If you’re thinking about advertising your business, you might be considering Google Ads. We’ve been looking into how Google Ads works, and whether it could be a good choice for businesses.
What is Google Ads?
Google Ads is the advertisement branch of Google. When you search something in Google, you might have noticed that the first two or three results on the page, and the last couple of results usually start with ‘Ad’ in bold. This means that companies are using Google Ads to appear in your search results.
With the exception of the word ‘Ad’, Google Ads look very similar to the rest of Google’s search results; instead of traditional advertising which is designed to stand out, Google Ads are designed to blend in. Google states that this was to improve the design and readability of the user, although critics claimed that it was to ‘trick’ users into clicking links that they didn’t know were advertisements.
Regardless of the intention, since Google Ads transitioned to these kinds of advertisements in 2020, they’ve seen their revenue increase from 146.92 billion to 209.49 billion.
What are the benefits of Google Ads?
So Google Ads as an enterprise is clearly successful, but could their adverts lead to success for your business? There are a number of benefits to using Google Ads that sets it above competitors.
1.The search engine heavyweight
Would you rather have an advert for your business in London’s Leicester Square, or a roundabout in Fordwich? It makes sense to advertise in the place with the most footfall, because the more people that you get your advert in front of, the more likely you are to generate new customers.
With 83% of the search engine market, Google has the most users by far. However, unlike Leicester Square, Google only puts your adverts in front of users who have specifically searched for what your business is offering. This means that your advert is seen by the highest amount of people that are actively interested in businesses like yours.
2.Target your customers
Google uses a number of different metrics to get your website to the right people. You can use specific keywords, certain locations and languages to find your audience, as well as tailoring your adverts to certain age groups. Businesses can even change when their ads appear, so that it runs on certain days of the week, or hours of the day.
The majority of Google searches come from mobile devices, so it’s much more important that your advert (and your website) is responsive. This means that the advert responds to the device that you’re using and makes the advert accessible and user friendly on that device. Google Ads works across mobile and desktop, so your advert is ready for customers regardless of how they find it.
3.Cost-effective advertising
With Google Ads, you only pay when someone clicks your advert, and there’s also no minimum spend. This means it’s financially viable to set up a number of different adverts and use the data that Google gives you to identify which adverts are doing well and which aren’t working, and then adapt your advertisements from there.
This is ideal for small businesses, because it means you’re only spending money when someone finds your website. Google also tracks when that click leads to a purchase, or a phone call, or an app download. They can even tell you how long a customer researched before they decided on your business.
Will Google Ads work for my business?
Google Ads is a great way for businesses to get started with online advertisements, without taking a huge financial hit for a campaign which doesn’t successfully translate clicks to customers. It’s ideal for SMEs who are looking to increase their customer and client base, and who are keen to set up adverts themselves rather than paying an advertising agency.
Thinking about trying Google Ads? Check out their website
