Google Ads, What Are They?
Google Ads are, simply put, a paid way to be the top result on Google for a certain term. Say your muscles were feeling sore after a strenuous workout or you were experiencing knee pain after a long day’s work, and you wanted to book a Cryotherapy appointment in Humble, Texas. Your Google search would look something like this:
Do you see the Cryotherapy clinics that show up after your search? Those are Ads. The first result beneath More Questions, Clinic 59 Cryo is an SEO result.
Today, we will tell you more about the Ads shown on top.
While there are different types of Google Ads, they all share the same commonalities:
- They are Pay-Per-Click (PPC) meaning you only pay for the number of clicks you receive.
- They work with keywords rather than demographics, which means you target certain phrases rather than certain people.
- They can be budget-restricted, so you can set your budget in advance, and Google will only spend what you allow.
Why and When to Use Them
There could be many reasons why one chooses to advertise on Google:
- To increase your reach
- Have highly targeted advertising options available
- To have better control over advertising costs, among others.
Google is the largest search engine in the world, on top of owning a variety of web assets (YouTube, Gmail, Waze). What makes their campaigns so effective is the idea of intent: 28% of local searches on a smartphone result in some type of purchase or conversion. When you advertise well on Google, you are reaching people looking to make a purchase decision.
Take the earlier example, if you search Cryotherapy in Humble, Texas it’s unlikely you are just browsing the internet. There is probably intent behind that search.
Alternatively, think about billboards, TV advertising, or Facebook: people see Ads because there’s a chance they may be the right audience, not because they are actively identifying themselves as interested. When you use Google Ads correctly, you are reaching people who want to buy.
👉 Read more about being the first SEO result here
How to Run Google Ads
This is easy enough:
- Create or log in to your Google Ads account
- Click on “Create a new campaign”
- Set your budget
And you’re off!
How to run Google Ads correctly is more of a challenge:
First of all, we need to determine how far up the funnel we want to be (think the difference between “chiropractic” and “I need a chiropractic appointment in Houston, Texas”), and we need to understand how much those keywords cost relative to our budget.
Then, depending on your business and budget, you may even decide to run Ads through various channels.
Google Ads are incredibly easy, but creating a great Google Ads campaign is deceptively complex.
Need a helping hand for your marketing troubles?