With 8.5 billion searches being processed on Google per day, Google Ads is possibly the most effective digital marketing platform that exists and one of the best things you could do for your business. Google Ads, previously known as Google Adwords, is a highly effective & high returns form of PPC (pay-per-click marketing) that allows you to advertise and promote your products and services when users on Google search for terms relevant to your brand.
When implemented with an innovative strategy, it has the potential to accelerate leads, conversions and sales drastically. In this post, we dive into how Google Ads works, the numerous goals that can be achieved using it, and the different types of campaigns that exist. Please note that Google Ads is a comprehensive tool – understanding and using Google Ads can be complex and takes much time to master.
How Google Ads Work
Google Ads uses the PPC model where you pay per click or impression on a particular ad. These advertisements appear on the search engine results page (SERP) on Google Search and Google Maps with the option of spanning across other channels such as YouTube, Blogger and Google Display Network.
Brands pay Google to drive relevant, qualified and interested people to the products and services they offer, targeting specific keywords on Google and making bids on them. There are three options for bidding: cost-per-click (how much you pay per click); cost-per-mile (how much you pay per 1000 ad impressions); and cost-per-engagement (how much you pay when a user performs a specific action such as signing up for a mailing list, watching a video, purchasing a product etc.).
Google then takes your bid amount and pairs it with an assessment of your ad, this is called a Quality Score. A Quality Score is an estimate of the quality of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. Higher-quality ads can lead to lower prices and better ad positions. A score between 1 and 10 is given (10 being the best), and the higher your score the better you will rank & less you’ll have to spend. Your Quality Score combined with your bid amount creates your Ad Rank, which is the position your ad will appear on the search results page.
Types of Google Ads
Google offers a variety of different types of campaigns that you can use to advertise. Campaigns are selected according to your campaign goal: sales, leads, website traffic, product & brand consideration, brand awareness & reach, and app promotion. From there, a campaign type is selected:
- Search campaign ads display as text ads on the search results page when searching for a particular keyword.
- Display campaign ads display on a vast network of Google’s website partners to show your ads on different websites all over the Internet.
- Shopping campaign ads allow you to advertise your physical products visually. These ads can display as images on the search results page & on Google Shopping and can get qualified leads by showing your product directly to customers.
- Video campaign ads display on YouTube as videos with banners in the form of pre-rolls. Video ads come in a variety of forms: skippable video ads, unskippable ads, and discovery ads that appear on the search results page of a specific keyword.
- App campaign ads are also included in the Display Network but can be used for targeted campaigns. Google takes your text and assets and creates the ad for you. The algorithm tests different asset combinations and uses the one that performs best.
- Discovery ads can appear as banners on websites, YouTube & apps as well as in Gmail. These ads have a large reach and are flexible in design but can end up appearing on sites you don’t wish to be on or associated with.
- Smart campaign ads appear across Google Search, Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and other Google partner websites. Google tests different asset combinations and uses the one that performs best.
Maximising Business Growth: The Strategic Advantage of Partnering with Something Social Marketing
At Something Social Marketing, we understand the dynamic nature of today’s digital commerce landscape. Our mission is straightforward: to propel your business growth through bespoke marketing strategies. Our services span a wide range, including Social Media Marketing, Paid Advertising, SEO, and Website Development and Design, all aimed at maximising your ROI. Our unique blend of creativity and analytics sets us apart; we handle everything from audience engagement to crisis management in social media, freeing you to concentrate on your core business activities. In Paid Advertising, we’re committed to ensuring that your budget works as a strategic investment. We meticulously research and conduct A/B testing to lower your Customer Acquisition Cost while boosting your Customer Lifetime Value.
We also excel in SEO, ensuring your business maintains a strong online presence. Our expertise extends to Website Development and Design, focusing on creating user-friendly, engaging websites that enhance customer retention. What truly differentiates us is our emphasis on actionable results. We steer clear of vanity metrics, focusing on meaningful KPIs, and provide transparent reporting to empower you with the insights needed for data-driven decisions. If you aim to not just keep up with digital trends but to lead the field, we are the strategic partner that can drive your business towards unprecedented growth.
Google has a 91.9% market share in the Search Engine Markets. It is the most visited website in the world and has remained that way for over a decade. With ads that are specially targeted, resulting in high returns and success, it’s clear to see why advertising on the platform is essential. Something Social is a specialist in Google Ads – get in touch today to get a tailored ad strategy created for you.
