Google created an unrivaled search engine with a peerless Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising channel. That sounds great for Google, but how will it benefit me?
Think of Google as a treasure map that leads you to new customers. Its advertising platform Google Ads(formally known as Google AdWords)has quickly become an extremely important tool in the world of digital marketing. High organic search listings are still valuable and practicing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is an economic way to gain important traffic, but not enough on its own. It should instead be used to complement a strong PPC campaign.
Is Google Ads (Google AdWords) expensive? Not as expensive as you would think. It all depends on your package. If your landing page's quality score is 7/10 and above and your Click Through Rate (CTR) is high then your cost-per-click and minimum bid costs will be lower. That sounds difficult but if it was easy everyone would be doing it. Google created a Red Ocean filled with a number of companies fighting for the top spot on its Search Engine Results Page (SERP). But with some useful tips, you can propel your business onto the front page.
Remember, your competition can and probably is bidding for the same search terms. So, if you want your ad to appear on Google's SERP you have to place a bid to inform Google Ads (Google AdWords) how much you're willing to pay every time a searcher clicks on your ad. The higher your Cost-Per-Click (CPC), the more likely your ad will appear on the SERP. Google Ads (Google AdWords) gives you two options to bid for your ads:
Google's pay-per-click bidding system differs from other models as it's not only the highest bid that is taken into consideration. As mentioned before, it depends on your package. Quality score along with other factors attached to it determines what your quality score is. That includes keyword relevancy, landing page quality, ad relevance, historical performance, and many more.
The aim of keyword research is all about finding the exact words and phrases that your prospective clients are searching for. Put yourself in the shoes of your client base. What would you type into google if you were searching for your product/service? What problem does your product/service solve? Now, here's a little secret: Forums. They really are your best friend!
These little gold mines are places your client base gathers in an effort to find answers, and they can be the place that you discover what the questions are.
Put together a list of possible keywords and let Google do the rest. Google Autocomplete; the feature we all know and love has just stepped up a notch! You are provided with a list of common search phrases when typing a search query into Google. This in turn can be a great strategy for developing your keywords.
Another great feature that Google kindly provides is Related Searches. At the bottom of your SERP, you can see a section that lists related searches! This can come in handy for more keyword ideas.
Discover keywords with another free tool, which is Google Ads (Google AdWords) Keyword Planner. It will show you how often users search for your keywords and how much you will need to bid to have your ad displayed. It also enables you to enter your product category, website, or competitors' website and then offers you keywords you may have overlooked.
By now you should have a list of potential keywords. It is now time to decide which of these will enable you to reach your target audience. Below are a number of factors to consider when making the cut.
Is your website commercial or informational? This can be a key factor when determining the keywords that will provide the most Return On Investment (ROI). If you are offering products or services your website is more likely to be commercial. If your website is a compilation of articles - such as a blog - then it is more likely to be informational. People can use informational keywords as ideas for content!
Opportunity only exists if there are enough users searching for the keywords. If the search volume is quite low, investing time in creating content and optimising your website won't be worth it because it will only reach a small audience. Keywords with a high search volume and top competitors with lower Domain Authority and backlinks will always provide a good ROI. You'll need to find the right balance.
Although expensive keywords are likely to have a bigger reach because there are a higher number of users searching for them; there is another option. Long-tailed keywords are a good compromise if you're on a low budget. They will reach a larger number of users and keep your costs down.
This one may seem obvious, however, it's something that we feel we must reinstill. Google won't hesitate to penalise your ad if your keywords aren't relevant to your offer. Your ad should give users a clear indication of what they can expect to find on your website. You must ensure that your keywords are relevant to the content on your website - your landing page in particular. You will achieve a higher ranking for a lower cost!
Ok, now that I've found the right keywords. What's next?
If you can measure it then you can improve it. It is essential that you constantly monitor and analyse the performance of your keywords in order to improve and maximise ROI. A simple way to do this is to keep 3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in mind: Rankings, Traffic, and Conversions. These will also provide you with actionable data that will enable you to improve your campaign over time.
In order to determine your ROI, it is a good idea to have a system in place that allows you to monitor the monetary value of conversions. It may be beneficial to base your ROI on a customer's lifetime value as this will provide you with an accurate idea and will show you the true value of your keywords, hopefully easing the pain of higher bids.
The text you choose for your ads is key as you don't have many characters to impress potential customers, so you'll need to keep it clear and concise. There are three parts to your description: a headline, a display URL, and two description lines.
Your headlines are often the first aspect of your ad that searchers notice. Your headlines should be limited to 25 characters and include relevant keywords to ensure you grab the searcher's attention.
These green links show your website's address and shed some light on what kind of website the searchers will land on when they click your ad. You don't have to send searchers to your home page. You can direct them to a more specific webpage with a longer URL, but if it exceeds Google's limit of 35 characters it will show a shortened version.
This section is self-explanatory. This is where you highlight details about your product or service. You have a 35 character limit on the first line and another 35 on the second, however, when users search on a mobile device AdWords sometimes shortens or removes your second description line.
By now you should have a comprehensive overview of Google Ads (Google AdWords) and how to create a campaign that works for you. In this dynamic environment, you will need to regularly test and refine your keywords and ads if you want them to constantly perform well. There's no best or worst time to run the ads as it depends on your audience's activity.
By now you should have a comprehensive overview of Google Ads (Google AdWords) and how to create a campaign that works for you. In this dynamic environment, you will need to regularly test and refine your keywords and ads if you want them to constantly perform well.
Google Ads (Google AdWords) provides you the unique opportunity to experiment with what provides the best ROI. You can use your CTR and Conversion Rates to monitor how well your campaign is doing and make changes as you see fit. If you want a more hands-on approach and learn from a Digital Marketing expert on how to create profitable ads, take a look at our Google Ads course now.
by Cristina Moraru | 27 Sep 23