Google Ads brings in 80% of Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc.’s, revenue annually.
That dished out about $209 billion in 2021.
That’s a HOLY SH*T number for sure, but it doesn’t surprise me at all.
Here’s why.
Google Ads is a valuable tool for businesses to reach new customers. For over 20 years they have been catching people’s searches and directing them to the businesses that offer solutions to their needs.
However, if you want to get the most out of your Google Ads campaigns, you need to optimize your conversion journey. In this blog post, we will discuss tips to increase ROI from your Google Ads campaigns.
What are Google Ads?
Seems like a duh question, but here is why you need a refresher.
In the world of Google Ads, things are always changing. Just a few years ago, the landscape of pay-per-click advertising was relatively simple. You had your standard search ads that appeared at the top of the page, and maybe you had a few display ads here that linked to your target website or webpage. The process for creating and managing campaigns was straightforward as well, with basic targeting and bidding strategies to help you get the most out of your advertising budget.
Fast forward to 2022, though, and it’s clear that succeeding with Google Ads has become much more complex in recent years.
Now there are countless new ad formats to explore, from native ads on YouTube to pay-per-call ads and everything in between.
The 8 different types of Google Ads (more on these later):
- Responsive Search Ads (RSAs);
- Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs);
- Image Ads;
- App Promotion Ads;
- Video Ads;
- Product Shopping Ads;
- Showcase Shopping Ads;
- Call-Only Ads.
Despite these changes, though, one thing remains true: Google Ads is still one of the most effective ways to reach potential customers online.
And managing all those different ad types is a bear to handle without sophisticated bid optimization algorithms or AI-powered automation tools that help you target users based on ever-changing factors like weather conditions or time of day.
But even though the big dawgs (you know, large companies, big budgets, that sorta thing) are using enterprise tools to manage millions in Google Ads, there are plenty of PPC management software options that you can use to effectively manage your Google Ads campaigns.
Whether you’re a small business or a global brand, investing in strategic digital marketing can pay huge dividends when it comes to sales and ROI. So keep an open mind
Why do Google Ads work so well?
There’s no doubt that Google Ads are effective.
If you do doubt it, then feast on this:
93% of online experiences start on search engines (Source)
46% of clicks go to the top three paid ads in search results (Source)
People who click on ads are 50% more likely to make a purchase (Source)
After all, Google is the most popular search engine in the world, with billions of searches being conducted every day.
When you optimize your Google Ads campaigns, you ensure that your ads are being seen by as many potential customers as possible.
Additionally, you can use Google Ads to target specific demographics, interests, and even locations. As a result, you can reap the benefits of increased traffic and conversions.
So why do Google Ads work so well?
The answer is simple: most Google Ads do not interrupt people’s day, they usher them to the things they are already looking for. In essence, Google ads reach a motivated audience with a very specific search intent based on taking action.
If you’re looking for an effective way to promote your business, Google Ads is a great option.
Why are Google Ads campaigns necessary in online advertising?
As anyone who has ever attempted to optimize their Google Ads campaigns knows, online advertising is a complex and ever-changing landscape.
Constantly testing and tweaking ad campaigns is essential to success, but it can be difficult to keep up with the latest changes.
Google Ads campaigns are necessary because they provide a way to reach potential customers who are actively searching for products or services like yours.
By targeting specific keywords and phrases, you can ensure that your ads are being seen by people who are already interested in what you have to offer.
In addition, Google Ads campaigns give you the ability to track your results and optimize your campaigns on the fly. With so many moving parts, online advertising can be a challenge. But with the help of Google Ads, you can reach your target audience and achieve your desired results.
How can Google Ads help the conversion journey in online advertising?
The “conversion journey” is the process that a customer goes through when they see an ad and then take action on it.
The goal of advertisers is to optimize their campaigns so that more customers go through this journey and convert, or take the desired action.
There are four main stages in the conversion journey: awareness, consideration, decision, and action.
Awareness stage
During the awareness stage, the customer sees the ad and becomes aware of the message, product, or service.
Consideration stage
In the consideration stage, they learn more about the message, product, or service and decide whether or not it meets their needs.
Decision stage
In the decision stage, they choose if they want to engage with the message, product, or service.
Action stage
Finally, in the action stage, they take the desired action, such as clicking on an ad, visiting a website, or making a purchase.
To maximize the effectiveness of advertising spending, businesses need to optimize their ads for each stage of the journey.
