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Google Ads is one of the most powerful business weapons that helps you to win at any situation. In 2021, Google Ads is not a new weapon for business growth. Rather people use it smarter than before to carry their business growth. 

As a digital marketer, I always think, a successful business depends on the potential leads. Ideal customers can take your business to the next level. 

You know Google is the leading search engine giant across the globe. As a result, almost every business targets to rank higher in Google. 

Definitely, organic search traffic is the key success for every business, yet getting leads faster and others, Google ads has no alternatives. 

Google ads is not a new one. Every business needs SEM or search engine marketing is essential in this era. 

From 23rd October 2000 Google Ads started its journey to help business growth. Though then Google Ads was named Google Adwords. 

After 24th July of 2018, Google Adwords became Google Ads as per its global demand. 

Whatever it is, the effectiveness of the ads by Google is growing faster. 

Never think Google ads are for a single purpose, rather it is a strong weapon for strategic business growth. 

You know, in most of the cases, the leads come through the search engines. You probably know Google acquires 92.47% of searches. 

You may wonder why I’ve said it!

If you are a business owner, you must rank your business in SERPs (search engine result pages).

To rank in SERPs, there are two ways (as per my knowledge) – search engine optimization or SEO and search engine marketing or SEM.

Search engine optimization takes time and sends organic traffic to your website whereas search engine marketing sends paid traffic to your website or business. 

Through search engine marketing, you can even capture targeted traffic to any of your web properties like a form, landing page, etc. 

Just one thing you have to understand, you need to pay the platform charge for running any ad campaign.

In this article I’ve tried to cover a definitive guide to the beginners who want to start an ads campaign with Google Ads, leading advertising platforms around the globe. If you are a beginner, you can start running your own ads within 30 minutes after reading this guide. 

What is Google Ads

Google Ads is a google tool that helps to bring good fit customers to your business. Google Ads is simply Google’s advertising network effective for search, display, and more. 

Google ads is a paid advertising channel. So, people say it is Google’s PPC (Pay per Click) campaign as usual. 

Generally, Google ads bring website traffic, receive phone calls, increase store visits, and many more. 

Do you want to know what the benefits are for Google ads?

  • Pay only when an action is taken. 
  • Increase faster website traffic.
  • Display to millions of people.
  • Targets online buyers with a chance of above 10% conversion rate.
  • Retarget the target audience for multiple times with a higher conversion rate.
  • Faster way to capture leads.
  • Specified business triggers are possible like store visits or receive more phone calls.

Whatever the business size it, Google ads are the fittest for every business. Let me clear one thing. 

If you are targeting only organic traffic through search engine optimization, your rank may go up and down frequently.  

With Google Ads, you can push your business higher in search results (even with competition). 

You definitely understand, position 1 (even 0) gets almost 75% clicks. Therefore if your business ranks in 1st position, you can get more clicks. 

Why Google Ads

Do you know why advertisers pay on Google?

Over 5 billion search queries a day is Google’s cup of tea (daily). 

As a result, almost 97% of business owners prefer Google to bring their business growth.

Advertisers target various audiences as per their product or services. 

Here is an easy diagram to understand how google ads work!

  1. Why do you want to advertise?
  2. Where to advertise?
  3. Create your ads copy for communication purposes.
  4. Make your own budget cap.
  5. Set your ads campaign live. 

Types of Google Ads account

Days passed, the business orientation has been changing. Google Ads is for both individuals and big agencies. 

Google ads accounts are designed for purposes. 

First, let’s know what those are!

  • Personal or individual or small account
  • MCC or My Client Center Account. 

Google MCC account helps to manage multiple account managers, campaigns etc. However, individual or personal accounts encourage limited campaigns. 

Don’t think the interface of both Personal and MCC accounts is hell and heaven, rather they are almost similar. 

Image comparison

How to start Google Ads Account Creation

To set up an ad campaign, you need only one Gmail account (preferable). 

Here are some essential steps to start your journey with Google Ads.

  • First navigate to the official Google Ads account (https://ads.google.com/). 
  • Sign in with gmail id or any email id and password.
  • After signing in, choose the country you’re in or you’re targeting to run ads.
  • Login to Google ads dashboard.

After creating your Google Ads account, you need to know Google ads dashboards. 

If you want to start an MCC account, you can follow these steps below:

  • For an MCC account go to the Google ads and then navigate to the advanced section. 
  • Sign in with gmail id as usual.
  • Choose the payment section. 
  • Now login to Google Ads dashboard. 

