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For someone inexperienced in Google Ads, the idea can be both exciting and terrifying. If done right, Ads can transform your business. If done wrong, a business can spend thousands and get nothing in turn.
In July 2018, Google rebranded Google Adwords to Google Ads. Since then, this is the main door for advertisers to buy on display ads, Google Maps, YouTube videos, Google Play, location listing and other Google surfaces.
Explaining the benefits or losses that come with Google Ads cannot make someone understand what the platform is and how it works.
About Smart Campaign
This is the first new solution under Google’s new brand, Google Ads. It provides a great opportunity for local and small businesses to engage in their paid advertising, without having to hire a full-time marketing employee or an agency.
Customers can launch Smart Campaigns easily because Google has designed automated campaigns to help businesses get started on Google Ads easily and quickly.
The process for building Smart Campaigns includes audience building, automated ad creation, ad delivery selection, and later this year will include landing pages!
Definition of Google Ads
Google Ads is one of the major pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platforms. Google Ads differ from other PPC platforms such as Facebook because it reaches the audience in two basic ways:
* Through the Google Display Network
* Through the Google Search Network
As is much as the approaches function in very different ways, they both use a PPC bidding system, where businesses bid to get their ads shown to relevant audiences.
-Google Search Network
With the Google Search Network, you can show ads to people searching for the keywords you have chosen. If you are a roofing business, you bid for your ad to show up every time someone types in “Roofer in Brisbane.”
-Google Display Network
Unlike Google Search Network that shows ads to users who are searching a service or product online, the Google Display Network places “banner ads” or ‘display ads” on websites you think your potential customer will be on.
People don’t actively search for the service or product you are selling, so there are low chances they’ll click banner ads. Although, in some instances, people don’t know what they want until they see it. This means display ads can give your business more exposure to potential customers who might not find it on their own.
Display ads are also excellent for re-engagement campaigns. In this case, you show ads to previous visitors with expectations they will come back again. Experts call this “retargeting.”
Why Google Ads?
Currently, there are several PPC platforms including Twitter Ads, Facebook, Pinterest Promoted Pins, and Instagram Ads Platform. As well, there are other search engine Ad platforms including Yahoo Search Ads and Bing Ads.
Despite the intense competition, Google Ads is among the best ways businesses can reach their target audience.
Other PPC platforms, especially Facebook work exceptionally well too, so you may be spoilt for choice. This means by being able to reach people looking for content, products, and brands like yours is a wonderful opportunity. It might help you make quick sales ahead of your competitor.
Benefits of Google Ads
- Can Attract Customers Quickly
Studies show that approximately 90 percent of all Google searches are for products and services. This means having your website at the top attracts more visitors.
If you bid on the right keywords for your industry, your website can get listed at the top of the first page instantly.
- It is faster than SEO
If you would like to use SEO to get to the top of Google, you have to be very patient as it can take months to bear fruit. If using Ads, you just need to combine your landing page and copy, and ad bid – then your ads will go to the first page of search results in no time.
- You can find out what Converts
By simply linking your Google Analytics and Google Ads accounts you can get accurate reports about what marketing works for your business and what doesn’t.
This will also save you money as you find out which ads or keywords don’t work and remove them so you can save money.
- You have Control over Advertising Costs
You only pay for clicks on your ad and not when it is shown as a search result. In other words, you only pay when there is a probability of making a conversion on your site.
There is an option to set a daily budget for your campaigns so there are minimal chances of accidentally overspending.
- Location Targeting
If you sell localised services of products, Ads can help you make sure only searchers in your locations see your ads. You can tell Google to show ads to individuals searching in your town or a selected radius of your business.
We, in Marketing Media, are taking advantage of these benefits.
Drawbacks for Google Ads
Google is one of the companies that play a great role in improving the quality of our personal and professional lives. Most of Google’s products including Ads are great, but it has a negative side too.
- Customers Pay For Clicks
With Google Ads, you pay for clicks, and clicks do not necessarily result in sales. New or start-up businesses may have to pay $5 to get users to visit their site. In some instances, a click can cost as much as $60.
As long as someone clicks, you must pay Google regardless you make sale or not. Most companies
- Small Companies and Start-ups can’t compete with big Businesses
Ads are all about money, meaning small companies and start-ups find it hard to compete with big companies.
Larger companies have consistent cash flow and can drop hundreds of thousands of dollars per month on Google Ads campaign.
Because big companies have the time and resources for campaigns, it means by the time establishing businesses launch, all relevant keywords have been taken and their price has gone up.
- Limited Number of Characters
Ads limits the number of characters to and this restriction may at times make it hard to use Ads.
To get the most out of Ads, users must choose their words carefully.
- Small Mistakes can be Catastrophic
Small problems such as failing to turn an ad off and making a spelling error can be very costly.
Indirect mistakes can as well be costly. For example, forgetting to update your landing page because you are busy with your Ads campaign will attract a penalty from Google.
Another mistake is making an error during Ads Conversion Tracking implementation, such as confusing it with analytics. This will prevent you from getting real-time information, and end up costing in gaining conversions.
- Google Ads may not be suitable for your Niche
Google Ads just doesn’t fit all markets. This is because Ads can at times be broad because it is concerned with the most relevant choice on the page.
It’s recommended that before you invest in an Ads campaign, you research your audience and ways for reaching them. Don’t invest in Ads until you find that your audience can be reached on Google.
Conclusion
Running Google Ads can be both time and money consuming. If done properly, it can be a good investment with good returns. The search network can help your ads to rank properly in searches of internet users who are looking for brands similar to yours. As well the display network can assist in discovery or re-engagement campaigns.
As much as the Google Ads system can be complex, there are many benefits to using it. Good thing is, if you get a good PPC expert, they can run a profitable campaign with low CPCs no matter the size of your marketing budget. As always, t is recommended that business owners consult an expert before running ads on Google.
