What is Google Ads?
Google Ads is provided by Google online advertising platform that allows businesses to improve their visibility on search engine results pages and other Google-owned platforms. It works on the PPC (Pay-Per-Click) model, meaning that advertisers only pay when a user clicks on an ad. This makes it a cost-effective and target-oriented way to reach potential customers.
Why is Google Ads an important marketing tool?
Google Ads offers numerous advantages that make it an essential part of modern digital marketing:
- Precise targeting: you can target ads to a specific audience using demographic information, interests and location.
- Flexible budgeting: you can precisely manage the budgets of your advertising campaigns and adjust them as needed.
- Measurement and optimisation: Google Ads offers comprehensive analytics tools to help you monitor the effectiveness of your campaigns and make any necessary improvements.
- Broad coverage: as the world’s most popular search engine, Google reaches a wide and diverse audience.
Google Ads is particularly useful because it:
- Increased visibility: improves your company’s search engine visibility and helps you find new customers.
- Boosts sales: allows you to achieve rapid results, which can lead to increased sales and customer acquisition.
- Build brand: increase brand awareness and trust among the target audience.
Google Ads is therefore an essential tool for businesses that want to grow and succeed in the world of digital marketing. You can read more in Google’s own guide.
Creating a Google Ads account
Creating an account step by step
Creating a Google Ads account is the first step towards a successful online marketing. Follow these steps to create an account:
- Go to the Google Ads website: go to ads.google.com and click “Start now”.
- Sign in: use your existing Google Account or create a new one if you don’t already have one.
- Enter basic information: enter your company name and website URL.
- Choose a campaign objective: define what you want to achieve with your campaign, such as increasing website traffic or product sales.
- Set a budget: decide how much you want to spend on advertising each day.
- Create an ad: write the text of your ad and add images or videos if necessary.
- Define targeting: select your target audience, including geographic location, demographics and interests.
- Publish your campaign: check all the information and publish your campaign when you’re ready.
Setting payment methods
Choosing the right payment method is an important part of managing your Google Ads account. This allows you to set the payment methods:
- Choose your payment method: Google Ads accepts several payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards and direct bank transfers.
- Enter your payment details: go to your account settings, select “Billing” and enter your payment details.
- Set up your billing options: you can choose between automatic or manual payment. With automatic payment, you pay automatically when you reach a certain amount or every month, while with manual payment you pay in advance and use the balance for promotions.
- Check and save: make sure all the information is correct and save the settings.
Presentation of the interface
The Google Ads interface may seem complicated at first, but the main parts are easy to learn:
- Dashboard: shows an overview of your campaigns and their performance.
- Campaigns tab: here you can manage all your campaigns, edit settings and create new campaigns.
- Keywords tab: here you can manage keywords, add new ones and view their performance.
- Reports and analytics: tools are available to help you monitor the effectiveness of campaigns and identify areas for improvement.
The interface also offers a range of help and help menus to help you learn more about ad management and optimisation. The most important thing is to get to know the system and try out the different functions to find the best practices for your needs.
Creating and managing a Google Ads account can seem challenging, but with clear instructions and an interface, you can get started quickly and optimise your marketing effectively.
Basic settings for a Google Ads advertising campaign
Choosing the type of campaign
Google Ads offers several types of campaigns to choose from, depending on your business needs. Choosing the type of campaign is an important step, as it affects the visibility and targeting of your ads. Here are the main types of campaign:
- Search campaigns: appear on Google’s search results pages when users search for specific keywords. This type of campaign is suitable for businesses that want to increase traffic to their website.
- Display campaigns: visible on Google’s Display network, which covers millions of websites and apps. This type of campaign is good for raising brand awareness.
- Video campaigns: visible on YouTube and other Google video networks. Suitable for advertisers who want to tell their story visually.
- Shopping campaigns: visible on the Google Shopping tab and in search results. This type of campaign is particularly useful for online shops that want to showcase their products.
- App campaigns: help increase app downloads and engagement across the Google network.
- Performance Max campaign: A Google campaign that aims to maximise the visibility of ads.
Choose the type of campaign based on your business objectives and target audience.
Setting campaign objectives
Goal setting is a critical part of a successful Google Ads campaign. Clear objectives help to measure the success of the campaign and optimise its effectiveness. The most common campaign objectives are:
- Increasing traffic: increases the number of visitors to your website and attracts potential customers.
- Increase sales: aimed at online shops and businesses that want to increase sales directly through advertising.
- Lead generation: collect contact details of potential customers, for example, to join an email list or subscribe to a newsletter.
- Increasing brand awareness: reach a wider audience and improve brand awareness.
- Increase app installation: increase app downloads and user engagement.
Setting targets also helps to determine which indicators and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) will be monitored during the campaign.
