If you are trying to grow your business, Google AdWords is a very powerful tool… if you know how to use it correctly. The wrong moves can lead to wasted time, money, and energy. But if you use it effectively, it could get you to the top of Google’s search engine pages.
So how do use Google AdWords to your advantage? This article will provide you with everything you need to know.
What is Google AdWords?
Google Adwords is a Pay Per Click (PPC) ad that’s displayed on the top of bottom of Google’s search engine pages. It can be highly effective in drawing in customers. As the name suggests, you pay for the ads based on how many customers click through to get to your website.
What are the Benefits of Google AdWords?
Google AdWords provide many benefits including the following:
Precise Targeting for AdWords
You can decide when your ads will be displayed and who your ads are reaching based on geographical location. This ensures it is reaching your target audience.
Targets Specific Devices
In addition to targeting specific audiences, you can also choose the types of devices your ad will appear on. This includes desktops, mobile phones and tablets. You can even decide if you want your ads to go to Windows or iPhones. You will have to bid higher for devices that are more likely to convert.
Pay for Clicks Only with AdWords
Owners that invest in PPC advertising will be paying for people that click through on their ads, not impressions. This allows them to save money and it tends to produce higher ROI.
Performance Tracking
Google AdWords comes with analytics that allow you to see how well your ad did in terms of views and clicks as well as how many people took the desired action after clicking through.
Good ROI
Statistics show that most businesses make $2 for every dollar they spend on AdWords. But the results you get will vary depending on how effective your ads are and the industry you’re in. If you want to see what the tool does for your business, give it a try!
Preparing for Your PPC Campaign
Google AdWords can be very effective, but only if you’re smart about how you set up your campaign. Therefore, you will want to take a few calculated steps in preparation of getting things off the ground. The first one is determining what the goal of your campaign is.
Goals will vary and can include:
- Increasing sales
- Getting people to sign up for your newsletters
- Enhancing brand awareness
- Getting people to download your resources
- Increasing registrations
- Lead generation
It’s okay to have more than one goal, but keep in mind that you can only have one CTA in your ad. Therefore, you will need to create a different ad for each goal.
Create a Landing Page for AdWords
The landing page will be the page a user lands on when they click on your ad. It is a standalone page and it is different from the main page of your website, and it serves to emphasize the goal of your campaign. A well designed, optimized landing page can make all the difference in the success of your marketing plan.
Here are some elements your landing page should include:
- Focus: Your landing page should focus on the objective of your campaign. Including too many varied messages will confuse visitors.
- Call to Action: A call to action should be included at the bottom of your content letting the visitor know what you want them to do.
- Mobile Friendly: Many pages aren’t formatted correctly so they can’t be viewed clearly across a variety of devices. Your landing page must be formatted so it is easy to view and read on desktops and mobile phones.
- Deliver on Your Promises: It’s important to deliver on your promises. If your page says the customer will get a 10% discount on your goods if they provide their contact information, be sure that they get that discount.
How to Set Up Your Google AdWords Account
Now that you have all your ducks in a row, it’s time to sign up for your Google AdWords account. Here’s how it’s done.
Sign Up
The first step is to go to the Google AdWords website and sign up using your Google account. If you don’t have a Google account, you will have to make one.
Once you sign up you will be taken to a page that prompts you to choose your budget and target audience. It will also require you to set your bids and write your ad copy.
Setting Your Budget
Setting your budget is tricky. After all, you don’t want to commit to more than you can afford.
To determine your budget, you will need to decide how many people that visit your landing page will be likely to convert. It’s impossible to guess this number accurately, but an estimate will do.
Experts say that about 2.35% of visitors will convert after seeing your landing page. This will help you determine how much you can spend. It is also known as your cost per acquisition.
Once you have decided on a budget, enter it into the required field. Hit save and move on.
Choosing Your Target Audience
Choosing your target audience is not complicated, especially if your business is in a brick-and-mortar locations. You can simply enter your zip code, then select a radius around your zip code. It’s best to choose a radius range between 10 and 30 miles.
If you have an online business, you may choose your target audience based on people in states more likely to buy your products. If you are hoping to hit a wider market, you may have to launch multiple campaigns.
Choose a Network
Your network options are the Google Search Network and the Display Network. The Search Network will put your ads on Google SERPs while the Display Network will put your ads on any website that displays ads.
Beginners and small businesses will be better off with the Search Network as it will allow your ad to be displayed to users who are specifically searching for your keywords. The Display Network is better suited to companies that are branding, retargeting and have a lower CPC.
Choose Your Keywords
Google will allow you to choose 15- 20 keywords that will cause your ad to come up when users enter them. If you haven’t done your research, you can always add more later.
The keywords you choose should be based on what’s relevant to your business as well as popularity, but more popular isn’t always better.
For example, if you have a plumbing company in New York, you may want to bid on the keyword, ‘plumbers New York’. But keep in mind that every New York plumber will be bidding on this keyword. Therefore, you will have to pay more for the keyword and you will also have more competition when it comes to the businesses getting to the top of the search engine when the keyword is entered.
You can keep your costs down by choosing relevant keywords with moderate search volumes.
Set Your Bid
Your bid is the amount of money you are willing to pay when someone clicks on your ad. If you enter a higher bid than your competitor, your website will be more likely to come up when someone enters the keyword.
There are two ways to set your bid. One is to let Google automate the bid for you and the other is to do it manually.
A manual bid is likely to be more cost effective but it may be wise to allow Google to automate it in the early stages so you can get familiar with the bidding system before you take it over.
Write Your Ad
Writing your ad is the most crucial part of the Google AdWords process. Here’s some advice that will guide you on your journey:
- Keep It Short: You won’t get a lot of space to write your text so it’s best to keep it short and to the point.
- Make an Engaging Headline: The headline will be what attracts people to the ad and makes them want to click through so make it sexy!
- Have a Clear CTA: The end of your ad should tell users exactly what you want them to do.
Create Your Ad
After you have completed all these steps, you will save your information and be taken to the billing page. You will be charged for 30 days or until you exhaust your budget, whatever comes first.
Google AdWords can be a powerful tool when it comes to growing your business. Now that you know how to use it effectively, you can look forward to bringing in some serious revenue. What strategies will you be using when you try out your campaign?
If you have questions or would like to get started, please give us a call at (312) 834-7787 or visit our website to request a free quote and consultation.