With over 8.5 billion Google search queries processed daily, learning how to advertise on Google Ads can significantly boost your business’s online presence.
Whether you’re aiming to reach new customers or enhance your brand’s visibility, Google Ads offers a powerful platform to create targeted and effective advertising campaigns.
This guide will walk you through the essential steps and strategies to successfully advertise on Google Ads.
How Does Google Advertising Work?
To understand how Google Ads can benefit your business, it’s important to first ask, “How does Google advertising work?”
Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, where advertisers bid on specific keywords, and ads are displayed to users based on those bids.
You only pay when someone clicks on your ad or views it, depending on the campaign type. Here’s a breakdown of how Google Ads works:
- Campaign Types: Google Ads supports various campaign types, including search, display, shopping, video, app, and Performance Max campaigns. These campaigns can be tailored to specific goals like driving website traffic, increasing brand awareness, or generating leads.
- Ad Placements: Ads can appear in different locations, such as at the top of Google search results, on YouTube, within Gmail, or across the Google Display Network, which includes millions of websites and apps.
- Targeting Options: Google Ads offers multiple targeting methods, including keywords, demographics, interests, and placements. Additionally, remarketing allows you to target users who have previously interacted with your website or ads.
- Bidding Strategies: You can choose from several bidding strategies, including cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-mille (CPM), and cost-per-engagement (CPE). The bidding system is competitive, and your ad’s position depends on your bid amount and the quality of your ad.
- Ranking Factors: Google determines ad placement using Ad Rank, which considers your bid, ad quality (quality score), and the context of the user’s search, such as location and time.
Managing all these elements can be challenging for business owners, so they might consider hiring certified Google Ads professionals who offer the best Google Ads management services.
How to Advertise on Google?
To effectively reach your target audience online, it’s crucial to understand how to advertise on Google. This guide will walk you through the steps to create a successful Google Ads campaign.
1. Visit the Google Ads Website
Visit the Google Ads website and click on the “Start Now” option. Sign up and follow the on-screen instructions to create your Google Ads account. Once your account is set up, click the “Create your first campaign” button.
2. Name Your Campaign and Choose Its Type
After creating your account, name your campaign with a title relevant to the product or service you are advertising. Then, choose the type of campaign that best suits your goals and target audience. Google Ads offers several options:
- Search: Text ads appear in search results.
- Video: Video ads run on YouTube.
- Local: Promote your business locations across various channels.
- Display: Image ads are shown on websites.
- Shopping: Product listings are displayed on Google.
- App: Promote your app on multiple platforms.
- Discovery: Advertise within online feeds.
- Smart: Simplify your campaigns with automated features.
Select the campaign type that aligns with your objectives. If you’ve set specific goals, Google Ads will suggest the most suitable campaign types. You can also choose a subtype for your campaign if needed.
Once selected, click “Continue” to proceed to the settings page. Here, you can set up ad groups, create your ads, and customize the settings.
Make sure to address any issues flagged by the system before publishing your campaign to ensure optimal performance. Click here to see the top PPC agency that can help you pick the suitable ad types.
3. Select the Location for Ad Display
In this step, you’ll choose the geographic area where your ads will be displayed. You can target broad locations, like entire countries, or narrow it down to specific cities or regions. For even more precise targeting, you can use latitude-longitude coordinates.
Understanding the location of your ideal customers is crucial. Local businesses will likely focus on a nearby area, ensuring their ads reach potential customers close to them.
If you sell products nationwide, you might target the entire country. On the other hand, international businesses may need to create separate campaigns for different countries based on where their primary customer base is located.
4. Set the Daily Budget
For beginners, it’s advisable to start with a low daily budget as you familiarize yourself with Google Ads. Begin with a modest amount to collect data and then adjust as you determine what works best for your campaigns.
Google may occasionally exceed your set daily budget, so it’s important to monitor your campaigns regularly and adjust your budget as needed, typically on a weekly basis.
Additionally, choose your payment option from the following:
- Manual Payments: Pay in advance before your ad appears online.
- Automatic Payments: Link your account to a bank or credit card for automatic billing.
- Monthly Invoicing: Available for qualifying businesses, this option allows for credit lines and monthly billing.
5. Include Keywords
When setting up your Google Ads campaign, focus on selecting keywords that are absolutely essential to your business. Instead of trying to cover every possible relevant term, choose a limited number of highly targeted keywords.
This approach ensures that your ads reach individuals who are specifically searching for what you offer, making your campaigns more effective and relevant. Being more specific with your keywords will help attract a more qualified audience and improve your ad performance.
6. Create an Ad and Set Landing Pages
To effectively create an ad and set landing pages, follow these steps:
- Include Keywords: Ensure your target keyword is featured in one of the two headlines of your Google ad. This keyword should be the term your potential customers are likely to type into Google’s search bar.
- Enter the Final URL: Specify the exact page where you want visitors to land after clicking your ad. This page should be relevant to the ad’s content and offer.
- Write Headlines: Create 1-3 compelling headlines that will appear in the blue text above your ad. These headlines should grab attention and incorporate your target keyword.
- Craft a Description: Write a concise description (up to two lines or 90 characters) highlighting your product or service’s key benefits. Emphasize any special offers and include a strong call to action to encourage clicks.
- Add Tracking Parameters: Implement tracking parameters in your URL to monitor where your traffic is coming from, whether it’s mobile devices, desktops, or other sources.
- Finalize and Save: Click the “Done” tab to complete the ad creation. Use the “New” button to add additional ads to your ad group, if necessary, and then click “Save and Continue.”
Always direct users to a landing page that matches the specific content of your ad. For instance, if your ad promotes a special deal, ensure that users land on a page tailored to that offer, rather than your homepage.
7. Set Up Conversion Tracking
To effectively track the performance of your Google Ads campaigns, it’s essential to set up conversion tracking. Google provides various options for monitoring conversions:
- Track webform leads, like quote requests.
- Monitor ecommerce orders from online shopping carts.
- Measure phone calls from ads.
- Track calls from the number on your website.
- Record offline sales that occur away from the internet.
8. Check the Review Page and Publish Your Ads Campaign
Before finalizing your campaign, review the page for any issues that may impact its effectiveness. Common problems to watch for include:
- Billing issues.
- Invalid final URL.
- Missing keywords or ads.
Resolve any alerts by clicking the fix button. After addressing all issues and setting up conversion tracking, proceed to publish your ad.
Conclusion of How to Advertise on Google Ads
Learning how to advertise on Google Ads can be incredibly beneficial for your business. By understanding the different campaign types, setting strategic budgets, and optimizing your ads, you can effectively reach your target audience and achieve your marketing goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is Google Ads Important?
Google Ads is important for businesses because it provides targeted advertising, reaching users actively searching for specific products or services. It offers measurable results, allowing businesses to track performance and adjust strategies. With extensive reach across Google’s search engine and partner sites, Google Ads helps increase visibility, drive traffic, and boost conversions efficiently.
How Much Does a Google Ad Cost?
The cost varies based on factors like your bidding strategy, competition for keywords, and the quality score of your ads. You can set daily budgets and bid amounts to control your costs. Experienced PPC agencies offer affordable solutions to get the most out of your Google Ads budget.
Can I Run Google Ads Without a Website?
Yes. You can use Google Ads to promote local businesses using Google Business Profile or direct users to specific phone numbers. However, having a website provides more control and flexibility.