sell. When they click on the ad, they land on your website, where they can learn more about the product and make a purchase.
How much does Google Ads cost?
As Warren Buffet once said, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” On average, with Google Ads, for every $1 spent, businesses make $2. The average CPC with the Google Search Network is $1-$2, while the average CPC for the Google Display Network is less than $1. Here are some factors that determine cost:
- Industry
- Ad Rank
- Google Ad Network
- Quality Score
- Campaign ad settings such as budget, targeting, and keywords
- PPC tools and services
There is no one size fits all answer to this question, but businesses can expect to pay between $9000 to $30,000 per month on paid advertising. Google has a customizable approach that controls how much you spend, so the cost-benefit analysis is definitely in your favor.