A Beginner Guide to Google Ads for Business Owners

Are you a business owner looking to attract more visitors, boost visibility, and drive sales? Google Ads is the powerful solution you’ve been searching for! With its vast reach and ability to target specific audiences, it’s no wonder that businesses of all sizes rely on Google Ads to grow and succeed.

In this blog post, you’ll discover our “guide to Google Ads for business owners” and everything you need to know about this incredible platform and how it can revolutionise your online presence.

From understanding the basics to crafting your first ad campaign, mastering keywords, and optimising for better performance, we’ll guide you through the exciting world of Google Ads.

So, let’s dive into this journey of transforming your website’s performance with the power of Google Ads!

What is Google Ads?

Your ads could be featured on the most widely used search engine and its partner sites, attracting visitors, and producing leads or sales. This is exactly the opportunity Google Ads presents for your business. By learning how to use Google Ads, you can create Google Ads, including responsive search ads, that appear on Google search results and partner websites, helping you reach new customers and grow your business.

One exciting aspect of Google Ads is its pay-per-action pricing model, usually calculated as cost-per-click (CPC). With various types of ads available, such as:

• Search ads
• Display ads
• Video ads
• Shopping ads
• App ads

You’re sure to find the perfect ad type to match your advertising goals. Are you prepared to utilise Google Ads to significantly increase your website traffic? Let’s begin!

Advantages of Using Google Ads

Google Ads offer several benefits including:

• Targeted advertising: Google Ads allows you to reach out to a specific audience based on factors like location, language, age, and more. This ensures your ads are shown to people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services.
• Device-specific ad placement: With Google Ads, you can choose on which devices your ads will appear. This gives you the flexibility to target users on mobile, desktop, or both.
• Payment based solely on results: Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, meaning you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. This makes it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.
• The ability to monitor performance: Google Ads provides detailed analytics that help you understand how your ads are performing. This data can be used to optimize your campaigns and achieve better results.

This makes Google Ads a cost-effective and efficient marketing tool that can help businesses of all sizes reach their goals through Google search ads and other campaign types.

With precise targeting, you can ensure your ads are seen by potential customers who are more likely to be interested in your products or services, whether they are on Google search results or the Google Display Network. In addition, device targeting lets you select the devices you want your ads to be seen on, giving you more control over your advertising efforts, including app ad campaigns.

Best of all, since Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click model, you only pay for the clicks that your ads receive, not for the impressions. And with performance tracking, you can easily measure the success of your campaigns and optimise them for even better results.

Basics of Google Ads

Are you prepared to understand Google Ads? The upcoming sections will provide an overview of this robust platform, including a guide to Google Ads, steps to set up your Google Ads account, and an introduction to the various ad types.

Understanding the Google Ads Platform

Fundamentally, Google Ads is built to assist businesses in connecting with their target audience by featuring ads on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). This is an example of a Google ads account structure:

• Campaign....
• Ad groups: These are subsets within your ad campaigns that include one or more ads and a shared set of keywords. Ad groups allow for better ad organization and more targeted ad delivery.
• Keywords: These are words or phrases describing your product or service that you choose to help determine where and when your ad can appear. Keywords are essential in making your ads relevant to users' search queries.
• Ad copy: This is the main text of a clickable ad. It usually includes a value proposition and a call to action. The quality of your ad copy directly impacts the performance of your ads.
• Landing pages: These are the web pages where visitors end up after they click your ad. The design and content of your landing page are crucial as they play a significant role in converting visitors into customers.

Google Ads offers an effective way for you to boost visibility and drive more customers to your business, proving that Google Ads work.

One of the standout features of Google Ads is its pay-per-click (PPC) advertising model, indicating that you incur costs only when a user clicks on your ad. This provides an incentive for businesses to create ads that are relevant and engaging for their target audience.

Moreover, Google Ads’ location settings ensure your ads are reaching the most relevant audience based on their geographical location, maximising your ad’s success.

Setting Up Your Google Ads Account

Beginning with Google Ads is straightforward. Here’s how to get started:

1. Visit the Google Ads website.
2. Sign up using your existing Google account. If you don’t have one yet, don’t worry – you can create one in no time.
3. Once you’ve signed up, you can start setting up your Google Ads account.

