How Google Ads Can Take Your Business to the Next Level

Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords) have certainly come a long way since its inception in 2000. Google Ads now help millions of businesses compete for those few precious spots at the top of the Google search results page. Being at the top of the Google search page is so precious because, let’s be honest, very few people go beyond the first page of the Google search results.

So how can we compete for those vital spots at the top of the Google search page? With the help of Google Search Ads, business owners can choose to bid for relevant keywords and serve potential customers Ads when these keywords are queried on Google.

So without further adieu, let us explore how Google Search Ads can take your business to the next level.

Organic VS. Paid Search Results

It can be incredibly difficult to rank at the top of the Google search results page organically. Without the help of a search engine optimization (SEO) master, how can brands ensure they show up when keywords relevant to their business are searched? With the help of Google Search Ads, businesses can easily target search terms on Google that are relevant to the industry. Business owners should research which keywords are directly related to their industry and decide if they want to bid against their competitors for these keywords using Google Ads.

Performance-Based Marketing

A great benefit of Paid Search Ads is that it is performance-based. We’ve all heard of the saying: “50% of advertising works, you just don’t know which 50%”. With Paid Search Ads, you can gather real-time performance data such as the number of clicks and the average cost per click. If a campaign is underperforming, you can make adjustments or simply turn the campaign off.

Performance marketing and Paid Search allows businesses to take a strict ROI driven approach to marketing. Business owners can measure the campaign performance based on various metrics such as the number of impressions and the click-through rate. The data collected from Google Ads campaigns will help business owners gain actionable insights and make data-driven decisions.

Making data-driven decisions can drastically increase business efficiency and reduce unnecessary costs. Compared to TV and radio, business owners can generate better results at a fraction of the cost. It is essential for business owners that don’t have the budget to advertise on TV to start thinking about performance marketing and Google Search Ads.

In-Market Audiences

Here’s a great question you can ask next time you are interviewing a digital marketer: “What type of audience are you targeting with Paid Search on Google Ads?” When someone searches “plumbers in Toronto” that person is likely looking for a plumber in Toronto. You, the business owner, can directly reach potential customers who are actively searching for your product or service. By targeting the right keywords, you can capture audiences who are in the market to engage with a certain product or service. It is precisely this “intent-based” form of marketing that makes Paid Search Ads so irresistible.

Target Keywords in Google Search Ads

Keywords are at the core of every Paid Search Ad campaign. It is by having the right set of target keywords that allows business owners to capture in-market audiences with high purchase intent. Great practice for setting up your Paid Search campaign is to break your target keywords into themes. For example, if a shoe store is trying to increase its online sales, the target keywords can be grouped into different product categories like “Sneakers”, “Boots”, and “Sandals”.

Google Search Ads charge advertisers based on clicks to the Ads triggered by your target keywords. Specifically, advertisers pay per click for each ad. Every time a search happens on Google, a blind auction takes place between all advertisers who are bidding for that target keyword. A brand should research which keywords are the most relevant to the business and strategize around how these keywords can be targeted using search Ads.

The keywords you exclude are just as important, if not more important than your target keywords. Negative keywords are the keywords that are excluded from your targeting. If your campaign has “restaurant” as a negative keyword, that means any searches with the word “restaurant” in it will not trigger your search Ads.

Text Ads in Google Search

Attention is a scarce resource in today’s media landscape. You are constantly bombarded with snippets of information on all sorts of digital platforms. This is why having great Ad copy can take you a long way. As a business owner, you should choose your words carefully since Google Search Ads are text-based. The anatomy of a typical text Ad consists of three headlines, two descriptions, two path fields, a destination URL, and extensions.

Each headline is limited to 30 characters and not 30 words. It is often challenging to fit your message into such limited spots. It’s impossible to write in complete sentences with 30 characters so you want to write an impressionable phrase. It is critical to write the headlines based on target keywords. More importantly, the first headline should always have your target keywords.

Descriptions are a little more spacious with a limit of 90 characters. You can write complete sentences here and speak directly to the benefits of your business. Make sure to end with a clear call to action such as: “Speak to Our Consultants”, “Call Us Today”, or “Act Now”. Ensure the Ad copy meets Google’s editorial standards to avoid Ad disapprovals.

The final URL is the website or landing page you are driving traffic to. Having great text Ads and target keywords are only half the battle. No matter how well-written your text Ads are, it is useless if your landing page is not well designed. Ideally, the content on your landing page should speak to your Ads and target keywords. Check out this great article on designing a fantastic landing page.

The display URL is different from your final URL and it includes two “path fields” for you to include some extra keywords. The path fields are great places to include additional keywords that were not mentioned your Ad copy.

Driving Business Goals Using Google Search Ads

Business owners can use Google search Ads to drive all sorts of business goals. Whether it’s generating leads, driving phone calls, or selling products, Paid Search Ads will directly reach your potential customers. A major benefit of targeting in-market audiences is that intent-based targeting is very much conversion-focused allowing you to capitalize on lower-funnel traffic.

Having a well-optimized Paid Search campaign also fits perfectly with your top-of-funnel awareness campaigns. Now that you know how Paid Search Ads on Google can boost your business results, go ahead and get your search campaign set up! Make sure to reach out to Consultus Digital if you get stuck creating your Paid Search campaign. We are always here to help you achieve your business goals!