This means creating different ad groups for each stage and targeting them to consumers who are most likely to convert.
How Google Ads can generate Awareness
Google Ads can be highly effective during the awareness stage of the conversion journey by showing people that you can satisfy their information or shopping needs.
In this stage, potential customers are just starting to learn about your product or service. They’re not always ready to buy yet, but they are open to learning more.
For instance, someone might be looking for the best eCommerce marketing stack for their business.
They go to Google, type in “best eCommerce stack for my eCommerce business” and see a Google Ad that shows the “#1 Marketing Stack for eCommerce Brands” and think:
“Oh, this will help me pick a good platform“
When they click on the ad, they have now become aware of the best options available to them (according to this webpage).
How Google Ads can help convince more customers
The next stage is the consideration stage.
And Google Ads are great for the consideration stage because you can skip the organic listings to show searchers why you are more valuable than other options.
Take a look at this example by Blue Apron.
They do a good job researching their competitor’s Google Ads and writing a headline that helps them stand out as the clear “better” choice.
This will help sway customers during the consideration stage, which usually occurs quickly after the awareness stage in a complete Google Ads customer journey.
To maximize your chances of convincing people to click on your ad, you will want to A/B test many headlines, descriptions, and snippets in your ads. The worst thing you can do in digital advertising is to go on a hunch or guess what people might like, think or do.
Test. Everything!
How Google Ads can help people decide to hire/buy from your business
After the consideration phase, people need to process the information to decide whether they want to take action, or not.
This process is called the decision phase.
The best way to further their Google Ads customer journey through the decision phase is to create an effective landing page that is relevant to the ad and convincing enough to get people to take action.
Your landing page should be clear and concise, with a value proposition that acts as a continuation of the Google Ad that they just clicked on.
But before creating your landing page, it’s important to remember that different people will see your Google ad and enter your funnel at different phases of their journey.
For instance, someone that sees Blue Apron’s Google Ad may have never heard of them before. So they would be starting from the awareness stage. The Google Ad in the section above may work great because they are saying we are “better” and you can get a huge discount for just trying us.
Now when they enter the landing page and see lots of information and social proof that Blue Apron is the best choice, they will have an easier time deciding to make a purchase.
How a Google Ad can drive actual sales
After the decision stage, customers will either take action or not.
To ensure your Google Ads are effective at making conversions, brands need to employ a strong call-to-action (CTA) on their landing page.
The CTA should be relevant to the Google Ad and offer something of value to the customer, such as a free trial or a discount.
It should also be easy to find and click on.
In the example below, Blue Apron’s CTA on their landing page is clear and visible, and it’s easy to see. And the value proposition has a VERY low barrier: 3 Free Meals on your first delivery.
By following this strategy, businesses can ensure that their ads are reaching the right people at the right time, making it more likely that they will succeed in converting prospects into customers.
By understanding the conversion journey, advertisers can optimize their campaigns to improve results.
How to run a successful Google Ads campaign
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to optimize your Google Ads account. After all, who doesn’t want to save money and get more conversions? Here are some tips that I’ve found to be helpful when working to optimize Google ads:
1. Set a budget that works for your business
Google advertising is the way to control the advertising budget of a business because in most cases it is pay per click (or result). Set monthly limits and do not exceed them. If you are launching a new campaign, you can always increase your budget for a given time to test more Google Ads and drive more results.
2. Keep your keywords relevant.
One of the most important aspects of a successful Google Ads campaign is relevance. Make sure that the keywords you’re targeting are closely related to the product or service you’re offering.
This will help to ensure that your ads are being seen by people who are interested in what your ad has to say and what action the ad wants them to take.
3. Make use of negative keywords.
In addition to using relevant keywords, another effective way to optimize your Google Ads account is to make use of negative keywords. These are words or phrases that you don’t want your ad to show up for.
For example, if you’re selling high-end wedding dresses, you might want to add “cheap”, “low-cost” or “used” as negative keywords. This will help to prevent your ad from being shown to people who aren’t interested in what you’re selling.
4. Set up conversion tracking.
One of the best ways to measure the success of your Google Ads is to set up conversion tracking. This will allow you to see how many people who saw your ad ended up taking the desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
Google Ads offers a free conversion tracking tool that tells you what happens after someone clicks a link in your ad.
By following these tips, you can optimize your Google Ads account and get more out of your advertising budget. Just remember to keep your keywords relevant, make use of negative keywords, and set up conversion tracking.