When setting up your account, you’ll be prompted to choose a campaign type and target location for your ad to be seen. You can also set up ad scheduling by clicking on “show more settings” and selecting your start and end dates, as well as your advertisement schedule for maximum success.

Decoding the Different Types of Google Ads

There are several types of Google Ads you can choose from to meet your advertising goals:

• Search ads: These are text ads that are displayed on Google search results when a user's search matches your keywords.
• Display ads: These are visual ads that appear on a variety of websites and apps that are part of the Google Display Network.
• Video ads: These are promotional videos that appear before, during, or after videos on YouTube and other Google Display Network sites.
• Shopping ads: These are product-based ads that include an image, title, price, and store information, appearing on Google search results and Google Shopping.
• App ads: These are mobile ads that drive users to install your mobile app, appearing across Google’s networks including Search, Play, YouTube, and Discover.

Each type serves a different purpose and can help you achieve specific objectives, like driving website traffic, increasing brand awareness, or promoting mobile app installs.

For example, search ads can help you display ads on Google search results and partner websites to reach the right audience. Display ads are a great way to increase brand awareness and reach a wider audience through visually appealing ads on websites and apps. Video ads can help you engage with audiences through captivating video content on YouTube and other partner sites.

Shopping ads let you market your product catalogue to a large audience. You can use it to show ads across Google Search and Display networks, YouTube, and Gmail that are tailored for e-commerce. App ad campaign is a great way to promote your mobile app and drive app installs and engagement through ads on Google Search, YouTube, and other partner sites.

Crafting Your First Google Ad Campaign

Now that you have a grasp of the Google Ads platform and its features, it’s time to create your first ad campaign. In this section, we’ll guide you through selecting the right campaign type, building effective ad groups, and writing compelling ad copy.

1. Selecting the Right Campaign Type

Selecting the appropriate campaign type is pivotal to the success of your Google Ads campaign. Each campaign type serves a specific purpose and can help you achieve your advertising goals, such as driving website traffic, increasing brand awareness, or promoting mobile app installs.

To determine the most suitable campaign type for your business, consider your marketing objectives and the channels that will best reach your target audience. For example:

• Search ads may be ideal for driving traffic to a website or landing page
• Display ads can help build brand awareness and reach a larger audience
• Video ads are perfect for engaging with viewers and driving conversions
• Shopping ads can promote products and drive sales
• App ads are an excellent choice for promoting mobile apps and driving app installs and engagement.

Recommendation: (this is a type of campaign we recommend business owner to start with )

Another recomandation we have when you start, deactivate recomandation on other partners sites, focuse on google

2. Building Effective Ad Groups

Formulating productive ad groups is vital for enhancing your Google Ads campaign. Ad groups allow you to:

• Organise your keywords and ads according to their relevance and similarity
• Ensure more targeted and relevant ads tailored to specific audience segments
• Achieve higher click-through rates and conversions
• Set specific bids for each group, giving you more control over your budget and helping you get the most out of your ad spend.

//redo img to example ad grou 1 for local web design and img 2/3 with diffrent services

To create effective ad groups, try the following best practices:
//make something new for 2023, info box stile

• Structure keywords by themes
• Use Responsive search ads
• Add structure data and call outs, site links, phone number, it is critical
• Focus on benefits, keywords, and calls to action

Recomandation: for example you can have different ad groups for each service that are you are offering or each area you are targeting.

By following these best practices, you’ll be able to create ad groups that drive better performance and results.

4. Writing Compelling Ad Copy

Penning engaging ad copy is significant for attracting attention and spurring clicks and conversions. A successful ad should resonate with your target audience and inspire them to take action, whether that’s clicking on your ad, visiting your website, or making a purchase.

To create engaging ad copy, consider using:

• Emotional triggers
• Value-based language
• Understanding the psychology of your audience
• Telling a compelling story
• Providing reasons and justifications for your product or service

By focusing on these elements, you’ll be able to craft ad copy that stands out and encourages users to take action.

