It’s safe to assume we have all done a Google search or two in our lifetime and viewed a Google Ad.
“How to remodel a bathroom…”
“Does the sushi restaurant near me deliver…”
“Where can I buy a poster board at 9 p.m. for my child whose project is due tomorrow”.
Have you noticed the “Ads” at the top of the search page? Or why suddenly you’re seeing ads pop up about home renovation projects while you’re shopping online? You might be wondering, “are these legitimate?” Rest assured, they are. And Google has worked hard to determine those ads and their content are relevant to your search and interests.
Simply put, businesses and organizations run ads on Google that will show up when you search for services or products that they offer. These ads can show up within Google Search and Maps, and across other Google partner sites. Some of these sites include YouTube, Amazon, and The New York Times.
So, how does Google know to show a specific ad for a search?
Each time a search is performed, all the ads that are eligible to show for that search go through an ad auction. Google will find all the ads whose keywords match that search. Then, the algorithm will determine if that search fits within the ad’s targeting specifications. Google further analyzes the ad to determine the relevance of that ad to the search being done. This includes the ad’s monetary bid, ad quality, and the expected impact of the ad.
Still not sold on if the ads are trustworthy? A key piece to the auction that was just described is the ad quality. Ad quality is a score given to an ad based on the keyword and ad relevance, the landing page experience (where you would land if you clicked on the ad), and the expected rate at which someone might click through to your site, based on past performance data.
Basically, Google is going to determine which ads are going to help you and your search the most by matching your search query to the keywords that an advertiser is bidding on. Those keywords will also be found within the ad, as well as the landing page the ad is directing you to, otherwise Google won’t deem the ad “relevant” to your search.
Google knows the closer they can get to finding the answer to your search, the better your experience. So it isn’t just enough for an advertiser to spend the most money – their ads have to be as relevant as possible to what you are looking for.
Why should a business or organization utilize Google Ads and other digital ads as part of an advertising strategy?
The audience is highly targeted
Advertisers can choose which keywords they want to show up for and target based on location, interests, time of day the search is being done, etc. You can also direct this traffic to a landing page on your site that will directly answer their question or provide the information they are searching for.
You can generate quality conversions
A conversion is when a user performs a specified action after clicking your ad. This could include filling out a form, downloading your app, purchasing a product, etc. Advertising through Google will help you show up in front of users when they search a specific product or service that you offer. That means the audience will be highly relevant and further down the buying, or decision making, funnel. If you provide the information they are looking for, they are more likely to convert to a customer. Win!
You can see (almost) instant results
Whether you are advertising a week-long sale, or just trying to get some phone calls, your ads have the potential to show up as soon as they are approved by Google. This happens fairly quickly after creating your ads and setting up your targeting specifications. This gives the advertiser the ability to show more specific, engaging, and maybe even time-sensitive content.
Google Ads are measurable and flexible
You are able to see results as soon as they are happening. For example, how often your ad is showing up, how many clicks you’re receiving, if you are receiving any phone calls, etc. You can make changes to your campaigns at any time. Also, Google will even provide recommendations on how to optimize these campaigns!
Another great aspect of Google Ads is you only pay when someone acts on your ad (such as a click to your website). This means that you are easily able to determine ROI by looking at elements such as cost per click and cost per conversion.
Your competitors are running Google Ads
We know that Google ads show up at the top of search engine results pages, and across the Google Display Network. If your competitors are running ads on Google, they are showing up in front of an audience you may not be able to capture without joining in on the fun that is Google Ads. If you don’t compete, you might not get the website traffic or phone calls that you’re hoping for.
How to Start
Implementing Google Ads would be a great addition to any advertising strategy, but it can definitely be a little overwhelming if you don’t live and breathe digital marketing. As you have read above, these ads can really complement the efforts your organization has already put into having not only a great digital presence, but overall positive reputation as well.
Digital marketing agencies specialize in creating and implementing Google Ad campaigns to help meet your organization’s goals. All it takes is a conversation with Shout It Out Design to learn more about you and your goals. After that, you can leave all of the heavy lifting to us, so that you can focus on your customers. If you would like to talk more about how we can help you with your digital marketing efforts, contact us today!
