Guide about Google Ads

Google Ads is a powerful online advertising platform that can help businesses of all sizes reach a wider audience and achieve their marketing goals. With Google Ads, businesses can create ads that appear at the top of the search engine results page (SERP) when a user enters a specific keyword or phrase. These ads can drive traffic to a website, increase brand awareness, and drive sales.

Setting up a Google Ads campaign is simple, and businesses can choose from several types of ad formats, such as search ads, display ads, shopping ads, video ads, app ads and local service ads. Each type of ad has its own unique characteristics and is used for different purposes. 

For example, search ads are text-based and appear at the top or bottom of the SERP when a user enters a specific keyword or phrase. Display ads, on the other hand, are image-based and appear on websites across the Google Display Network (GDN). Shopping ads, as the name suggests, are product-based and appear on the SERP when a user enters a specific product-related keyword or phrase.

Video ads, as the name suggests, are video-based and appear on YouTube and other video-based websites across the GDN. App ads promote mobile apps and they can appear on both search and display networks on google. Local service ads promote local services and they appear on Google Maps and search results when users are looking for a local service.

To create an ad, businesses will need to create a Google Ads account and set up a campaign. They will also need to choose relevant keywords, write ad copy, and create ad creatives in the form of images or HTML5. Additionally, businesses can set targeting options such as location and demographics, and set a budget and bid for ad placement.

Once the campaign is launched, businesses can monitor its performance using the Google Ads platform and make adjustments as needed. Here are the steps to create a Google Ads campaign:

• Create a Google Ads account and set up a campaign.
• Choose the type of campaign you want to run, such as search or display.
• Set your budget and bid for ad placement.
• Create your ad group and add keywords relevant to your business.
• Create your ad, including text, images, and a landing page for the ad to link to.
• Set targeting options, such as location and demographics.
• Launch your campaign and monitor its performance.

Example: A local florist wants to promote its flower delivery service. They would create a Google Ads campaign targeting keywords related to flower delivery, such as "flower delivery near me" or "same-day flower delivery." 

They would set a budget and bid for ad placement, create an ad group with these keywords, and create an ad with a photo of their beautiful bouquets and a call-to-action to "Order now." The ad would target people searching for flower delivery in their city and surrounding areas.

Type of Google Ads:

Google Ads offers several types of ad formats that businesses can use to promote their products or services. Each type of ad has its own unique characteristics and is used for different purposes. The most common types of Google Ads are:

• Search Ads: These are text-based ads that appear at the top or bottom of the search engine results page (SERP) when a user enters a specific keyword or phrase. Search ads are often used to drive traffic to a website and are one of the most popular ad formats. Search ads are text-based and do not require images or videos. However, you can add a call-to-action (CTA) button on your ad like "Learn more" or "Shop now" which can increase the chances of a user clicking on your ad.
• Display Ads: These are image-based ads that appear on websites across the Google Display Network (GDN). Display ads are often used to increase brand awareness and are typically used to reach a broader audience than search ads.
• Shopping Ads: These are product-based ads that appear on the search engine results page when a user enters a specific product-related keyword or phrase. Shopping ads are often used to drive sales and are typically used by e-commerce businesses.
• Video Ads: These are video-based ads that appear on YouTube and other video-based websites across the Google Display Network. Video ads are often used to increase brand awareness and are typically used to reach a broader audience than search or display ads.
• App ads: These are ads that promote mobile apps and they can appear on both search and display networks on google. These ads are useful for app developers and publishers to increase the number of downloads and engagement of their apps.
• Local service ads: These are ads that promote local services and they appear on Google Maps and search results when users are looking for a local service. These ads are useful for local businesses such as plumbers, electricians, or cleaning services.

Each type of ad format has its own unique characteristics and is used for different purposes. Businesses should choose the ad format that best aligns with their goals and target audience.

A brief overview of what Google Ads is and how it can benefit businesses | Statistics on the reach and effectiveness of Google Ads

• Google Ads is an online advertising platform that allows businesses to display ads on Google's search engine and other websites across the internet.

• Advertisers can target specific audiences based on keywords, demographics, and other factors.

• Google Ads can benefit businesses by increasing visibility and driving traffic to their website, which can lead to more sales or leads.