3. Mastering Keywords for Maximum Impact

Keywords are at the heart of any successful Google Ads campaign. This section will aid you in mastering the application of keywords in your Google Ads campaigns, complete with a comprehension of match types and the significance of negative keywords.

Keyword Match Types Explained

In Google Ads, keyword match types decide the extent of the match between the user’s search query and your keyword, directly affecting your ad’s visibility, traffic relevancy, and the effectiveness of your advertising budget. There are three main keyword match types you can use in Google Ads: broad match, phrase match, and exact match.

• Broad match keywords can help you reach a wide range of potential customers by allowing your ads to appear for a variety of keyword searches related to your keyword.
• Phrase match allows you to have precise control over your ads. This ensures that only the results containing the same keyword in the same order will display your ads.
• Exact match offers the highest level of control and is ideal for targeting specific search queries with high precision.

By understanding and utilising keyword match types effectively, you can maximize the reach and relevancy of your Google Ads.

The Significance of Negative Keywords

Negative keywords have a significant role in refining your ad targeting and avoiding irrelevant ad impressions. By excluding irrelevant search terms, negative keywords help ensure that your ads are only shown to a more relevant audience, increasing the chances of attracting qualified leads and improving overall performance. Additionally, negative keywords can help save money on your advertising budget by excluding low-quality or irrelevant searches.

To build a successful negative keyword list, you can use the Search Terms Report in Google Ads to gain insights into which queries you’ve shown. By regularly monitoring and updating your negative keyword list, you can enhance the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns and achieve maximum results.

Budgeting and Bidding Strategies for Beginners

Establishing a budget and deciding on a bidding strategy are fundamental steps in managing your Google Ads campaigns. In this section, we’ll guide you through determining your daily budget and selecting the best bidding strategy for your campaign.

Determining Your Daily Budget

Establishing your daily budget is a vital step in managing your Google Ads campaigns. Your daily budget should be based on your overall marketing budget and goals, as well as factors such as cost per acquisition (CPA) and ad rotation settings.

When setting your daily budget, it’s important to consider the potential return on investment (ROI) of your Google Ads campaigns. By carefully allocating your budget to the most effective campaigns, you can ensure that you’re getting the most value from your advertising efforts and achieving your desired objectives.

Choosing a Bidding Strategy

There are various bidding strategies available in Google Ads, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The two main categories of bidding strategies are manual and automated bidding strategies.

Manual bidding strategies give you full control over your bids and the amount you’re willing to pay for each click on your ads. It can be especially beneficial for those who have a good understanding of their target audience, keywords, and campaign performance.

On the other hand, automated bidding strategies use Google’s algorithms to adjust your bids based on the likelihood of conversion, helping to optimise your campaigns and improve performance. When choosing a bidding strategy, it’s essential to consider your advertising goals, budget, and the level of control you want to have over your bids.

By selecting the right bidding strategy, you can maximise your Google Ads campaign’s effectiveness and achieve better results.

Designing Landing Pages That Convert

Constructing landing pages that convert visitors into leads or customers is significant for the success of your Google Ads campaigns. In this section, we’ll share tips on the elements of a successful landing page and how to track conversions.

Elements of a Successful Landing Page

An effective landing page is one that encourages visitors to take action and convert. Some key components of a successful landing page include:

• A unique selling proposition (USP)
• A hero shot
• Features and Benefits
• Social proof
• A powerful call to action (CTA)

To create a high-converting landing page, it’s essential to follow best practices such as having a clear call-to-action, using relevant and compelling visuals, and keeping the page straightforward and easy to navigate. By focusing on these elements, you can design landing pages that drive conversions and contribute to the success of your Google Ads campaigns.

Tracking Conversions

Establishing conversion tracking in Google Ads is important for gauging the success of your campaigns and enhancing performance. With conversion tracking, you can easily see what sales, app installs, or calls are driven by your ads, providing valuable insights into your ad performance.

To set up conversion tracking, you’ll need to create a conversion action in your Google Ads account and add the conversion tracking code to your website or app. By monitoring your conversions and using this data to inform your campaign optimisation, you can ensure that you’re getting the most out of your Google Ads campaigns and achieving the best possible results.