Setting the budget
Setting the budget is an important step that affects the coverage and impact of the campaign. Google Ads offers flexible budgeting options that can be tailored to your business needs:
- Daily budget: the daily budget allows you to determine how much you are willing to spend on advertising each day. This helps you to manage your advertising costs and spread your budget evenly over the month.
- Total budget: you can set a total budget for the campaign, spread over the duration of the campaign.
- Bidding: Google Ads uses different bidding strategies such as CPC (Cost-Per-Click), CPA (Cost-Per-Acquisition) and CPM (Cost-Per-Thousand Impressions). Choose a pricing strategy based on your campaign objectives.
Setting your budget correctly will ensure that you get the most out of your advertising spend without overspending. It is also advisable to review and adjust your budget as the campaign progresses, so that you can optimise your spending and achieve the best possible results.
Keyword research and selection
KeywordsUse of tools
Exploring keywords is an essential part of a successful Google Ads campaign. Choosing the right keywords will help ensure that your ads are seen by the right audience. Several tools can be used to research keywords:
- Google Keyword Planner: this is one of the most popular tools that provides information on keyword search volumes and competition levels. You can enter words related to the topic and get recommendations for relevant keywords.
- Ubersuggest: a tool developed by Neil Patel that provides a wide range of keyword suggestions, search queries and competition information.
- SEMrush and Ahrefs: both are powerful tools that provide a comprehensive analysis of keywords, competitors and the keywords they use.
- Answer the Public: this tool helps you find long-tail keywords in the form of questions that users often ask.
These tools allow you to gather information on keywords that are relevant to your business and can help you achieve your marketing goals.
Competition analysis
Competitive analysis is a critical step in finding out what keywords your competitors are using and how they are performing. This will help you find opportunities and avoid overly competitive keywords. The following steps will help you analyse the competition:
- Look at competitors’ websites: see what keywords they use in their content and metadata.
- Analyse your competitors’ ads: use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to see what keywords your competitors are targeting in their Google Ads.
- Identify strengths and weaknesses: find out where your competitors are doing well and where they have weaknesses. This can give you ideas for new keywords or better strategies.
Competition analysis gives you valuable information on how to improve your own campaigns and find new marketing opportunities.
Benefits of long-tail keywords
Long-tail keywords are keywords that are longer and more specific than general keywords. They can be very useful in Google Ads campaigns for several reasons:
- Less competition: long-tail keywords tend to have less competition, which means they can be cheaper to use and can help you rank better in search results.
- Targeted traffic: these keywords tend to attract users searching for specific products or services, leading to a higher conversion rate.
- Higher quality: users who search for long-tail keywords are often closer to a purchase decision, so their clicks are more valuable.
Examples of long-tail keywords might include “best wireless headphones for running” versus the simple keyword “headphones”. By using long-tail keywords, you can optimise your advertising campaigns more effectively and achieve better results.
Writing an advertising text
Elements of an effective advertising text
Writing an effective ad copy is critical to attracting the right audience and getting them to take action. Good advertising copy contains the following elements:
- Headline: grab the reader’s attention with a clear and attractive headline. The title should be short, concise and relevant.
- Description: Please provide a more detailed explanation of your offer. The description should be informative, but also attractive and inspiring.
- Keywords: Include the most important keywords in your ad text so that your ad appears in relevant searches.
- Value proposition: tell us what makes your product or service special. Why should a customer choose your product?
- Call to Action (CTA): a clear and attractive Call to Action helps to guide the user to the desired action, such as purchase, download or registration.
The importance of the CTA (Call to Action)
A Call to Action (CTA) is a critical component of an ad text that encourages users to take action. Well-designed CTA:
- Clarity: make sure the CTA is easy to understand and tells the user exactly what to do.
- Attractiveness: use strong and motivating words such as “Buy now”, “Download for free” or “Sign up today”.
- Urgency: create a sense of urgency, for example by using phrases such as “Offer valid for a limited time” or “Today only”.
A good CTA can significantly improve the effectiveness and conversion rate of an ad, so its importance should not be underestimated.
Examples of good ads
Examples of good ads will help you understand how to write effective ad copy. Here are a few examples:
- Title: “Get the Best Wireless Headphones”
- Description: “Experience crystal clear sound and comfort that lasts all day. Buy now and enjoy a 20% discount!”
- CTA: “Buy Now”
- Title: “Free SEO Apps for Professionals”
- Description: “Download a comprehensive guide to help you improve your website’s visibility in search engines. Limited time, act now!”
- CTA: “Download for free”
- Title: “Sign up for the New Gym Program”
- Description: “Start your journey towards a healthier life. Start your journey to the beginning of your new journey!”
- CTA: “Register Today”
These examples show how to combine an attractive headline, a clear value proposition and a strong CTA. This combination attracts users and guides them to perform the desired action.
