Before the internet, small businesses had to rely on traditional advertising methods, such as print ads, TV commercials, and radio spots. While these methods are still effective, advertising with them alone is no longer enough to reach potential customers.
With the advent of the internet, small businesses now have a more cost-effective and efficient way to reach their target audiences: online advertising. However, knowing and deciding where to start with many different platforms and strategies can be challenging.
If you have a small business and looking to start advertising online, Google Ads is a great place to start. If you don’t know how to use Google Ads or you’re not sure if it’s the right platform for this website you have in mind for your business, this guide will help you get started. Keep on reading to learn more.
What are Google Ads?
Google Ads is an online advertising platform that allows businesses to promote their products and services on Google’s search engine and other websites. It’s one of the largest online advertising platforms in the world, so it’s a great way to reach many potential customers.
How do Google Ads work?
Google Ads acquiesces businesses to create ads that’ll appear on users’ screens, searching for words or terms related to the company’s products or services. These ads will redirect users who click on them to the business’s website.
Further, Google Ads tools allow companies to target their ads to particular audiences, so you can ensure that your ad is visible to people who are most likely to be interested in what you’re selling.
Different types of Google Ads
Google Ads come in multiple forms that business owners can use. They’re the following:
- Search Ads
Search ads are those that you see when you search on Google. They appear at the top of the search results with an ‘ads’ label.
- Display Ads
Display ads are the banner ads that you see on websites. Their sizes and shapes are customisable and usually appear on websites related to the products or services you’re advertising.
- Video Ads
Video ads are short commercials that play before, during, or after a video on YouTube or another website.
- Shopping Ads
Shopping ads are product listings that appear in the search results when someone is looking for a product you sell. They include an image of the product, whether it’s a physical product or a digital one, the price, and other information about it.
How to create a Google Ads account
You’ll need an email address and a website for your business to create a Google Ads account. If you don’t have a website, you may still be able to create an account and start a smart campaign.
First, you can start building your account by going to the Google Ads website and clicking ‘Create an account.’ Once you’ve created an account, you’ll need to choose a campaign type depending on the type of Google ads you want to make. There are three campaign types: search, display, and video.
Suppose you’re unsure which campaign type is right for you; you can always experiment with different types and see which works best for your business. After that, just follow the instructions as Google Ads walks you through the process of creating your campaign.
How to create a successful Google Ads campaign
Here’s a brief guide to help you create a successful Google Ads campaign:
- Choose appropriate ad keywords
The first step to creating a successful Google Ads campaign is to pick the right ad keywords. Keywords are the words and phrases people enter on their search bar when looking for products or services like yours. When you select the right keywords, your ads will most likely appear to people who are interested in what you’re selling. You can use Google’s Keyword Planner to research keywords.
- Write your ad
Once you’ve chosen the appropriate ad keywords, you’ll need to write your ad. It should be clear and concise that include a call to action that tells people what you want them to do. For example, if you’re selling a product, your call to action might be ‘Buy Now.’
- Target the right audience
After you’ve written your ad, you’ll need to choose where you want it to appear. Google Ads allows you to target your ads to specific audiences, ensuring that your ad is seen by people who’ll probably buy or avail of your product. Plus, you can target your ad by location, making sure that it’s visible to people who live in the area where you do business.
- Set your budget
Once you’ve chosen your target audience and location, you’ll need to set a budget for your ad campaign. In fact, Google Ads permits businesses like you to set up a budget to control how much you’re spending on your campaign.
- Track your results
The last step to creating a successful Google Ads campaign is to track your results. Further, Google Ads provides helpful reports based on data that show you how your ad is performing. These reports will help you see which keywords are working well and which need improvement.
Tips for optimising your Google Ads campaigns
Here are two things you can do to optimise your Google Ads campaigns:
- You can use negative keywords to ensure that people who aren’t interested in what you’re selling won’t see your ads. Negative keywords are words or phrases you include in your campaign for people searching for those terms not to see your campaign. For example, if you’re selling a product only available in London, you’d add the keyword ‘worldwide’ or ‘international shipping’ as a negative keyword. Doing so would prevent your ad from being shown to people searching for a product that’s available outside of London.
- Use ad extensions to add more information to your ads. Ad extensions allow you to add your phone number, address, and other information to your ads so that people can quickly contact you.
Final words
Google Ads can be an excellent way to attract new customers and grow your business. If you haven’t tried Google Ads, now is the time to start. And if you’re already running a campaign, following the above guide will help you optimise your campaigns and get better results.
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