What is Google Ads?
Google Ads is the most popular PPC platform today, that is pay-per-click, previously known as Google AdWords. Google’s Ads can be seen in the form of a Paid Search ad or an Ad for a product placed strategically on a website. Paid Search ads are those placed at the top of a Google Search Result page with the small “Ad” icon, or they are on Google Maps. How exactly do Google Ads work? How do they generate sales? Read on to learn about how you can grow your sales through Google Ads.
How does Google Ads work?
With Google Ads, keywords are bid on to boost traffic to your site. Keywords are the words or phrases that your targeted audience is searching for when they go to Google to find an answer to a question or need. For your website to appear in response to their search, you must bid on that keyword. Some keywords are more competitive than others, meaning they are searched more often, and as a result will cost more per click. To make the most money from your keyword, choose a niche, long-tail keyword based on a high search volume in your desired location by your desired audience.
To get started with Google Ads, you must create your first campaign. Google will tailor the process to meet your specific goals and needs, whether that is to get more calls to your business storefront, to increase website visits, or to encourage transactions. Lastly, you can set a daily budget for your campaign that will limit the amount of money you spend.
Call for action
To drive sales and generate leads, use Google to create direct-response campaigns that will push for a specific action, like buying your product or offering an email address for a free e-book download. Use Google Search Network where your ads appear on search results pages, as described above or Google’s Contextual Targeting which matches your ads to relevant sites in the Display Network using keywords. This broadens your reach and visibility by placing your ads where your target audience is already looking. With Google’s Search Network type of advertising, it is up to you to place your ads where you think they will perform, bid strategically on keywords, and write the copy of the ad in a compelling manner that encourages your potential buyer to take the next with your product.
How can you make money passively?
To truly start making money with Google, beyond the organic growth in website traffic from your Ads, try Google AdSense. Different from Google Ad where your website or product makes up the ad, AdSense uses relevant ads to different products or brands and advertises them on your website. This program allows you to input coding into your site that will display paid ads on your website. Different from Paid Search marketing, AdSense allows you to make money when visitors are already on your website, perfect for content-heavy blogs or e-commerce sites. The ads are tailored to your industry and content, so they appear as natural and helpful to users as possible, and they are known to be less intrusive. Google handles the program itself, so all you have to do is input the code and watch your revenue grow, making this a low effort, passive form of advertising.
What types of ads can you create?
Google AdSense works with two types of ads you can embed into your website. The first is Auto Ads where Google automatically places ads where they would best perform based on your website’s layout. The second type is the Responsive Ad, where Google’s technology scans your site and places ads where they are the most likely to perform well and generate the most revenue. They are optimized to fit your user’s screen, whether that’s desktop or mobile. Responsive Ads are a slightly more nuanced and complex version of Auto Ads, depending on how much investment you are willing to make on your advertising campaigns. Remember, Google AdSense works best for websites with lots of content and traffic. If you’re just building out your website, focusing on Paid Search advertising will get you that necessary traffic first.
Better than Facebook Ads?
Google Ads and Facebook ads may not be as adversarial as one may think when it comes to online selling and digital marketing. They often work well together. But what sets them apart from each other? Google Ads works on the principle of “paid search” while Facebook works off of “paid social”. Both platforms offer different types of marketing, with Google bringing you to new customers and Facebook bringing new customers to you.
Ultimately, there is unlimited potential when it comes to using Google Ads to help your small business generate leads, sales and revenue. You can position your compelling ad where it’s most likely to perform, or you can let Google place ads on your blog or high-traffic website for a more passive revenue stream. Whatever your goals are, there is a Google campaign program that will positively impact your company or website’s traffic and profit.
