When you type a product or service into Google, and the very first search result is an ad, the reason is usually that the company has a Google Ads campaign.Google Ads is one of the most effective methods of online advertising currently available. Alone, it generates 97% of Google’s revenue! Web users are four times more likely to click on a Google ad than on an ad from another network. When a campaign is done correctly, Google Ads can send a massive influx of potential customers.It also tracks everything, from website visits to conversions and sales. Better yet, you retain complete control of the cost the whole time, so expenses need never get out of hand.If you’ve never used Google Ads before, now is the time to start. It’s the ideal tool for growing your company and reaching new levels of success. Read on to learn more about the benefits, how to use Google Ads and how Anchor Digital can help you reach your advertising goals.
What is Google Ads?
Google Ads is Google’s online advertising program. It’s almost as old as Google, launched just two years after the search engine in 2000. It was known as Google AdWords until a re-branding in 2018. Google Ads allows you to show up on Google’s results page on desktop and mobile when your ideal customers are hunting for the kind of products you offer. You can also use it to reach potential customers through other search engines like YouTube.
Google Ads works on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, which only requires you to pay for tangible results like website clicks. You set the limits that Google can spend on a campaign and bid on the keywords that users search for. When users search for these keywords again, Google ranks each ad on its quality score (which factors in landing page quality, relevance and click-through rate) along with the maximum spend to assess which ad will make it to the top of the search. When your ad gets clicked, you have to pay, but you don’t necessarily have to pay the maximum bid.Learning how to use Google Ads is easy. Just log in, click ‘Campaigns’ on the left-hand side of the page, click the plus button, choose ‘New Campaign’, and select your desired campaign type and goals. You can choose various campaign types, including search, video, shopping and app.
Why You Should Use Google Ads to Your Advantage
There are many reasons why Google Ads remains the most popular PPC model, including
1. Google’s massive reach
Google has about five billion interactions a day and two billion unique monthly visitors. Over a year, the number of unique searches surpasses the mind-blowing two trillion mark! Google is the world’s most popular search engine and is often the first place people turn to when they need to settle a debate or verify a fact quickly. With just over half the world’s population currently using the search engine, it’s the number one place to be seen!
2. Range of targeting
With Google Ads, you can get very specific about who you target with your advertisements. You can select a specific geographical range, a specific gender, a specific age range etc., and your campaign will target people in that demographic rather than outside it. You can also target short or long-tail keywords and catch prospective customers at various stages of the sales funnel, including enticing users who’ve clicked away from your site back to it with retargeting software.
3. Harness intent
You’ve heard of giving the people what they want. When most people go online, ads are the last thing they’re looking for. So how do you get yours on their radars?One of the many advantages of showing up on search engines is that most people seek something specific: an answer to their query. When you present them with it, you become the answer to their problem instead of a distraction from their quest to solve it.
4. Maintain complete control of your campaigns
Google Ads leaves you in control of how much money you spend, what kind of audience you reach and how long your campaigns run. You’re free to concentrate on other aspects of the business without the need to anticipate and plan for surprises.
5. See results easily
Google Ads lets you track every aspect of your campaign and presents you with detailed reports in plain English. The dashboard will tell you which of your ads web users have clicked, which keywords visitors have entered, and how much you have left in your budget. The data is all laid out in an easy-to-understand format, so you know exactly what changes you need to make.
6. Faster results than SEO
SEO is an incredibly powerful tool and a must for your business. There’s no doubt about that. But sometimes, it takes a long optimisation or backlink-building process before you see your site on the first page of Google. With its PPC advertising format, Google Ads offers a much quicker pathway to the top of the search results.
An approach that includes both SEO and Google Ads is the most effective overall. But if you want results fast, Google Ads is the most powerful way to get them.
7. Build brand awareness
One of the bonus benefits of Google Ads is that even if web users don’t click on your ad straight away, your brand starts to feel more familiar with repeated exposure. Brand awareness is the extent that the public is familiar with your product or service, and it makes a difference. Customers are more likely to buy something familiar than something they’ve never heard of. When web users are repeatedly exposed to your logo, tagline, offers etc., they begin to place more trust in you, which increases sales down the line.
8. More conversions
If you’re wondering how much pay-off you’re likely to get for the money you spend, the answer with Google Ads is a lot. The average ROI (return on investment) is 200%, which means you’re likely to double every dollar spent and sometimes even earn a lot more.
When Google decides which ads to display in the top position, they take the quality of your landing page. If your landing page is optimised for SEO and addresses their inquiry by eliminating the need for them to go anywhere else, you’re in luck. Google will reward your hard work with a high ranking, and more people will find your page, leading to more sales.
Improve Your Business with Google Ads
When doing business online, first impressions count. If something about your site isn’t up to scratch, it only takes a few seconds for a potential customer to leave and make a purchase elsewhere.The quality of your Google Ads and your SEO impact your conversions, and Anchor Digital can help you improve your strategy for both. We strike a balance between tried-and-tested methods and creative flair to optimise your site, your campaigns and your creative success. Our digital marketing experts can effectively assist with everything related to using Google Ads, including the right keywords and campaigns to steer you to increased conversions. We research and model consumer behaviour, offer cost-effective keyword bidding strategies, monitor your campaign and your competitors in depth, and provide you with jargon-free reports and insights. Drop us a line to maximise your return on investment from one of online advertising’s most powerful tools!
