If you’ve been looking for new ways to market your small business, you’ve probably run into Google Ads at least once. This form of paid advertising is well-known by marketers, although you may find yourself struggling to make sense of it all.
In this guide, we explore the nature of Google Ads and how it can affect small business marketing plans. We discuss what it is, how it works, and how a holistic strategy could benefit your business. Don’t want to set up Google Ads on your own? We also discuss how Autumn Consulting can help you get started with your first campaign.
What Are Google Ads?
Google Ads is an advertising platform for posting digital ads on Google’s search engine. When a Google user searches for something online, you and other advertisers bid for specific keywords in the hopes that you show up on top.
You may also hear Google Ads explained as PPC, or ‘pay per click’ advertising. This means exactly what you think it does: you pay money every time someone interacts with your Google Ad (such as a click, view, or call).
There are four primary types of Google ads:
- Search ads: You and competitors bid to place ads at the top of a user’s Google search. Here’s an example of searching ‘puppies for sale’ in Google:
2. Display ads: Any website that joins the Google Display Network (GDN) can display your visual ad for users with past knowledge, experience, or interest in your brand. You probably see Google display ads on the websites you visit every day:
3. Shopping ads: If you’re an e-commerce business or a retail store, you can create ads for Google Shopping users to advertise your product. Google Shopping ads typically look something like this:
4. Video ads: Want to show off products and services in a more visual way? Google Ads lets you create dynamic content for users who are watching videos or searching for content on YouTube.
5. App ads: If you’re looking to promote your app online, you can use Google Ads to create targeted campaigns to boost installs, interactions, and engagement with your software. App ads are visible for both mobile and desktop users, as you can see here:
It’s clear there are many applications for Google Ads, as well as many different ways to advertise your business, products, or services online. However, we still have an important question to answer: are Google Ads worth it for small businesses?
Let’s take a closer look.
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Are Google Ads Worth It?
You can use Google Ads to do a world of good for your business, no matter how big or small it is. For example, you can:
- Drive new leads to your website and boost traffic on certain pages.
- Maximize the number of conversions on your products or services.
- Show your brand to new people and boost awareness in the marketplace.
- Compete with other businesses online to show how your brand stands out.
- Boost in-person traffic or conversions (if you have a physical business).
However, Google Ads isn’t free — putting your ads on display may cost a few cents to a few dollars per click. This means you need to consider how much your budget could impact online advertising. You also need to know how much you can spend to get a return on investment (or ROI) from your initial expenditures.
The good news? Even if you have a smaller budget, Google Ads are worth it. The numbers don’t lie: in 2022, the average return on investment with Google Ads was 800%, or $8 in revenue for every $1 spent.
Keep in mind Google Ads was designed to be one part of the overall marketing puzzle. In addition to pay per click advertising, you should also be focused on other marketing best practices, which include:
- Organic content marketing. This shows visitors you’re an authority in your space and care deeply about making helpful content at all levels of the sales funnel.
- Social media marketing. You want to show up for shoppers wherever they may be, and prove your brand has a solid presence online and in the community.
- SEO marketing. Optimizing your website for search engine display is a great way to boost traffic and score some easy wins.
With the help of Autumn Consulting, you can manage a winning Google Ads strategy alongside each of these three marketing pillars.
How Can I Get Started With Google Ads?
Setting up a Google Ads campaign with Autumn Consulting is quick, easy, and straightforward. As teachers at heart with decades of success under our belts, we don’t want to just tell you what’s going on with your PPC strategy; we want to show you instead.
Here’s how we can help you harness the power of Google Ads:
- We create individual Google Ads campaigns around each of your main services. These come with their own unique budgets so we can allocate your funds effectively.
- We establish geographic targets for each of your campaigns. The goal is to drive local interest and attention while appealing to audiences in your niche.
- We perform extensive research about the voice of your customer to determine how buyers view your brand and how each ad speaks to their needs.
- We avoid industry jargon and instead use humanized language to reach prospects, buyers, and past customers with authentic, consistent messaging.
Ready to get started? Contact Autumn Consulting today at (813) 618-7554 to speak with a trained expert. You’re also welcome to email wow@autumnconsult.com with any questions you may have.