Optimising Your Google Ads for Better Performance

Enhancing your Google Ads campaigns is essential for ensuring improved performance and maximising your return on investment. In this section, we’ll discuss how to utilise ad extensions, A/B test your ads, and monitor your Quality Score to improve your campaigns’ effectiveness.

Utilising Ad Extensions

Ad extensions are extra details that can be added to your Google Ads to amplify your ads and increase click-through rates. They can include features such as:

• Location extensions
• Product extensions
• Sitelink extensions
• Seller rating extensions
• Callout extensions
• Structured snippets extensions
• Call extensions

By providing more information about your brand or product, ad extensions make your ads more informative and attractive. They also help your ads stand out from others and occupy more space on search engine result pages, boosting visibility. Ad extensions can improve lead quality by:

• Allowing poor quality leads to self-disqualify
• Providing additional information that helps potential customers make informed decisions
• Increasing the likelihood of users clicking on your ad and converting into customers

In conclusion, ad extensions enhance the user experience and heighten click-through rates and interactions.

A/B Testing Your Ads

A/B testing, alternatively known as split testing, is a necessary method for enhancing your Google Ads campaigns. It involves creating two or more variations of an ad and running them simultaneously to see which one performs better. By testing different ad elements, such as ad copy, ad creative, and landing pages, you can identify the most effective combination and improve your overall campaign performance.

When conducting A/B tests, remember to test your ad variations simultaneously, test only one thing at a time, and continuously run A/B tests to ensure ongoing optimisation. By regularly testing and refining your ads, you can maximise your Google Ads campaigns’ effectiveness and achieve better results.

Monitoring Quality Score

Quality Score is a significant metric in Google Ads that evaluates the quality and relevance of your keywords, ads, and landing pages. It’s scored on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being poor and 10 being great. Quality Score plays a significant role in determining your cost per click (CPC) and ad rank in the ad auction, so it’s vital to understand and take into account when optimising your campaigns.

Improving your Quality Score can have a direct impact on the cost and effectiveness of your ads. A higher Quality Score indicates that your ad and landing page are more relevant and useful to users, compared to other advertisers. As a result, Google rewards higher Quality Scores with lower CPCs, making it a great incentive to boost your Quality Score.

By monitoring your Quality Score and making improvements, you can maximise your Google Ads campaigns and achieve the best possible results.

Summary

In conclusion, Google Ads is an incredibly powerful tool that can help business owners drive traffic, increase brand awareness, and generate leads or sales. By understanding the platform, setting up your account, crafting compelling ad campaigns, mastering keywords, setting budgets and bidding strategies, designing high-converting landing pages, and optimising your ads, you’ll be well on your way to success in the world of Google Ads.

So, don’t wait any longer – take the plunge and start harnessing the power of Google Ads today! With the right strategies and techniques, you’ll soon see the incredible impact Google Ads can have on your new website’s growth and success.

Do you need help with Google Ads Management? We are here to help you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we run Google Ads on the new website?

Yes, you can run Google Ads on a new website. You can create one for free or use Smart campaigns with a Business Profile.

How do I prepare my website for Google Ads?

To prepare your website for Google Ads, start by defining an objective and budget, then set up keyword themes, write ads and decide which devices to show up on. Additionally, have a goal in mind for your website, have a clear CTA on the home page, make sure there is a CTA or contact form on landing pages, and ensure you have a Google Analytics and Tag Manager account setup.

How do I run a Google ad for my small business?

To run a Google ad for your small business, you need to set up your account, pick an advertising goal, add keywords, select your target audience, choose a network, and set your budget and bid. Finally, create your ad by writing copy and selecting images or videos.

Is Google Ads worth it for small businesses?

Google Ads is definitely worth it for small businesses. With the huge revenue that Google brings in annually from Ads, it is evident that investing in this platform can bring many benefits.

How does Google Ads work for beginners?

Google Ads works with a pay-per-click (PPC) model, where you set a budget and bid for clicks on an auction house. You can also tailor your ad campaign to match the goals of your business and can pay based on CPC, CPM or CPE models. By setting up a strong Google AdWords strategy, you can maximise your reach and results.

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