For any ads campaign, you need to understand the best Google ads practices. 

When you’re planning to run any google campaign for any purpose, you need to avoid any unwanted mistakes. 

Always remember, your ads campaign is based on need, so, you need to be very careful. 

Here are some important facts that you must follow before setting up any ads campaign. 

Before setting up any ads campaign, you need to know keyword research well. 

I always prefer to start your campaign with 5 important steps.

  1. Find the most profitable keywords.
  2. Make a solid PPC planning sheet or template.
  3. Avoid irrelevant ads.
  4. Optimise your landing page (very important) and finally,
  5. Develop your Quality score or QS.

Start finding your Potential keywords before any ads campaign 

Research keywords first. The best practice is to use Google’s Ads Keyword Planner with the followings:

  • Skip broad keywords or search terms.
  • Narrow your keyword list excluding brand or company.
  • Avoid unnecessary and irrelevant modifiers.
  • Better to choose only long tail keywords.
  • Use keyword modifiers like exact match, phrase match, broad match, negative match and broad match modifier.
  • Check the bid value (minimum to maximum)
  • Know detailed metrics of each keyword individually.
  • Finally set a list of potential keywords (that your business must need).

You can use any keyword research tool to know more about finding potential keywords. 

PPC Campaign Planning Sheet or Template for Better Understanding

When you’re planning to make any PPC campaign, you need to make a Google Ads PPC campaign template. 

For better understanding and performance analysis, the Google Ads template works fantastic. 

Through your template, you can manage, analyze and optimize your ads campaign. Our search engine marketing team will help you also.

Here are some important triggers that your ads campaign planning sheet works. 

  • First set up a campaign purpose. 
  • Set your target audience (better to choose narrow for faster conversion). 
  • Optimise your ads budget (maybe daily, weekly or overall for a month)
  • Make a solid keyword list that you want to use in your campaign with various keyword modifiers. 
  • Optimise landing pages for better conversions. 
  • Make a strategy for your next retargeting strategy.

You can make strategic ads templates according to your business purposes. 

Avoid Irrelevant Ads to Get better Conversion

Have you ever heard about a user’s pain point? User intent including pain points is the key for better conversion. 

If you run an ad and have not made any sense, you may drain your budget. 

Rather, better to understand the following:

  • User intent (specifically related to your goal)
  • Title of the ads campaign.
  • Ads copy with 100% clickability and genuinity along with uniqueness. 
  • Use the best responsive ads category/campaign type (if confused, use search ads).
  • Check your analytics regularly. 
  • If not working properly, optimise your existing ads or create new ads. (Hope previous results help you to understand what you need to focus).

Irrelevant ads not only drain your pocket, rather it impacts badly on your branding as well. 

Landing Page Optimization for Better Conversion

You know, conversion is the most significant (probably the most desired part). The landing page is playing a big role for conversion as well. 

For better conversion, you must optimize your landing pages well. 

You can follow if your landing page has:

  • Your targeted keyword.
  • User’s search intent (with a pain point you trigger)
  • Well decorated and mobile optimised. 
  • Must experience seamless transition throughout. 

Remember, a good landing page is a strong funnel for any business growth. Therefore, it’s better to focus on landing pages optimization. 

Develop your Quality Score

Quality score is nothing but a parameter through which Google determines how your ads rank in SERPs. 

A higher QS or quality score is always better to avail more conversions. Every higher quality score depends on the:

  • Frequency of clicks. 
  • Rank stability in search results.

You can find eyeballs if your quality score is low. Just focus on this important segment. 

Let’s come to an important section that you must not ignore. 

How Google Ads Work

Google Ads is only important if you want to get potential leads and customers. 

You may think I’m kidding!

No, actually or perhaps the Google Ads mechanism is not to bring potential leads only. 

Rather, it triggers a lot of others related to business motivations. 

Whatever it is, when you are going to set ads in Google, you may know how Google Ads works!

Here are some important parameters that help to create effective and highly valuable ads for your business. 

Keyword for Ads

The keyword is the primary factor. When keywords match with the searcher’s intent, then you can easily drive traffic to your business. Therefore, choose a small set of keywords for your ads campaign. Remember, lesser keywords with relevancy, better for business. Never ignore the importance of keyword match types. 

Broad match

Broad match keyword types are the default keyword type in Google Ads. The broad match keyword is generally a wider range. It is mainly a general-purpose keyword. A keyword without any special symbols like [ ] or + is a broad keyword match type. 

For better understanding, here are some simple examples for you.

