In today’s business climate, if you aren’t using Google Ads to promote your business, services, or products, you can almost guarantee that your competitors are. While Google Ads can be a scary venture in the beginning, arming yourself with an understanding of the basics and a solid strategy can help you begin to navigate this beneficial method of digital advertising.
Getting Started with Google Ads
When our agency begins working with a client, Google Ads are often a big part of what we recommend as a part of their overall marketing strategy. Each client is unique, and there are a variety of ways to use Google Ads effectively. You can dive much deeper into Google Ads by downloading our ebook below which will walk you through everything from setting goals to getting your first ad up. However, by familiarizing yourself with three key ideas, you’ll be on your way to a better understanding of how the Google platform can work for you.
These are the ABCs of Google Ads:
1. Audience
Simply put, who do you want to reach with your ads? Are you a small business hoping to reach potential customers in your community, or are you a larger business hoping for a national or global reach?
Are you hoping to reach males, females, or both? What are their demographics and interests? Identifying who your audience is and where they are located will help you determine which strategy will be most effective.
Once you’ve determined a general idea of your audience based on your goals and knowledge of your business, Google has the tools to help you best target your ideal audience based on a variety of metrics.
2. Budget
How much are you able to put towards your ads? The Google landscape is vast, and there are best practices for every budget.
Ready to jump in with both feet? A bigger budget will help you reach more people, put your ads at the top of the search results, and ensure that your ads are performing optimally?
Prefer to dip a toe into the Google waters to see if it’s right for you? A smaller budget can still produce great results for you, but the right strategy is key.
Figuring out the amount you are able to put towards your ads will allow you to determine the rest of your campaign details. There is no right or wrong answer to your budget, but obviously, the more you are able to allocate to your ads, the easier it will be to maximize their effectiveness.
3. Campaigns
Now that you’ve determined who you want to reach and how much you have to spend, you’ll want to decide the best way to reach them. Want to show up in at the top of search results? Have a graphic appear when people are on web pages that are similar to your product or service? Get your video to show on YouTube when a potential customer is watching? To steal a line from the old iPhone commercial, there’s an ad for that.
By considering where your audience will be and the best way to reach them, you can ensure that you are getting the right message to the right people at the right time. The campaign type that is right for you is based on your goals, audience, and budget. Each type of campaign, whether search, display, video, shopping, or app, has its own unique benefits and strategy.
With a smaller budget, you might start out with a single campaign type and measure its effectiveness to determine if you are getting the best return on your investment. If you have a larger budget, you might use several types of campaigns in order to reach a variety of audiences.
Next Steps
Understanding the ABCs of Google Ads is an important first step. But, one of the best (and honestly sometimes frustrating) things about using this platform is that you can get as deep and granular into the details as you want. The amount of control that Google puts in your hands allows you to fine-tune your ads again and again. In addition, you have the ability to measure the effectiveness of your ads down to the smallest of metrics.
If you are looking to run a few ads and see how things go, you can even use let Google optimize them for you. However, eventually, there will come a time when you want to have a more hands-on approach and maximize your control over the ads that you are paying for. The ebook we’ve provided can help get you on the path to success. If you begin to see the effectiveness of your ads, but don’t have the time to commit to optimization, bringing in an expert can be a great next step.
At 1558 Brand Agency, we work with each client to customize a digital marketing strategy that is right for their business and budget, either on its own or as part of a larger fully developed marketing plan. This could include Google ads, geo-fencing, social media marketing, blog development, and so many more tactics. If you’re interested in maximizing your advertising dollars, call our office or fill out the form below.