Google Ads for Dummies

Say someone is in the market for a new air conditioning unit. Where are the most likely places they will go to find a reputable company? Some people might ask their friends or family for referrals, while others might type "A/C replacement" in a search engine. And what search engine owns more than 92 percent of the global search engine market? Google. When someone searches in Google, a whole slew of search results appear. But the results that are most likely to catch their eye are the ones that appear at the very top of the page — the paid search results. These are Google Ads. As a home service brand, Google Ads acts as the digital equivalent of a referral from a friend. They allow you to place your brand in front of people who are actively searching for the services you offer, at the precise moment they're looking for them. In other words, Google Ads allows you to be there when your potential customers are ready to buy — which is why it's such an effective marketing tool. Ready to get smart with your Google Ads strategy? Continue reading our guide to learn everything you need to know about Google Ads for your business.

History of Google Ads

Google Ads was launched in 2000, just two years after Google.com became the most popular website in the world. Originally coined as "Google Adwords" the advertising platform was created as a way for businesses to advertise their products and services on Google’s search engine. By 2018, the platform was rebranded as "Google Ads" and has evolved to now offer a variety of features and tools that businesses can use to create effective online ads. Now in 2022, Google Ads is known to be one of the most popular and effective online advertising platforms available. Want to become a master of your Google Ads management? At Wizard of Ads®, our Google Ads Wizards can help you create and optimize your ad strategy to get the most out of your advertising budget. Book a call with us today to learn more!

Google Ads Terms

To make the most out of Google business ads, it's important that you are familiar with all of the terms used on the platform. Here are some key terms that you should know:

AdRank

AdRank is a metric used to determine your ad's position on the search results page. AdRank is based on several factors, including your max CPC (cost-per-click) bid and the quality of your ad. This feature is great for determining how well your ad is performing, and for keyword research.

Bidding

Bidding is the process of setting your max CPC bid for each of your keywords. Your CPC bid is the amount you are willing to pay for a click on your ad. This is useful for setting a budget for your campaigns.

Campaign Type

Campaign type is the setting that determines how your ads will be shown on the search results page. There are four campaign types:

• Paid Search: Display your ad on the search results page when someone types in a relevant keyword.
• Display Ads: Showcase your ad on websites that are within Google's Display Network.
• Shopping: Feature your product listing information on the search results page.
• Video Ads: Display your video ad on websites that are within Google's Display Network.
• Google App: Advertise your ad within a specific app.

Which campaign type you choose will depend on your advertising goals. We’ll go over each in more detail later on in this article.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

The percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing it. This will assist you in understanding how well your ad is performing and whether people are finding it relevant.

Conversion Rate

The percentage of people who click on your ad and then take the desired action on your website, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. When you know your conversion rate, you'll be able to understand whether people who see your ad are actually interested in what you're selling.

Display Network

This is Google's network of websites, apps, and videos where your ad can appear. For example, if you're selling HVAC services, your ad could appear on a home improvement website.

Ad Extensions

These are additional features that you can add to your ads, such as a phone number or location. Ad extensions can help improve your click-through rate because they give people more information about your business.

Keywords

These are the words or phrases that people use to search for your product or service. When you choose keywords, you're telling Google which searches should trigger your ad. This can be SEO keywords, like "HVAC repair," or more general terms, like "air conditioning."

Pay-per-Click (PPC) or Paid Search

Paid search is a type of advertising where you pay Google a certain amount each time someone clicks on your ad. The amount you pay depends on how popular the keyword is that you're bidding on.

Quality Score

This is a number that Google assigns to your ad, based on how relevant it is to the person who sees it. A high Quality Score means that your ad is more relevant, and you'll pay less per click. This allows you to get more clicks for your advertising budget.

Automated Bidding

Automated bidding is where you let Google set your bids for you, based on your budget and goals. When Google optimizes your bidding for you, you don't have to worry about manually setting your bids. This can save you time and help you get more clicks for your budget.

Manual Bidding

Unlike automated bidding, manual bidding is where you set your own bids. This gives you more control over how much you spend per click, but it can take more time to manage your bids. Manual bidding can be more beneficial in situations where you have a specific budget in mind.

5 Campaign Types on Google Ads

There are many different directions that you can go in for your Google Ads campaign. Here are the five main types of Google Ads campaigns that you can use to market your online business:

Paid Search Ad Campaigns

Paid search ad campaigns are a great way to get your website in front of potential customers who are actively searching for what you have to offer. By bidding on relevant keywords, you can ensure that your ads are shown to people who are most likely to be interested in what you're selling. If you're thinking about launching a paid search ad campaign, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Choose your keywords carefully. Make sure you're bidding on keywords that are relevant to your business and that people are actually searching for.
• Set a budget. Decide how much you're willing to spend on your campaign and stick to it.
• Monitor your results. Keep an eye on your click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate to see how well your campaign is performing. If you're not getting the results you want, consider making changes to your keywords, ad copy, or landing pages.

Paid search ads can be an effective way to drive traffic to your site and generate leads or sales. However, they can also be expensive, so it's important to carefully consider your goals and budget before starting a campaign.