Broad match type keyword – digital marketing company

Here you can see,

  • Digital marketing
  • Online marketing
  • Internet marketing
  • Internet marketing company
  • What is digital marketing 
  • Top digital marketing agencies
  • Digital marketing services and 
  • More.

If you want to rank your business for a specific search, you need to narrow your search. Isn’t it!

Modified broad match

The modified broad match keyword is not available now from 18th February 2021. Rather phrase match keyword type take over it.

For instance, it seems to be very effective. However, it is better to dip down for better results. 

Phrase match keyword type

Phrase match is narrower than broad match type. Through phrase match’s flexibility, you can bring more potential audience.

In most of cases, through the phrase match keyword type, you can target very close and significant results against your search. 

The inverted comma (“ “) is the modifier for phrase match type. 

Here is an example of phrase match keyword

“Digital marketing company”

The results are:

  • Digital marketing agency
  • Internet marketing company
  • B2B digital marketing company
  • Internet marketing agency
  • The search queries are getting narrower. 

Here is the giant. 

Exact Match Keyword type

When you are looking for a specific result, you need to prioritize the exact match keyword type (more). 

With a square bracket ([ ]) you can modify your keywords as an exact match type. 

Actually, according to Google’s guidance, the ads may show on the basis of searches with the same meaning of the key phrase. 

Here is an example of an exact match keyword type.

[digital marketing company]

You may get the following:

  • Digital marketing company
  • Internet marketing company
  • Digital marketing agency
  • Best digital marketing company 
  • Best digital marketing agency
  • Top digital marketing companies

Negative match keyword type

If you want to get a conversion, you have to eliminate it first. Elimination of unwanted key phrases boosts your AdRank higher. 

Simply exclude those items which seem to be irrelevant to your target. According to me, the best practice is to exclude such phrases like brands (unless you’re working for any specific need), etc. 

Quality Score and AdRank

Both the bid amount and position of your ads are important. If the quality score is on the basis of relevancy, then your AdRank increases with a good click through rate (CTR). What else!

Better user’s performance of your landing page. 

Your ad copy suits the user’s intent. 

Relevancy of your keywords. 

Locations – location is essential for every ads campaign. You need to choose a geographical location for showing your ads. Location is also important if you want to rank your business with a popular search term ‘NEAR ME’.

Target Location

Geographical location is an essential parameter. If you’re running a local business (eg. Restaurant), the location will play an important role. 

Not only for local businesses, but the targeted location is also very significant for many causes. 

  • Ads placement. 
  • Increase more leads.
  • Easily trigger relevancy.

If you run any e-commerce business or provide any specific services, you need to set your target location carefully. 

Location will help you achieve better results even if your AdRank is not good. 

AdCopy

Google ads perform well if almost all parameters are maintained well. Your ad’s title and description are always important. Only effective title and description help you to bring more valuable customers. 

An effective ad copy must have the following:

  • Match with user intent.
  • Concise and specific.
  • Valuable CTR triggers. 

Remember, more effective clicks will bring more potential customers. So, your ad copy should match your landing page content. 

Common Terms related to Google Ads

If you want to create, manage and optimize your ads campaign in Google, you need to know the terms below well. 

If you want to become a masterpiece, you need to understand the following well.

You definitely heard of PPC or pay-per-click campaigns. Never think PPC is only limited to Google, rather every similar advertising network or platform, it persists. 

The most significant is the ins and outs of PPC for your ads campaigns (best practices). 

Let’s move ahead…

AdRank

AdRank is the ad placement determiner. Higher values ensure a better ranking. It is closely related to your quality score. 

Campaign Type

Google ads is the best because you can find various useful ads types as per business requirements. 

If you are a newbie, don’t worry! Google guides you on what campaign you need to choose for your purpose. 

Here are a few popular campaign types by Google. 

  1. Search Ads – Search Ads is the most popular and the basic ads type. Search ads suit almost every business. It displays (appears) in search results (SERPs). 
  2. Display Ads – Display Ads are mostly image based ads. Through Google’s display network these ads appear and perform. 
  3. Video Ads – Video Ads mostly display in YouTube videos as 6 – 15 seconds ads.

App campaigns and shopping are two important display ads by Google. 

Campaign Goals

Google ads work smarter. You can even manage your ads for various goals. 

Either you can go with the predetermined goals of Google or you can set your own campaign goals. 

Whatever it is, the following goals may assist you to understand how Google campaigns work!

