What are Google Ads?
Google Ads (formerly Google Adwords) are paid advertisements that appear in search results on google.com. There are also similar paid advertisements that appear in search results for Bing (Microsoft Advertising, formerly Bing Ads), Yahoo, and other search engines.
The ads appear at the top, bottom, and sides of the search engine results page (SERP). On Google, the ads are clearly identified. On other search engines, the ads are also identified, but sometimes less clearly. People searching the internet often do not notice the difference between the paid ads and the organic (unpaid) search results.
Google Ads can also appear on the Google Display Network. These are ads that are shown on properties owned by Google, such as YouTube and Gmail, as well as other websites, mobile devices, and apps. They are the ads that follow you around the internet like a puppy dog, sometimes based upon your prior searches.
The cost of Google Ads is payment per click (CPC). You pay (and Google earns money) when someone clicks on your ad and goes to your website. After that, it is your website’s landing page that needs to convince the user to contact you or purchase your products or services. You will pay for the visit (click) whether they complete your call-to-action or not.
Certain varieties of Google Ads are cost per impression (CPM)—with you paying each time your ad is displayed, whether clicked on or not. Other varieties are cost per engagement or conversion (CPE or CVR)—with payment based upon the user taking some pre-defined action, such as a purchase. There are special requirements that must be met to use these types of Google Ads.
You provide the ad. You also create the ad campaign. Campaigns include keywords (user- entered search terms), locations and times you want the ad to appear, the amount you are willing to pay, a budget, and other parameters.
Creating ads and campaigns is as much art as science. Successful campaigns must be well thought out and well planned. They must also be monitored to ensure they are working as expected and to identify opportunities for improvement. This is not a set-it-and-forget-it promotional tactic.
Small business owners can achieve significant revenue growth with successful Google Ads campaigns.
About The Author
Gene Wayne is President of Market Master and Author of Big Bang Marketing for Small Business: Growing Your Revenue with Google Ads and More, available at Big Bang Marketing for Small Business.
Market Master provides pay-per-click digital ad management and consulting services for small business. At Market Master, we work with you to clearly identify your target customers and the benefits most valuable to them. We then design a campaign centered on Google Ads to drive traffic to your website and encourage conversions. We will then implement the campaign for you and help you monitor its success and your return on investment.
You can arrange for a free consultation at www.mymarketmaster.com or contact Gene at gene@mymarketmaster.com.