Online advertising has been around for a while now, with Google Ads launching as AdWords all the way back in 2000 with an astonishing 350 advertisers! These days, Google Ads are a powerful tool for selling online, capturing 74.6% of all search ad spending in the USA alone. But that doesn’t mean you’re too late to bring your business onboard. Here are some important tips for optimising your Google Ad spend as a newcomer, from the search specialists at our digital marketing agency in Melbourne.
Some Statistics Every Brand Should Know About Google Ads
While there are no guarantees with any type of advertising, online advertising does offer a very rewarding and high-impact way of selling your products and services. With the widest audience at 246 million unique visitors and an approximately 700% ROI for those at the top of their game, Google Ads is a favourite amongst online advertising platforms. And it’s not just about the big brands either. In fact, research has shown that this type of online advertising, when it’s done right, nets an average ROI of 200% on campaign spend and converts an average of 50% better than organic search across brands.
So, what is the best way to start off with Google Ads?
Understand How Google Ads Work
By knowing how Google Ads work, you can understand your digital marketing agency’s tactics better and make more informed decisions to influence your campaign.
Each time a query is typed into Google, it brings up a list of results by matching keywords in online content to the words used in the query. The more aligned those words are, the higher your content will appear in the results. These are organic results. But that’s not the only way Google displays results. There are additional results that come up on the page, usually in the top 3 or 4 results or on the right side on the screen.
These are Google Ads. There are two main types:
- Search ads – These are the ads mentioned above that appear in relevant search results. You decide on which keywords will trigger your ad’s appearance in search results and you pay each time a person clicks on it to go to your website.
- Display ads – These are ads that are based on your target market’s preferences and interests. Once you determine your parameters, Google displays these ads on websites with advertising space when your target audience visits them. It’s why you’ll see an ad for those sneakers you really like when you look at your local pizza shop’s website.
Through Google Ads, you can also run video ads (on sites such as YouTube) and shopping ads, ideal for ecommerce businesses.
Google Ads Target Markets, Pricing and Bidding
In order for your campaign to be cost-effective, it’s important to know how the pricing for this online advertising platform works. These are the basics:
- Google only charges you when people click on your ad to go to your website – not when they see it.
- Google rewards you with lower advertising costs if your campaign is tailored to your business and target market, and you choose relevant placement for your ads.
- You don’t have to advertise to billions of people. Google allows you to limit your ad views to your target market using parameters like geographic location, device types, interests, intent and much more to ensure you’re getting high-value exposure.
- Cost can be affected by the number of people bidding for the same keywords, so you need to balance your budget carefully and think outside the box.
- In terms of bidding, you have two options – automated and manual. In automated mode, Google’s platform adjusts your bid against competitors within a range that you set, and it will give you the best chance to win that bid within those parameters. In manual mode, you set bid amounts for ad groups and keywords yourself, which can be more affordable if you have the knowledge and experience.
- Location is important, with 46% of all searches looking for local information and 18% of those resulting in same day purchases. Long tail keywords with local geographic limits (like “mobile dog groomer in Carlton” versus “dog groomer” or “dog groomer in Melbourne”) can make your campaign more affordable and more effective at the same time.
As you can see, it’s very important to have a clear idea of your budget as well as who your target market is, what they are interested in and what you can offer them before you start your online advertising campaign.
Optimise Your Ads for Mobile
We’re living in a time where we work, play and run our lives on the go, so it’s critical that your Google Ads are optimised for smartphones and mobile devices. One of the most effective ways of doing this by adding site link extensions to mobile-based ads. Of course, it’s also important that your website is optimised for mobile, as there’s no point in having a mobile user find a sleek and functional ad in their search for your products and services, only to land on a website that’s slow to load, too full of text and difficult to navigate – your bounce rates will climb and your sales will suffer.
Get Expert Google Ads Advice in Melbourne
Google Ads are fairly simple to set up.But getting them to deliver optimal results for your budget takes experience, time and resources. If you’re thinking of implementing an online advertising campaign for your brand, chat to our team about what online advertising platform is best for your brand and develop a strategy that will deliver results. We work with large and small businesses in every industry across Australia, making digital marketing simple and rewarding.
I’m all about making your online ads pay. As a PPC pro, I spend my days and nights creating, optimising, and analysing client strategies so they deliver the clicks. With a mix of creative and analytical strategies, I’ll make sure your campaigns land your business the top spot – and that customers see you first.