  • Lead generation – encourage visitors to take any action. 
  • Website traffic – increase your website visitor with strategy.
  • Sales – drive online sales through phones via any app or from store (both for physical and online store).
  • Product and Brand Consideration – let explore your product or branding. 
  • Brand awareness and reach – reach the ideal visitors with your brand.
  • App promotion – install, interactions etc. with your apps.
  • Local store visit – increase engagement to your local business (ie. restaurant)

Surprisingly, in most cases, every successful ads campaign starts without any GOAL.

Why?

Every predefined goal has some limitations. Only campaigns without goals have fewer limitations. 

You can manage, optimize, or manipulate your campaign strategically for better performance (using without any goal).

Bidding Terminologies

A bidding strategy is a key to any successful ads campaign. For better ads placement, your bid matters the most. 

Here are some important facts regarding the bidding strategy.

  • CPC or cost per click – amount payable for every click.
  • CPM or cost per mile – amount payable for a thousand impressions. 
  • CPE or cost per engagement – amount payable after only a predetermined action taken by. 

CTR

CTR or Click Through Rate are the most essential parameters for both organic and paid strategy. 

Every high CTR ensures three following parameters:

  • Better quality score.
  • More relevancy with keywords.
  • Fulfill user intent (or get closer)

Conversion Rate

Conversion rate determines your business growth. For every ads campaign, finally, conversion matters the most. 

A higher conversion rate dominates your competition. A good conversion rate speaks a thousand words. 

If your conversion rate is higher enough you can take a relief breath because – 

  • Users who visit your website definitely like your landing page. 
  • Your product or service definitely solves someone’s need (or pain points). 

Ads Extensions

Google ads perform with various additional information without any investment. These are actually Google ads extensions. 

Some of the popular Google ads extensions are:

  • Callout extensions.
  • Sitelink extensions.
  • Price extensions.
  • Call extensions.
  • Structured snippet extensions.
  • App extensions.
  • Offer extensions.
  • Location or affiliate location extensions.

Those extensions are free and best to trigger your additional benefit. 

For better performance, it is better to use 4 extensions. However, you can use more as per your choice. 

Remember, your AdRank including positioning, finally determines if you are eligible for using extensions. 

Google Popular Ads Campaigns

This is the most crucial part. If you are planning to switch to investment with Google ads, you must read this section first. 

Google offers various ads campaigns. 

And, all Google ads have different purposes. 

Here I’ll discuss the significant difference between various ads.

First, let’s know the common and popular ads types. 

  • Search.
  • Display.
  • Video.
  • Shopping.
  • App.

Search Ads

Search ads hold the most market share in comparison to other ads types. 

Generally, search ads are text ads. In SERPs (in Search Engine Result Pages) it ranks at the top and bottom of the page (SERPs).

You know, people prefer clicking the first result. Google places your ads there to give you an opportunity. 

Unless using an ‘AD’ 

Responsive Search Ads

When you plan to use multiple ad copy versions, including heading, for showing the best per morning ads before searchers, the responsive search ads work. 

The 

Responsive search ads include relevancy. It is closely related to flexibility. 

With responsive ads, you can reach your targeted potential customers with multiple options. 

Display Ads

Display ads are within GDN or Google Display Networks. To target an array of audiences, the display ads perform well. 

The advertiser can pay on the basis of clicks or impressions. 

The ultimate goal is to bring your business (or content) before the audience. 

Through images ads (popular display ads) you can trigger your searcher’s attention. 

Video Ads

Video ads are specific. Mainly on YouTube, these video ads perform. 

Generally, it is a 6 – 15 seconds google ads on YouTube. When you watch videos (YouTube) you may see some ads are skippable or unskippable. 

Video ads are good for branding as well. 

Shopping ads

Shopping ads are essential for every e-commerce business. This ads type triggers detailed product information including price and variants. 

Even shopping ads promote some specific products before the right people. 

As a result, when you’re typing any product-related query in SERPs, you can find the fittest products with their price and variants. 

App Ads

App or applications are growing. As a result, promoting mobile applications is a common factor today. 

Through app promotion using Google’s ads campaign, you can easily display your ads in Google search results, Google play (store), YouTube, or any Google Display Network. 

Through a bid, you can simply promote your ads without even any ads design. It includes app installation, (any activities through apps), etc. 

Final Thought

Google ads are essential in this era. I’ve tried to cover all important information about Google ads including how to use when to use them, terminologies, and more. If you have any questions, feel free to communicate with me. 

Reference: Hubspot Blog, Google Ads Developer Blog