What You Should Know About Google Ads
If you’ve ever looked something up on the internet before, you’ve probably seen Google Ads. While it’s not the most creative name, it is straightforward — these paid ads that show up in Google searches are great exposure for any business for three major reasons: They’re easy to target, they’re inexpensive, and they require very little work to create.
If you’re a newly established or slowly growing business that’s trying to get your brand out there and you’re considering all your advertising options, this program run by Google is a great option for you. But it’s important you understand exactly how Google Ads work so you can manage your own expectations.
Google Ads versus SEO
If you’re working on your online presence, you’ve probably been thinking a lot about SEO, short for search engine optimization. This is the practice of using keywords relevant to your industry — particularly those that your customers are searching for online — across your website so that you get a more prominent spot in Google search results.
You know when you type something into Google and you get pages after pages of results? You usually just skim the first page, probably the first two or three results at the top, right? Those links didn’t show up at the top of the search results for no reason. They showed up there because their use of keywords on their site and their click-rate with Google users have demonstrated that they are the most relevant results.
But wait — there are two or three search results at the top of the list that are labeled as Google Ads. That’s because the marketing team behind those brands paid to have their website shown to Google users who are searching the words you just searched. Sure, they’re marked as paid advertisements, but they’re still at the top of the list. And for the most part, they look very much the same as the rest of the search results.
While SEO is always going to be the best way of generating consistent long-term traffic for your site, it can be extremely difficult and can take many months or even years before you’re able to rise up above all the other businesses competing for those top spots in the search results. Think about how many potential customers can pass you by in that time! This is one of the reasons paying for a Google Ads spot could be a great option when you’re first launching your online presence and need that little boost.
Google Ads won’t break the bank.
One of the best aspects of Google Ads is the fact that they’re not too expensive. They’re what is called pay-per-click (PPC), whereby you are charged for every time a visitor actually clicks on your link. So if your ad is given exposure in plenty of searches but you aren’t getting any clicks, you won’t be charged for it.
Because of this, you are paying for visitors on your site, not just for your ad to show up to people who may or may not care. However, don’t forget that it’s then up to you to retain those visitors and convert them to customers once they’re on your site.
There’s no minimum amount of money that you need to spend, so Google Ads can fit any budget. And if you’re worried about spending too much, all you have to do is set a daily maximum budget — once you hit that maximum, Google will stop showing your ad. No need to worry about overspending.
Google Ads are simple to create.
You’ve seen Google Ads — there’s really nothing to them. You have to create a simple headline and a website description, all working with a limited number of characters. There’s no need to hire a graphic designer to create an ad or a copywriter to come up with creative long-form wording. You can pretty much create a Google Ad while you wait for a pot of coffee to brew!
Google Ads are easy to target.
You know that a lot of people use Google. A lot of people! In fact, estimates range between 3.5 and 5 billion searches on the platform per day. You’re probably wondering how many of those searches are actually relevant to your brand.
When you run a Google Ad, you can target your ad to hit specific users based on the data Google has about them: their age, their geographic location, and their general interests based on their search history.
It’s also important to remember that Google Ads are a very specific kind of advertising because you know they’re being shown to people who are interested in your products or services and who are looking to make a purchase. After all, nobody gets on Google and searches “plumber” unless they’re looking to hire a plumber, right? Your ad is therefore an answer to their problem — and you don’t have to worry about it being a nuisance that interrupts their browsing experience online.