How can I optimize my Google Ads?
There can be many different things you can do to optimize your Google ads once they are already running.
You may find that some keywords aren’t driving enough traffic, or that your ad copy isn’t as effective as it could be.
In these cases, you might want to optimize your keyword targeting or A/B test new ad copy ideas.
Additionally, you should always keep a close eye on how much you’re spending on each click, and try to optimize your bids accordingly based on the conversions you’re seeing from each keyword.
By monitoring these aspects of your Google ads closely over time, you can effectively optimize your ads so that they reach their full potential.
Here are some tips to help you improve your ROI:
Performance marketers all know how frustrating it is to put time and effort to optimize Google Ads, only to have it underperform. Luckily, there are a few specific things you can do to optimize your campaign and improve your results.
Review your top-performing (and worst-performing) keywords
Take a close look at your keywords. Make sure they are relevant to your ad and landing page, and that they aren’t too broad or too specific. You can also use negative keywords to exclude searches that aren’t likely to convert.
Review your Google Ad copy and make adjustments
Make sure your ad copy is clear, concise, and irresistible. Your headline should be attention-grabbing, and your body text should highlight the benefits of your product or service. You can use call-to-action phrases like “Click here” or “Learn more” to encourage people to take the next step. You can also put an attractive offer right into the headline like “Get $60 off”, to encourage clicks.
Is your landing page optimized for the Google Ad?
Take a look at your landing page and make sure it is optimized for conversion. Include a strong headline, compelling copy, and a clear call to action. Remove any distractions that could cause people to leave before converting.
Analyze your competition
Another thing you should do is to analyze your competition’s ads.
Remember, your competitor’s ads will be showing up right above or below yours, so it’s important that you know what their ads are displaying so you can make yours more attractive.
Look at this Blue Apron example again (same as above) showing how they made their Google Ad look more attractive than their competitor’s ads that were appearing right next to theirs?
Whether you’re running an online advertising campaign for a small business or managing an account for a large company, it’s crucial to optimize your Google ads regularly.
This includes monitoring and improving your poorly performing ads, as well as adjusting your overall strategy to optimize results. By doing so, you can help ensure that your ads reach their full potential, increasing traffic, conversions, and sales.
When to use Google Ads targeting?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of when to use Google Ads targeting, but there are a few general guidelines that can help you make the most of your campaigns.
First and foremost, consider your audience. Who are you trying to reach with your ads? Once you know who your target audience is, you can start to narrow down your targeting options.
For example, if you’re selling products or services that are only relevant to people in a certain geographic region, you’ll want to target your ads accordingly.
You should also use targeting to reach people based on their interests or demographics. If you know that your target audience is interested in a particular topic, you can use Google Ads targeting to make sure that your ads appear when they’re searching for related keywords.
Also always keep their search intent and customer journey stage in mind. If your goal is to catch somebody in the awareness stage, then their search intent is more exploration than action. Your targeting and Google Ad copy should reflect this.
Finally, keep an eye on your campaign results and adjust your targeting accordingly. If you’re not getting the results you want, don’t be afraid to experiment with different targeting options until you find what works best for you.
Here are my suggestions for when to use the different types of Google Ads:
Responsive Search Ads (RSAs)
One of the newer advertising formats is called Responsive Search Ad (RSA), which is specifically designed to take advantage of the unique features of Google Ads campaigns.
RSA ads are customizable in terms of headlines and description text, allowing marketers to experiment with different messaging to find out what resonates most strongly with their target audience.
Additionally, RSA ads utilize machine learning algorithms that automatically update things like headlines and descriptions to optimize ad performance based on real-time data.
Overall, if you want a smarter and more sophisticated way to run your Google Ads campaigns, then responsive search ads might be just what you’re looking for.
Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs)
Dynamic search ads are a type of Google Ad that allows you to automatically show ads for your products or services on SERPs, based on your website’s content.
This can be a useful way to promote your products or services if you have a large website with dynamic content that regularly changes. To set up a dynamic search ad campaign, you’ll need to provide Google with your website’s URL and choose some relevant categories and keywords. Then, Google will automatically generate your ad based on the content of your website.
So if you’re not confident in your website’s content or if you’re running a very specific Google Ads campaign, standard text ads might be the better option.
But if you’re looking for a hands-off approach that could still reap some serious benefits, give DSAs a try.
Image Ads
Image ads are a great way to catch potential customers’ attention when they’re scrolling through their social media feeds or browsing the internet.
