Google Ads are a great way to advertise your business. Nearly 90% of people begin the search for a product on a search engine, and 90% of consumers say ads influence their purchase decisions. If you take time to create a well-planned campaign, you can make money using Google Ads. In this guide, we’ll explore the 10 most important factors for running a Google Ads campaign. You’ll learn how to find lucrative keywords and craft compelling ads that generate sales and grow your business.
1. Check for Customer Demand
First, you need to verify that people are searching for your products and services on Google.
You can use Google’s Keyword Planner to see how many people per month are searching for keywords related to your business. Keyword Planner shows you the average monthly search volume, the bid range (how much it costs to advertise), and competition for the keyword.
For a new campaign, you want to create a list of target keywords with a good search volume and low to medium competition.
2. Focus on Buyer Intent Keywords
The next step is to narrow in on “buyer intent” keywords. Is the person searching for the keyword looking to buy? Or are they just researching something related to your products and services?
When you’re building out your list of target keywords, focus on search terms where the user shows clear intent to buy. For example, the below “People also ask” section search queries show clear buyer intent.
Targeting buyer intent keywords can get your business noticed at the exact moment people are ready to click “Buy Now.”
3. Learn From Your Competitors
Your competitors can be your greatest ally. They have already spent money testing keywords and optimizing campaigns.
Using a tool like Ahrefs, you can spy on your competitors and see what works in your industry. In the example below, the competitor is currently advertising on 54 keywords in the US. You can see the average cost-per-click (CPC), search volume, and ad copy.
4. Create Compelling Ads
Your next task is to create compelling ads that encourage users to click. A good strategy is to focus on the end goal of the searcher. What goal does your product or service help them to achieve? Or what problem does it solve for them?
For example, someone searching for “toothache” is probably looking for a way to relieve their symptoms.
Creating a strong link between the desired outcome and your product is marketing 101.
5. Include a Strong Call to Action (CTA)
If you want people to call or email your business, make it clear that’s what they should do next.
Make it as easy as possible for people to take the next step towards buying your product or service. Don’t make your potential customers think about what they should do next. Tell them with a strong, direct CTA.
6. Use Dedicated Landing Pages
Create a dedicated landing page that matches the search intent and copy of your ad. A landing page is a standalone web page that appears when a searcher clicks on your ad.
You want people to know they are in the right place when they click your ad and land on your website. Write an eye-catching headline that reinforces the offer made in your ad and a compelling subheading that encourages users to keep reading the rest of your page.
In the landing page copy, communicate the benefits of your product or service, use social proof to add credibility, and add a strong CTA to encourage conversions.
7. Improve Your Quality Score
Google assigns your ad and landing page with a dynamic Quality Score between one and 10. The higher your Quality Score, the higher the chances of your ad being placed in the top paid spots of the search results and the lower your cost-per-click (CPC).
Quality Score is super-important. You can find out more about Quality Score and how to improve it on the Google Support website.
In simple terms, your ad and landing page need to be high quality, not misleading, and helpful to users, matching the search intent of the keyword.
8. Keyword Match Types
There are three main match types you can choose from when bidding on your target keywords, which you can see in the image below.
For a new campaign, the Phrase match type usually provides the best results. It enables you to reach a large audience, but filters out broad search queries unrelated to your products and services.
You can also add negative keywords to stop your ad from being displayed for irrelevant search queries. For example, if you run a luxury hotel, you could block the keywords “budget” and “cheap.” This will stop your ads from being displayed to searchers looking for a low-budget place to stay.
9. Use Geotargeting
Geotargeting allows you to target people in specific geographic locations. This is important for businesses that only serve a particular area. For example, if you provide landscaping services in a specific region, you can focus your advertising dollars on the people that live in those areas.
Geotargeting can also help if you sell products nationwide. For example, if seasonality or weather conditions affect customer demand, you can target the areas where people are most likely to need your products
10. Optimization
Most campaigns don’t make any money in the first few weeks. Running a profitable PPC campaign is about learning and making continual improvements to increase ROI. Once your campaigns have been running for a while, you’ll have a clearer picture of what works and what doesn’t.
The three main areas of optimization are your ads, landing pages, and keyword strategy.
If you find some keywords generate more sales than others, see if you can afford to increase your bids. If some keywords generate clicks but no sales, think about pausing your bids on those keywords. When it comes to your ads and landing pages, you can test different variations to see what performs best and gets the most conversions.
Google Optimize is a tool that allows you to run A/B tests and make informed decisions about optimizing your landing pages.
Making Money With Google Ads
A Google Ads campaign can kick-start your new or growing business. You can get your products and services in front of your ideal customers when they are most likely to buy.
If you follow the above tips, you’ll be able to build a solid keyword list, set up precise targeting, and write compelling ads that get clicks, giving you the foundation for a profitable campaign with Google Ads.
Google Ads FAQs
Are Google Ads worth it?
On average, advertisers earn $2 for every $1 they spend on Google Ads. The platform can be a cost-effective way to promote your products and services. One of the key benefits of Google Ads is that you can control your budget and stop and start advertising campaigns at any time.
Is Google Ads only search adverts?
No. Google Ads includes a range of advertising formats and campaign types. Search ads are the most common, but you can also run Display ads, Remarketing ads, Gmail ads, and YouTube ads.
What’s the difference between Google Ads and SEO?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a long-term strategy based on publishing content, optimizing your web pages, and building backlinks to your website to increase your ranking in organic search results.
Organic search traffic is free, but you’ll need to spend time and money improving your website to rank for your target keywords. Google Ads can generate traffic much faster than SEO. You bid on your target keywords and pay a fee when a searcher clicks on your ad and visits your website. This type of advertising is known as pay-per-click (PPC). SEO and PPC can both be an important part of your marketing strategy.
How much should I spend on Google Ads?
Most small to medium-sized businesses spend between $1,000 and $10,000 per month on Google Ads. However, this varies dramatically depending on the industry. It’s usually better to start with a smaller budget. Then, you can gradually increase your budget as you learn what works and gets the best results.
What is a Google Ads Smart Campaign?
A smart campaign is the default setting when you create a new Google Ads campaign. Google adjusts your keyword strategy and bidding settings automatically. Most PPC agencies and experts prefer manual campaigns rather than letting them run on autopilot.
