SEO Basics: Introduction to Google Ads (Part 1)

Formerly known as AdWords, Google Ads can be one of the most powerful tools in your digital marketing arsenal. For those brand new to the world of SEO, Google Analytics, and PPC (pay per click) marketing strategies, Google Ads can seem overwhelming. If you’ve found yourself looking at your Google Ads dashboard and having no idea where to begin, you aren’t alone! Put simply, PPC marketing is not easy and this is why BroadLeaf Marketing & SEO is here to give you an introductory lesson to Google Ads!

What is Google Ads?

Have you ever noticed how many advertisements are displayed when you search for something on Google.com? How about the commercials before YouTube videos or the ads targeted to your exact interests when browsing most websites online? Most of these advertisements are the result of another business’ Google Ads campaign.

Google Ads is an online advertising service, where business owners like you can pay to display text, picture, or video ads across the web. Operating off of a monthly budget set by you or your account manager, Google Ads works to put your products and/or services in front of the potential consumers you want to reach.

How Does it Work?

Depending on your business, your ads can be shown on SERPs (search engine results pages), as pre-roll videos on YouTube, on relevant websites or blogs, on Google’s partnered search sites, and more! The success of your individual campaigns is dependent on a multitude of settings. It is this incredible level of customization that makes Google Ads one of the most effective marketing strategies available today.

The most common campaign type for Google Ads is on an individual pay per click basis. The placement of your ad is based on an auction system which factors the quality score of your ad, the quality of your landing page (the URL your ad directs to), and the demand for a particular keyword. You set your daily budget, and let Google Ads do the work! Each click on your ad deducts the bid amount from your budget for the day. Depending on your desired keywords a click can cost anywhere from $1 to $10.

While CPC is the most common, there are three pricing models for Google Ads: Cost Per Click (CPC), Cost Per Aquisition (CPA), and Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM).

Cost Per Click (CPC)

Cost per click (CPC) means that you will only be charged the bid amount for a certain keyword when someone clicks on your ad. This is the most popular pricing model used by small to medium-sized businesses.

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

Cost per acquisition (CPA) means that you’ll only pay when an internet user clicks your ad and completes a “conversion”. Conversions can be when someone makes a purchase through your e-commerce store, downloads your app, or any other customer action that you are willing to pay for. CPA is a commonly chosen pricing model for online retailers and app developers.

Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM)

Cost per thousand impressions means you’ll pay only when your ad has made 1000 impressions. Impressions are counted when an internet user views your ad online. CPM is best for business owners looking to raise awareness of their brand.

How to Get Started With Google Ads

Setting up your Google Ads account is done by following four simple steps.

Use your Google account to sign in to Google Ads at https://ads.google.com
Select your campaign type and give it a name. (There are two main campaign types that we’ll focus on in our introduction to Google Ads.)
Set the location(s) where you want your ads to display.
Choose your bid strategy and set your daily budget.

Most Popular Campaign Types: Search Network and Display Network

Depending on your business type, you will need to decide where you want your ads to be seen and why. Take a moment to think about the goal of your campaign. Are you looking to increase phone calls or website hits? Do you want to increase brand awareness by reaching as many people as possible? Are you in need of a way to reach previous visitors to your e-commerce site who may have left before completing a purchase? The “why” behind your new ad campaign will determine where your ads should be shown. The two main campaign types are Search Network and Display Network.

If your goal is to reach people googling for relevant keywords to encourage more calls and clicks, your ads belong on the Search Network. These ads will be seen on SERPs on the top and bottom of the page, and are the best way to reach people looking for the services you provide. For example, a plumbing company would benefit greatly by running a Search Network campaign, while a new clothing brand might be better off on the Display Network.

If you want to reach as many people as possible, creating solid awareness of your brand, then you’ll benefit from showing your ads on the Display Network! Display Network ads are shown on a massive network of websites relevant to your targeting options or keywords such as interest-based blogs, YouTube, and more!

You can create as many campaigns as you need such as product-specific campaigns, location-based campaigns, special sales, and more.

Bidding, Budget, Keywords, and More

This article is just scratching the surface of what Google Ads is and how it can benefit your business. Once you’ve set your campaign you’ll have to create individual ad groups, choose your keywords and their match types, create high-quality ads, set your bidding strategy, manage your budget, and track your campaign’s performance.

Stay tuned for part 2 of our Introduction to Google Ads series where we will go into these next steps, helping you to set up your new Google Ads campaign for lasting success!