Display Ad Campaigns

Display ad campaigns are a type of advertising that uses visuals, such as images or videos, to capture attention and promote a product or service. They can be used on websites, apps, and other digital platforms. Display ads can be an effective way to reach potential customers and generate leads. They can also be used to build brand awareness and create an association with a certain product or service. When using display ads on Google, businesses can target potential customers based on factors like interests, demographics, and online behavior. Google also allows businesses to target specific websites or apps where they would like their ads to appear. To ensure your campaign is successful, it is important to choose the right keywords and create relevant and engaging ad copy. Additionally, you should consider your budget and set a realistic goal for your campaign. With the right planning and execution, display ads can be a powerful marketing tool.

Video Ad Campaigns

Looking to engage your audience with enticing visuals? Then video ad campaigns are the way to go! Video ads are a creative way to get on your target audience’s radar when they may not have heard of you before. For example, if you want to create a Google commercial about your plumbing business, you can target people who live in a particular area and have searched for keywords like "plumber" or "leaky faucet." You can also set up your ad so that it only appears when people are watching videos related to plumbing or home improvement. This ensures that your target audience is seeing your ad, rather than wasting your time and money on ads that no one will ever see. There are a few things to keep in mind when creating video ad campaigns. First, you'll need to create an eye-catching and attention-grabbing ad. Your ad should be short, sweet, and to the point. It should also be relevant to the keywords that you are targeting. If your ad is not relevant, people will simply skip over it and you'll miss out on potential customers. Next, you'll need to choose the right keywords. You'll want to choose keywords that will reach your target audience when they search for related terms. Lastly, don't forget to track your results! You can do this by setting up conversion tracking in Google Ads. This will allow you to see how many people are clicking on your ad and whether or not they are converting into customers.

Google App Campaigns

With Google App Campaigns, you can promote your mobile app through Google's ad network. This type of campaign is specifically designed to reach potential users across multiple platforms, including search, YouTube, and the Google Display Network. App campaigns are a great way to reach new users, as they allow you to specifically target people who are likely to be interested in your app. You can use keywords and demographic information to make sure your personal ads are shown to the right people. To make sure your app advertisement is engaging, try using video or images to show off your app's features. You can also use deep links to take potential users directly to specific content within your app as well as showcase reviews and ratings to give people an idea of what others think of your app.

Shopping Ad Campaigns

If you're looking to advertise your products or services on Google, shopping ad campaigns are a great way to do it. Shopping ads are essentially product ads that appear in Google search results, and they can be an effective way to reach potential customers who are already interested in what you're selling. The key to successful shopping ad campaigns is choosing the right keywords. When potential customers search for those keywords on Google, your ad will appear in the results. So it's important to choose keywords that are relevant to your products or services and that potential customers are actually likely to search for. Once you've chosen your keywords, setting up a shopping ad campaign is relatively easy. You'll just need to create a few ads and then set a budget for how much you're willing to spend on each one. After that, you can sit back and watch the leads (and sales) roll in!

Google Ads Bidding Strategy

Google Ads offers several bidding strategies to choose from depending on your business goals. You can choose to optimize for clicks, conversions, viewable impressions, or a combination of these objectives. Each bidding strategy has its own benefits and drawbacks, so it's important to select the one that best aligns with your goals. CPC (cost-per-click) bidding is the most popular Google Ads bidding strategy. With CPC bidding, you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. This type of bidding is good for businesses that want to drive traffic to their website or generate leads. The downside of CPC bidding is that it can be expensive if your click-through rate is low. CPA (cost-per-acquisition) bidding is a Google Ads bidding strategy that allows you to pay for each conversion. This type of bidding is good for businesses that want to generate sales or leads. The downside of CPA bidding is that it can be more expensive than CPC bidding if your conversion rate is low. Viewable impressions bidding is a Google Ads bidding strategy that allows you to pay for every 1,000 times your ad is seen. This type of bidding is good for businesses that want to increase brand awareness. The downside of viewable impressions bidding is that it can be more expensive than CPC or CPA bidding if your view-through rate is low. With so many Google Ads options available, it can be difficult to know which one is right for your business. Start by considering your campaign goals and then choose the bidding strategy that best aligns with those goals. If you're not sure which bidding strategy to use, consider experimenting with different options to see what works best for your business.

Google Ads at Work

So, we now have a thorough understanding of what Google Ads' main functions are and why businesses should be interested in using this tool. But how does it actually work?

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic, currently as a platform inside the Google Marketing Platform brand. It does this by collecting data from a customer's site settings through the use of Google cookies and then analyzes the collected data and provides users with customized reports about their website traffic.

Urchin Tracking Module (UTM)

The Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) is a small piece of code that can be added to the end of a URL, which allows Google Analytics to track the source of the traffic. This will help you to see not only where your traffic is coming from, but also what type of traffic it is.

Conversion Tracking

Conversion tracking is a feature in Google Analytics that allows you to track what happens after a user clicks on one of your ads. This can be used to track sales, leads, or any other desired action that takes place on your website. Google is able to track this data by placing a small piece of code on your website, known as a conversion tracking pixel.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Integration

CRM integration is a process that allows you to connect your Google Analytics account to your CRM software. This is done by simply installing a plugin or adding some code to your website. CRM integration allows you to see your customer data in one place, and make better decisions about your marketing & advertising strategies. There are many different CRMs available, so be sure to choose the one that best fits your needs. If you have any questions about getting started with Google Ads, or if you need help optimizing your account, we'd be happy to help. At Wizard of Ads®, we help residential home service businesses build brilliant brands using the exceptional advertising spells we've acquired over three decades in the trenches. We're a team of home service marketing wizards who are ready to help you take your business to the next level. Book a call with us to maximize your digital advertising today!