• Google Ads has a wide reach, with over 3.5 billion searches per day on Google alone.

• Google Ads has been shown to be effective for businesses of all sizes and industries, with an average click-through rate of 2.69% for search ads and 0.84% for display ads.

• Google Ads can be a cost-effective form of advertising, as businesses can set a budget and bid for ad placement, so they only pay when someone clicks on their ad.

Note: The statistics and figures mentioned here are approximate and the numbers are always changing with time.

Setting up a Google Ads Campaign

• To create a Google Ads account, you will need to visit the Google Ads website and sign up. You will need to provide basic information about your business and billing information.
• After you've set up your account, you will be prompted to create your first campaign.
• When creating a campaign, you will need to choose the type of campaign you want to run. There are several options to choose from, including Search, Display, Video, and Shopping campaigns. Each one has its own set of options and targeting capabilities.
• Setting a budget and bidding for ad placement is an important step when creating a campaign. A budget is the maximum amount of money you're willing to spend on your campaign and a bid is an amount you're willing to pay for a click on your ad. This helps to ensure that you're not spending more than you can afford and that your ads are shown to the right audience.
• Once you have set your budget and bid, you will be able to create ad groups and ads, which will be the subject of the next slide.

Note: It is recommended to start with a small budget and then increase it as needed. Also, Google Ads offers different bid strategies that can help you to optimize your campaign depending on your goals.

Creating an Ad Group and Ad

• After setting up your campaign and budget, creating an ad group is next. An ad group is a collection of ads that are grouped together based on similar keywords and themes.

• To create an ad group, you will need to add keywords that are relevant to your business. These keywords are used to match your ads to the right search queries and help to ensure that your ads are being shown to the right audience.
• Creating an effective ad is crucial to the success of your campaign. Your ad should include compelling text that clearly communicates your message, an image or video that draws attention, and a landing page that is relevant to the ad and provides a clear call to action.
• Setting targeting options is an important step when creating an ad. Targeting options include location, demographics, interests, and behaviors. These options allow you to show your ads to the people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services.
• Once you have created your ad group and ads, you can launch your campaign and monitor its performance.

Note: Ad groups should have a clear structure, not more than 20 keywords per ad group, and should be regularly reviewed and optimized to improve their performance.

Launching and Monitoring your Campaign

• Once you have set up your campaign, ad groups, and ads, you are ready to launch your campaign and make it live. This can be done by clicking the "launch" button in your Google Ads account.

• Once your campaign is live, it is important to monitor its performance regularly. This includes checking metrics such as clicks, impressions, and conversions, to see how well your ads are performing.

• Monitoring your campaign's performance allows you to make adjustments and optimize your campaign as needed. This can include adjusting your budget, bid, targeting options, and ad creative.
• Google Ads provides a variety of built-in tools to measure the success of your campaign, including the Campaigns tab, the Ad groups tab, the Ads tab, and the Keywords tab, to name a few. These tools provide detailed data and metrics about your campaign's performance, such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per conversion.
• Additionally, you can use third-party tools like Google Analytics, to track the success of your campaigns.

Note: Regular monitoring and adjustments are important to optimize your campaign and get the best results from your ad spend.

Several potential problems can arise when running a Google Ads campaign.

• Low click-through rate (CTR) - A low CTR means that your ads are not effectively capturing the attention of your target audience. This could be due to a lack of relevance, poor ad copy, or poor targeting. A low CTR can indicate that your ads are not reaching the right audience or that they are not compelling enough to encourage clicks.
• High bounce rate - A high bounce rate means that people are leaving your website quickly after clicking on your ad. This could be due to a lack of relevance or user-friendliness on your landing page. A high bounce rate can indicate that your ads are not effectively directing people to a relevant and useful page on your website.
• High cost per conversion - A high cost per conversion means that you are spending a lot of money to generate a sale or lead. This could be due to poor targeting, high competition for ad space, or a high bid. A high cost per conversion can indicate that your ads are not effectively targeting the right audience or that you are overspending on your campaign.
• Limited reach - Limited reach means that your ads are not being shown to as many people as you'd like. This could be due to a low budget, poor targeting, or low-quality scores. Limited reach can indicate that your ads are not being seen by enough people or that your targeting options are not effectively reaching your desired audience.
• Limited conversion - Limited conversion means that your ads are not generating the number of conversions you expect. This could be due to poor targeting, a weak call-to-action, or a lack of relevance on the landing page. Limited conversion can indicate that your ads are not effectively directing people to take a desired action.
• Account suspension - Account suspension is when Google temporarily or permanently disables your account for a policy violation or suspicious activity. This could happen due to multiple reasons such as using prohibited content, using prohibited techniques, and providing false information.
• Lack of tracking - Lack of tracking means you do not have the necessary data to understand how your ads perform and make data-driven decisions about your campaign. This can make it difficult to identify and solve problems with your campaign and optimize your ads for better performance.

