How to use Google Ads Right
How does Google Ads work?
Although both Search and Display advertising campaigns are managed via Google Ads right, the term “Google Ads” typically refers to the Search Network. Digital marketers usually refer to the Display Network by its own name. In short, Google Ads works on an auction system, where costs are not determined just by bid, but also the quality and relevancy of ads.
For more on the Google Ads ad auction and how the Google Ads system works, check out this infographic.
How to use Google Ads Right
1. Establish your foundation
First and foremost, make sure you have a firm grasp on your audience and your goals.
Goals
What are you using Google Ads for? Lead generation? E-commerce? Brand building? The campaign types you choose and structure of your account will hinge on this. To learn more about establishing realistic goals for your Google Ads account, check out these resources:
- How to Develop a PPC Plan that Aligns with Your Goals
- Everything You Need to Know About Marketing Objectives
Audience
Developing personas is essential. What do your ideal customers do? Where do they do it? When are they actively searching? On what device? To learn more about developing customer personas and defining your audience
2. Set up your Google Ads Right Account
Setting up a Google Ads account is easy and takes just a few minutes.
You have the option of creating your account using an existing Google account, or you can create a new account specifically for use with Google Ads right. Then, you’ll specify some basics for your account, such as your location and time zone. Finally, you’ll set up billing details, so Google can accurately bill you every month.
OH. And don’t forget conversion tracking!
3. Identify your keywords
Advertisers use Google Ads by bidding on keywords that are relevant to their business so that their ads appear in relevant search results. There are many different ways to conduct PPC keyword research, and WordStream’s Free Keyword Tool is an excellent starting point.
Simply enter a search term or URL and it will generate a comprehensive list of keywords along with search volume, cost per click data, and competition level.
4. Optimize your account structure
A logical account structure can have a dramatic impact not only on how easy it is for you to use Google Ads but also your campaign performance. Ensuring your Google Ads account is structured properly has many benefits, including:
- More relevant traffic and clicks
- Higher Quality Score (and thus, lower cost per click)
- Making your account easier to optimize and maintain
If you’re only planning to run a single campaign, your Google Ads account structure will be quite simple. But ideally, you want to have multiple campaigns running for different offers and objectives. The ideal Google Ads account is structured into individual campaigns, each of which will have its own ad groups. In turn, each ad group will have its own keywords, unique ad text, and landing pages.
5. Stay on top of updates
Google Ads is always evolving. New features are constantly getting rolled out and you never know when Google is going to throw a curveball at us, such as with removing modified broad match or sunsetting expanded text ads.
The Google Ads blog is the place to check for these announcements, but you can also get better explanations and opinions in publications like Search Engine Land and, of course, the Word Stream blog!
6. Optimize your landing pages
This is where people who have clicked your ads either convert or they don’t! Follow these guidelines for high-performing landing pages:
- Minimize form fields
- Focus on benefits, not just features
- Use multiple, high-quality product images
- Make your call-to-action clear as day
- Make sure your landing pages work on mobile! (Or let users skip the landing page completely and just call you.)