It seems like Google is taking over the world, doesn’t it? There was a time when it was just a simple search engine, and even then, it changed the game for businesses around the world. In the years that have followed since, Google has increased and enhanced its offerings, now sharing an entire suite of Web-based products that can take your business to the next level. Some make more sense for you than others, and one of the most popular and prolific is definitely Google AdWords. Google AdWords can be overwhelming if you’re unfamiliar. Read on for some of our favorite tips to navigate Google AdWords successfully.
First, a debrief. What is it? Google AdWords is a database and dashboard of thousands of key words. Key words can be anything, but it’s far more helpful if they relate to your business or your consumer. Let’s say that you distribute dog food. Types of dog food, brands of dog food, even “dog food” could be a successful key word. You pay specific amounts for key words, which can then ultimately lead to conversions when your consumers search for those same key words.
AdWords works from campaigns. According to experts like those at Medium, “The best way you get started for now is to select “Search Network only” as the campaign type and then assign the appropriate name to your campaign. Additionally, uncheck the “Include search partners” box for now.”
The next step is to determine where your consumers are coming from. You can target your campaigns so that the key words are optimized in that area. If you’re a smaller business, this can be especially helpful as you’re casting a more specific net. If you’re going to make any sort of investment in Web marketing, you’ll want to ensure that you’re getting everything out of each dollar. This goes a lot further if you have a guarantee that you’re reaching your consumers, versus just hoping that you are.
We previously mentioned that you pay for key words, but you have total control over what you pay. You simply have to pick your budget. Your budget is the maximum amount that Google can charge you each day. You can always go back and update the amount but we recommend that you start small. There’s a learning curve with Google AdWords, as there is with any software or Website. Once you have a better understanding as to what key words cost and how successful they are for your business, you can make updates to your strategy.
Finally, let’s talk through ad extensions. Ads are what appear at the top of your Google search results, and they’re far more curated than you may have thought. What’s important in these ads is that they include a next step (like a phone number or a click here call to action) to ensure that visitors are then heading to your site. The other little bonus that comes with setting up ad extensions is that your ad will consume more visual real estate at the top of Google’s search results, giving your company more exposure. So extensions really are a must, even for a basic campaign.
September 2018 Update:
Google recently rebranded Google Adwords as Google Ads. Google Ads was designed to “… help marketers connect with the billions of people finding answers on Search, watching videos on YouTube, exploring new places on Google Maps, discovering apps on Google Play, browsing content across the web, and more.”