What Are Google Ads?
Originally referred to as Google Adwords, the platform renamed the service as Google Ads in 2018. Google offers paid online advertisements called Google Ads.
They offer an effective way to drive traffic and find your ideal customers.
When users type a keyword in the search bar, they get a list of results on SERPs.
These results may include a paid ad featuring the target keyword. Typically, these ads appear on the top of SERPs and look similar to organic searches, except that they have a bolded “ad” at the top.
Nonetheless, paying doesn’t ensure you’ll earn the top spot. Why? Because billions of other marketers may be competing for a similar keyword. Therefore, you must understand how Google ads work to make the most out of this opportunity.
How Do They Work?
Google ads are based on a pay-per-click model. Simply put, marketers wanting to target a particular keyword on Google will make bids on it to compete with other marketers targeting a similar keyword.
These are called maximum bids because they are the maximum you pay for a specific ad.
For instance, if your maximum bid is $5 and Google mentions that your cost per click is $3, you’ll successfully get an ad placement. However, if the bid exceeds $5, you’ll fail to place the ad.
Contrarily, you can set a maximum budget for your ad regularly. This won’t require spending more than a particular amount within a day. Consequently, you can better understand your ad budget and how much you should pay for winning ad placement.
Common bidding options include the following.
Cost-per-click (CPC). This determines your payment when someone clicks on your ad.
Cost-per-engagement (CPE). You'd need to pay for CPE if someone performs an action using the Google ad.
Cost-per-mile (CPM). This is the payment you need to complete upon 1000 ad impressions.
Google takes your bid and couples it with your ad quality score. This score estimates your keywords, ad, and landing page quality. The higher your ad quality, the better position your ad earns and the lower you need to pay.
This score is between 1-10 - 10, being the highest. The more you score, the better your ad campaign.
Likewise, the more users click on your ad, the higher the chance of accomplishing your ad goals.
Types of Google Ads
Although the goal of Google ads marketing is the same, you have the option to fulfill your objectives in varying ways. Therefore, Google offers different types of campaigns for a successful outcome.
Display Ads
Display ads target people who may be interested in your products but aren’t actively searching for them. These image-based ads direct user attention from the webpage content to the ad.
For instance, individuals may stumble upon display ads when searching their favorite websites. These ads are also displayed on their apps, Gmail accounts, and videos.
Search Ads
Search ads are text-based ads displayed on SERPs. For instance, if you sell cat toys, Google will display your cat-related products ad at a prominent place on the platform.
The search engine displays your ad in a format similar to other search results, except that it highlights it as an “ad.”
Earning the top spot in search ads is a win-win for your brand; you’ll target customers interested in a particular product by appearing in search results.
Video Ad Campaigns
Google displays video ads before and after someone streams a YouTube video. The right keywords will take your ad to the target audience and interrupt them only to capture their attention.
Note that a few ads also appear in the middle of the video. So, the “before” and “after” ads may go unnoticed; anyone streaming their favorite video will certainly view an ad that appears in the middle.
Shopping Ads
Shopping ads are targeted to shoppers. Google displays them on SERPs, and they include detailed information about a product. So, if you want to attract the audience to your specific product line, not the brand as a whole, Shopping ads can be your best bet.
You can always run them through Google Merchant Center. Putting in the specific product information is all it takes to create the ad.
App Ads
As the name suggests, these ads promote a mobile application by advertising on YouTube, Google Play, Google Search, and more. You can run the ad to encourage installation if your target audience doesn’t use a specific app.
On the flip side, if they have one installed on their phones, try introducing app features they haven’t used yet. Note that you do not design the Google app ads. Instead, you enter the app information and make a bid; the search engine takes care of the rest.
Common Terms to Know About Google Ads
As with any marketing campaign, Google Ads marketing requires you to understand specific terms. This will come in handy even if you plan to outsource the marketing project. It keeps you informed about your ad performance.
Common Google ads marketing terms are listed below.
AdRank
The AdRank decides your ad placement. The more the value, the higher the chance of ranking. As a result, more people will view your ad and the likelihood of receiving clicks increases.
Generally, Google determined the AdRank by multiplying your maximum bid and Quality Score.
Bid
Google advertisements aren’t any different from auctions. Those willing to advertise on Google must select a maximum bid they wish to pay for specific action. Higher bids are more likely to have better placements.
Ad Campaigns
There isn’t a single ad campaign. Instead, Google offers numerous options to run your ads.