And there’s no doubt that eye-catching visuals can help to boost your click-through rate. However, there are also some limitations to consider before using image ads in your Google Ads campaign.
For one thing, standard text ads generally outperform image ads when it comes to conversion rates.
Additionally, image ads are more expensive to create and can be less effective in driving sales if they’re not properly targeted.
So, while image ads can be a useful tool in your marketing arsenal, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before making them a central part of your Google Ads strategy.
App Promotion Ads
Google Ads has an effective and affordable tool that can help get your app in front of a wider audience across Google search, YouTube, Google Play, and even Gmail.
Whether you are running a targeted campaign or trying to get more visibility on the app store, Google Ads allows you to quickly create and manage highly targeted ads that will generate clicks and increase downloads.
App Promotion Google Ads are a product shopping ads campaign type that helps you promote your mobile app across Google’s network.
When people search for terms related to your app, your ad can show up on the search results page. You can also use App Promotion Google Ads to promote specific in-app content, such as new features or items.
If someone clicks on your ad, they’ll be taken to your app’s page on the Google Play Store. From there, they can download and install your app.
App Promotion Google Ads can be a great way to increase visibility for your app and encourage more people to download and use it.
Video Ads
When it comes to video Google ads, timing is everything. These types of ads rely on motion and sound to capture your audience’s attention and convey an impactful message.
Because video ads are such a dynamic medium, they need to be used strategically to create maximum impact.
When creating video Google ads it’s important to think about your target audience. What do these people like to watch? What topics are most likely to engage them?
It’s also important to understand that these video ads will most likely be interrupting someone from viewing the content that they clicked on.
So it makes understanding what the viewers (your potential customers) find really valuable to ensure that they are engaged by your ad, not annoyed by it.
By aligning your video ad content with the interests of your ideal customers, you can be sure that they will take notice.
Product Shopping Ads
Product Shopping ads are a type of Google ad that allows businesses to showcase their products to people who are already interested in what they’re selling.
Product Shopping Google ads are different from other types of Google ads, like search ads and display ads, because they are only shown to people who are already in “shopping mode.” This makes them an extremely effective way to reach potential customers who are ready to buy.
Google Product Shopping Ads work by pulling data from a business’s product catalog and using that information to create dynamic ads that are tailored to each individual user.
When someone searches for a product on Google or visits a website that has product shopping Google ads enabled, Google will use its algorithms to match that person with relevant ads.
Product shopping Google ads are then served across the Google network, which includes sites like YouTube and Gmail.
If you’re running a product-based business, product shopping Google Ads should be a key part of your marketing strategy.
Showcase Shopping Ads
Showcase Shopping Google Ads are a type of Google Ad campaign that allows businesses to showcase a selection of products to potential customers.
Essentially, it is a way for businesses to put their best foot forward and showcase their most popular or newest products.
In order to create a Showcase Shopping ad, businesses need to have a product feed that meets Google’s requirements.
Once the product feed is created, businesses can then create ads that showcase up to 10 products.
These ads can be targeted to potential customers who are searching for related terms on Google.com or who are browsing websites that belong to the Google Display Network.
Ultimately, Showcase Shopping ads provide businesses with an effective way to showcase their products and reach potential customers.
Call-Only Ads
Google call-only ads are the best way to get in touch with leads that are further along in the buyer’s journey and likely ready to call.
If you want people to call your business, rather than click through to your website, use call-only ads.
You can create a call-only ad in minutes by adding a call extension to any existing ad group or creating a new one. Just create your ad, enter your phone number, and choose “call” as your call-to-action.
When people see your ad, they’ll be able to call you with one click. No website visits are required.
And if you’re worried about people misdialing, don’t be – Google will show your business’s correct phone number regardless of what device or service they’re using.
So whether someone is on a mobile phone or landline, they’ll always be able to reach you.
So what do you do next?
Google Ads can be extremely profitable for businesses when done correctly.
By understanding how to optimize your Google Ads conversion journey and using the different types of ads that are available, you can reach more potential customers and increase ROI.
I will leave you with my 3 most valuable tips to Google Ads success:
- Write better Google Ads copy, and test it often;
- Build dedicated landing pages for every single ad group;
- Run Google Ads to an audience that engaged with you on social (if you don’t know how to do this, you’re missing out on HUGE conversions –> message me if you need help).
I hope this helps build your massive conversion journey success with Google Ads! Good luck!
