A Comprehensive Guide to Google Ads

Thinking about advertising your business on Google? Smart move! 

Google Ads give business owners like you the chance to tap into a gold mine of opportunities. These advertisements showcase your business effortlessly right where people are already looking for products or services like yours, allowing you to expand your reach, find fresh customers, and grow. 

But how does it all work?

Setting Up an Account 

To create your Google Ads account (separate from your Google Business Profile), you’ll need an email address and website for your business. 

• Step 1: Register an account at ads.google.com
• Step 2: Verify the account using your provided email address 
• Step 3: Assign permissions to the individuals who will be in charge of managing your accounts
• Step 3.5: After the above steps are complete, your Google Ads account can be linked to your Business Profile, allowing your business to appear in local search results. However, you don’t need a Business Profile to run ads. Businesses without a brick-and-mortar location can skip this step. 

Understanding How Ads Work

First, your marketing team must create an ad campaign. 

Then comes the fun part: you get to tell Google exactly who you want to see the ads in your campaign. Whether you want to target specific searches, certain demographics, or geographic locations, you're in the driver's seat. 

Terminology Dictionary

CPC (Cost-Per-Click)

• The cost-per-click (CPC) bidding process means that advertisers pay for each click on their ads. Unlike in a real auction, however, Google Ad placements don’t automatically go to the person with the highest bid — the platform accounts for quality and relevance to level the playing field. Ad campaigns with a very low overall CPC are often the most effective. 

CTR (Clickthrough Rate)

• The Clickthrough Rate represents the ratio of people who saw an ad and clicked on it. For example, if 1 out of 100 people who viewed the ad clicked on it, this would mean a 1% CTR. CTR can be a helpful metric to measure the success of a campaign.

Ad Campaign

• In this context, a campaign refers to a collection of similar ads that have a common subject, goal, or objective.  

Keywords

• In the context of search engines like Google, keywords are the words or phrases people enter when looking for information, products, or services. They act as a bridge, enabling search engines to match those queries with web pages and other digital content that are most relevant to the user's intent.

Learning Period

• When a new campaign is created or significant changes are made to an existing one, ads enter a learning period. This initial learning phase allows the advertising platform to understand how the campaign performs, gather data, and optimize delivery. 

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Google Search Ads

What are they?

Search Ads appear in Google search results when people look for either the product/service you offer OR a similar product/service. 

Where do they appear? 

These ads can appear above or alongside other Google search results. They are marked with an “Ad” or “Sponsored” label to make it clear to users that these are paid-for placements. 

Who will see them?

People who search for your business, products, or services will see your Search Ad in their results. 

What makes an ad more effective?  

The most successful Google Search campaigns have optimal keywords, an appropriate landing page, compelling ad copy, and are relevant to their niche. 

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Google Display Ads

What are they?

Display Ads appear as text, images, and videos across various places around the web. 

Where do they appear? 

Google Display Ads are featured across the more than 2 million apps and websites within the Google Display Network, including popular news platforms, Gmail, and Youtube. 

Who will see them?

Your ads will be displayed to individuals who have shown an interest in similar products or services or those residing within the specified radius of your ad. Moreover, with additional targeting capabilities, you can ensure that your ad reaches its intended audience.

What makes an ad more effective? 

The most successful Google Display campaigns are engaging and feature high-quality copy, images, or video. Your ad audiences, targeting, and demographics also play an important role.‍

Make It Possible

Harnessing the full power of Google Ads requires meticulous attention to detail. That's where Anntoine Marketing + Design comes in! Our team of seasoned skilled writers, designers, and ad managers is dedicated to the continuous monitoring and enhancement of your ads, ensuring optimal performance. We understand the intricacies of the digital landscape and know how to navigate it effectively.

To find out more about how we can help you utilize the world’s largest search engine to its fullest potential, contact us today. We’d love to help you grow your business.