You can select from search ads, video ads, or display ads. Search ads appear on the Google results page, video ads display on YouTube, and display ads show on the web pages, typically in the form of images.
Click-Through Rate
The click-through rate is the number of clicks you get vs. the number of people who viewed the ad.
Of course, if the click-through rate is lower than the views, you are doing something wrong. On the other hand, a balance between CTR and views indicates you’re targeting the right audience with appropriate keywords.
Conversion Rate
How many people visited your site and chose to submit a form? The conversion rate determines the number of site visitors vs. conversions. A higher CVR rate signifies your landing page offers an impeccable user experience and keeps up to the claims made in the ad.
Keywords
When a user types a query in the search bar, Google returns the best results to the individual that aligns with their intent. Keywords are the phrases or words users enter when searching on Google.
For instance, if a person wants to purchase a white T-shirt, they won’t type, “Purchase white T-shirts.” Instead, their searches can range from “Top quality white T-shirts in town” to “Best brands selling white T-shirts.”
You must research keywords and include relevant ones in your ad to rank. Otherwise, Google will eliminate you from the bid because you aren’t ranking for your offer.
Pay-per-click
These ads require you to pay for every ad click. It is the most common type of paid ad campaign. However, knowing the peculiarities of this ad campaign is essential to producing desired results.
Quality Score
You aren’t the only marketer or business owner willing to implement Google Ads marketing. Billions of your likes compete to earn a spot and benefit from their ad campaign. Therefore, Google uses a quality score to determine your ad’s quality.
The search engine typically decides your score by keyword relevancy, CTR, SERP performance, and landing page quality.
Pros of Google Ads Marketing
Google ads allow you to maximize your marketing efforts by displaying ads to people who might be actually interested in your products. The key advantages include the following.
- Create targeted ads. You can target your ads by choosing your customers' geographic location, age, language, day, and time. This allows your ads to reach only relevant audiences who can contribute to your business growth.
- Control the budget. Google ads marketing won’t strain your budget because it allows you to set one. You can select how much you wish to spend daily, monthly, or per ad.
- Measure success. If someone clicks your ad and takes a valuable action - installing an app or buying a product - you’ll know. This is a huge plus as it helps you track your campaign's success.
Given the many benefits of Google ads, you’ll be tempted to leverage them into your business immediately. However, tackling the PPC campaigns requires expert knowledge and skill.
Therefore, outsourcing the task to experienced companies makes sense. It’ll reduce risks associated with money and business reputation.
Besides, you won’t waste time training an in-house team from scratch. It’ll also keep you from spending more on committing beginner mistakes.
Things to Consider When Hiring a Google Ads Marketing Company
You need to ensure your company’s reputation stays intact as you move forward with your business. Therefore, choosing the right firm in the right way is essential to scale up your marketing game.
Know Your Goals
How many clicks do you expect to receive with your first ad campaign, and how many products do you desire to sell via Google ads marketing? You know your goals as a smart business owner, but the company you wish to hire does not.
Instead of running into confusion later, it is better to communicate your precise goals to the marketing firm. This will help them draft an ideal, actionable plan for your business. Besides, they’ll share how long it’ll take to implement it.
Knowing your goals beforehand is essential if you wish to make the most of your Google ads marketing.
Choose Right
You’ll only admire your company’s growth if you pick the right agency as your marketing partner. There’s no point in hiring a company with strengths that do not align with your goals. As a rule of thumb, consider:
- Selecting someone experienced in your specific industry
- Choosing a company that has severed numerous clients in a related niche
- Checking an agency’s review and ratings before hiring them.
Understand the Pricing
To establish long-term relationships with a Google ads marketing agency, you must understand the pricing structure.
Doing otherwise will create budget headaches for you and distrust between you and the company. Consequently, you may run into an argument, escalating business hassles.
Make sure you ask the company about its pricing when hiring.
Mistakes to Avoid
The story doesn’t end after you’ve hired a firm and handed over your marketing project to them. You need to avoid a few mistakes to ensure a meaningful campaign outcome.
Being irresponsive. If you have scheduled meetings with your Google ads marketing service providers, make sure you show up. You must be mentally and physically present during calls and share your ideas for successful results.
Not communicating properly. Build a relationship that thrives on communication. If you have a specific goal or idea in your head, share it with the service providers on time instead of turning it into an urgent issue.
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