Things to avoid when setting up and running a Google Ads campaign:

There are several things to avoid when setting up and running a Google Ads campaign:

• Using prohibited content: Google has strict guidelines on the types of content that can be advertised, such as illegal products or services, misleading or false claims, and adult content. It's important to familiarize yourself with these guidelines and to avoid using prohibited content in your ads.
• Using prohibited techniques: Google also has guidelines on the types of techniques that can be used in ads, such as using pop-ups, auto-redirects, and misleading claims. It's important to avoid using prohibited techniques to avoid your account being suspended.
• Providing false information: When creating your account and setting up your campaign, it's important to provide accurate and truthful information. Providing false information can lead to the suspension of your account
• Not setting a budget: Not setting a budget can lead to overspending on your campaign and can make it difficult to measure the effectiveness of your ads.
• Not targeting the right audience: Not targeting the right audience can lead to low investment returns and a lack of conversions.
• Not testing different ad formats or ad copy: Not testing different ad formats or ad copy can lead to poor performance and a lack of conversions.
• Not regularly monitoring and optimizing your campaign: Not regularly monitoring and optimizing your campaign can lead to poor performance and a lack of conversions.

It's important to keep in mind that Google Ads is constantly changing, so it's important to stay up-to-date with the latest guidelines and best practices to ensure the success of your campaign.

Metrics that you can use to measure the performance of your Google Ads campaign:

There are several Metrics that you can use to measure the performance of your Google Ads campaign:

• Impressions: The number of times your ad was shown to an audience. The formula to calculate impressions is simply the number of times your ad was served.

• Click-through rate (CTR): The ratio of clicks to impressions, expressed as a percentage. The formula to calculate CTR is: (number of clicks/number of impressions) x 100. A high CTR indicates that your ad is relevant and compelling to your target audience.
• Cost per click (CPC): The average cost of a click on your ad. The formula to calculate CPC is: (total cost of the campaign) / (number of clicks). A lower CPC indicates that your ad is more cost-effective.
• Conversions: The number of times a desired action (such as a sale or lead) was taken as a result of your ad. The formula to calculate conversions is the number of times a desired action was taken on your website.
• Cost per conversion: The cost of a conversion, is calculated by dividing the total cost of the campaign by the number of conversions. The formula to calculate cost per conversion is (total cost of the campaign) / (number of conversions) . A lower cost per conversion indicates that your ad is more cost-effective.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): The return on investment for your ad spend. It can be calculated by dividing the revenue generated by the ad spend. The formula to calculate ROAS is: (Revenue generated by the ad spend)/(Ad spend)
• Quality score: this is a metric that Google uses to measure the relevance of your ad, keywords, and landing page. Google does not share the exact formula for calculating Quality Scores, but it takes into account various factors like relevance, click-through rate, and landing page experience. A higher quality score can lead to lower costs and better ad placement.
• Bounce rate: the percentage of visitors that leave your website after visiting only one page. The formula to calculate Bounce Rate is : (number of single-page sessions/number of entrances) x 100. A high bounce rate can indicate that the landing page is not relevant or user-friendly.
• Time on site: The time a visitor spends on your website. A high time-on-site can indicate that the landing page is relevant and engaging.

These metrics can be tracked using the Google Ads platform or using third-party tools like Google Analytics. It's important to regularly monitor these metrics and make adjustments to your campaign as needed to improve performance and maximize return on investment.