Targeting and optimisation
Identifying target groups
Defining target audiences is an essential part of an effective Google Ads campaign. Choosing the right target groups will help ensure that your ads reach the people most likely to be interested in your products or services. When defining the target groups, you should take into account the following points:
- Demographic data: age, gender, income and education level.
- Location: geographical targeting ensures that ads are displayed in the right place.
- Interests: what are the hobbies and interests of potential customers?
- Buying behaviour: has the target group bought similar products or services before?
Google Ads offers tools and features such as audience segments and life events to help you define and refine your target audiences.
Scheduling and locations
Scheduling and locations are important factors in the success of your campaign. Proper scheduling and location selection can improve the visibility and effectiveness of your ad. Here are some tips:
- Timing of ads: find out when your target audience is most likely to be online and active. You can set your ad to appear only on certain days or times.
- Location targeting: target ads to specific countries, regions, cities or even postcodes. This helps to reach the local audience effectively.
- Device types: choose whether to show ads on desktop, mobile or both. Mobile targeting can be particularly effective if the target audience mainly uses smartphones.
Careful optimisation of these factors can lead to better ad visibility and a higher click-through-rate (CTR).
Conversion monitoring
Conversion tracking is an essential part of optimising Google Ads campaigns. It helps you measure how effective your ads are at driving the desired results, such as purchases, contacts or newsletter subscriptions. The conversion monitoring steps are as follows:
- Setting conversion targets: decide which activities you want to measure. This could be, for example, an online sale, filling in a form or a phone call.
- To install the tracking code: install the Google Ads tracking code on your website. This code tracks users’ actions after they have clicked on your ad.
- Analyse results: use Google Ads reporting tools to see how your ads are performing. You can see which ads and keywords generate the most conversions.
- Optimisation: make the necessary changes to ads, target groups and budget based on conversion tracking data. By optimising, you can continuously improve the performance of your campaign.
Conversion tracking helps you understand what works and what doesn’t, so you can make informed decisions and improve the results of your campaign.
Advertising analytics and reporting
Reading Google Ads reports
Google Ads reports are key tools for you to monitor and evaluate the performance of your campaigns. Reading and understanding reports helps you make informed decisions and optimise campaigns. The main reports include:
- Campaign reports: show an overview of campaign performance, including clicks, impressions and costs.
- Keyword reports: provide detailed information on keyword performance, such as click-through rate (CTR), average CPC and conversions.
- Ad groups: reports on the effectiveness of ad groups, allowing you to evaluate the performance of different ads and keywords.
- Location reports: show where your ads have performed best in geographical locations.
These reports will help you identify which areas need improvement and which are working well.
Key indicators and KPIs
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs ) are critical in evaluating the success of a campaign. Here are some key indicators that should be monitored:
- Click-through rate (CTR): measures how often users click on your ad after they have seen it. A high CTR means your ad is relevant and engaging.
- Average CPC: How much you pay on average per click. This helps to manage the budget effectively.
- Conversion rate: measures how many clickers on an ad complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling in a form.
- CPA (Cost Per Acquisition): how much you pay per conversion. This indicator helps to assess the cost-effectiveness of the campaign.
- Quality score: Google assigns quality scores to your keywords and ads, which affect the ranking and cost of your ads. High quality scores increase the visibility of your ads and reduce costs.
Regular monitoring of these metrics helps to optimise campaigns and achieve better results.
Optimising your advertising campaign based on results
Optimising an advertising campaign is an ongoing process that uses analytics data to improve the campaign. The key steps for optimisation are:
- Analyse results: use Google Ads reports and metrics to assess what works and what doesn’t. In particular, check keywords, ad texts and target groups.
- Test and update ads: run A/B tests on different ad versions to find out which resonates best with your audience. Update your ads regularly to keep them fresh and relevant.
- Optimise your budget: allocate more budget to the best performing campaigns and reduce funding for less effective campaigns.
- Refine your targeting: use analytics data to refine your target groups. For example, you can exclude certain locations or expand to areas that are performing well.
- Improve landing pages: ensure that ad clicks are directed to optimised landing pages designed to maximise conversions.
These optimisation strategies can help you improve the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns and achieve better results.
Remarketing
Definition of remarketing
Remarketing is a digital marketing strategy that targets ads to users who have previously visited your website but have not taken the desired action, such as making a purchase or contacting you. The aim of remarketing is to bring these visitors back to the site and encourage them to take the desired action.
In Google Ads, remarketing is based on cookies that track users’ movements and behaviour online. When a user visits your website, the cookie stores their information and allows you to show them targeted ads later when they browse other websites or use a search engine.
Objectives and benefits
The main objectives and benefits of remarketing are:
- Increased conversion: remarketing can improve conversion rates by reaching users who have already shown interest in your products or services.
- Strengthening brand awareness: being seen again by potential customers strengthens the brand and makes it more memorable.
- Affordable advertising: because remarketing is targeted to a well-defined audience, it can be cost-effective and provide a better return on investment (ROI).
- Personalised ads: you can create customised ads that match your users’ past behaviour and interests.
Remarketing is particularly useful for online retailers and businesses that want to maximise the effectiveness of their marketing and attract back potential customers.
Creating a remarketing campaign
Creating a remarketing campaign in Google Ads is a straightforward process:
- Create a remarketing account: go to the “Audiences” section of your Google Ads account and create a new remarketing account. You can specify criteria, such as users who have visited certain pages or performed certain actions.
- Install tracking code: add a Google Ads remarketing tag to your website. This code tracks users and adds them to your remarketing list.
- Set up a campaign: create a new campaign and select a remarketing target group. You can choose between different ad formats, such as text ads, image ads or video ads.
- Tailor your ads: design ads that are attractive and relevant to your target audience. Use clear CTAs (Call to Action) and remind users what they were originally interested in.
- Optimise and track: monitor campaign performance with Google Ads reports and make the necessary optimisations to improve results. For example, you can test different ad versions or adjust your budget.
Google Ads extensions
Various advertising extensions
Google Ads extensions are plug-ins that add more information to your ads and entice users to take action. There are several types of extensions, which can help you improve the visibility and effectiveness of your ads. The most common advertising extensions are:
- Sitelink extensions: add links that direct users directly to specific sections of your site.
- Phone extensions: allow users to call directly from an advertisement.
- Location extensions: show the physical location of your business and directions.
- Review extensions: show third-party reviews of your products or services.
- Price extensions: show the prices of your products or services directly in the ad.
- Application extensions: direct users directly to the download page of your application.
These extensions can help you make your ads more informative and attractive to potential customers.
Benefits and use of extensions
Ad extensions offer numerous benefits that can improve the performance of your campaigns:
- Improved visibility: extensions make your ads bigger and more visible, which increases their visibility in search results.
- Higher click-through rate (CTR): informative extensions attract more clicks because they provide users with useful information immediately.
- Improved user experience: extensions help users find the information they are looking for faster and easier, improving the user experience.
- Added value: extensions provide added value to users, such as direct contact, reviews and prices that can encourage them to take action.
Using ad extensions is simple: select the type of extension you want in your Google Ads account, fill in the required information and add the extension to your campaign or ad group.
Best practices
Following these best practices will help you maximise the benefits of advertising extensions:
- Relevance: make sure that the extensions are relevant to the content of your ad and the target audience. For example, sitelink extensions should be directed to the most important and most interesting parts of your site.
- Coverage: use as many types of plugins as possible to increase the visibility of your ads and provide users with a wide range of information.
- Update: Keep your extensions up to date. Check regularly that information such as prices and locations are correct and up to date.
- Measurement and optimisation: monitor the performance of extensions in Google Ads reports and optimise them as needed. For example, you can test different sitelinks and see which ones produce the best results.
- User-centric: always think from the user’s perspective. What additional information can they benefit from, and how can you make your ad as useful and attractive as possible?
Frequently asked questions
How does Google Ads differ from other forms of advertising?
Google Ads is different from other forms of advertising in many ways. Firstly, it is based on a search engine that allows targeting based on users’ search behaviour. This means that ads appear when users search for specific keywords, making them highly relevant and targeted. In addition, Google Ads uses a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) model, where you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, making it cost-effective. Compared to traditional TV or magazine advertising, Google Ads offers more precise targeting and real-time tracking, which helps you optimise your campaigns more effectively.
How much does Google Ads cost?
The cost of a Google Ads campaign will vary depending on a number of factors, including the competition for the keyword chosen, the budget and the pricing strategy. Costs are usually based on the CPC (Cost-Per-Click) model, which means that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. The average price per click can vary from a few cents to several euros, depending on the competition and the market for the keyword. You can control costs by setting a daily budget and using price quote strategies such as manual quote or automatic quote that optimises costs based on conversions.
How to improve your click-through rate (CTR)?
Improving your click-through rate (CTR) is important because it affects the effectiveness and cost of your ads. Here are some effective ways to improve your CTR:
- Relevance: make sure your ad text and keywords are highly relevant to users’ searches. Use dynamic keyword insertion (DKI) in your ad text.
- Attractive headline: write an attention-grabbing headline that grabs users’ attention and encourages them to click.
- Clear CTA: Include a clear and attractive call to action (CTA), such as “Buy now” or “Read more”.
- Extensions: use ad extensions (such as sitelinks and phone extensions) to increase the visibility of your ad and provide additional information.
- Targeting: improve targeting by using demographic data, location and scheduling to ensure your ads are shown to the right people at the right time.
By following these tips, you can improve the CTR of your ads, leading to better advertising effectiveness and lower costs.