If you are an aspiring entrepreneur interested in marketing and business influencers, you must have heard about Google Ads services and even Google-certified partners. But what exactly are Google Ads? In this article, we will discuss the good, the bad, and the truth about Google Ads and if it really works for small businesses.
Imagine this: you finally decided to put up your own small business. It took lots of time, money, and other resources perfecting your product (or service), fine-tuning the logistics, and even setting up a website. Now you need to tell other people about your new business. What’s next?
You go on social media so your family, friends, and colleagues can like and share it. But that’s not enough, there are literally millions of potential customers online right now who are looking for a business just like yours. You may have the best to offer, but it’s a big problem if nobody outside your circle knows you exist. The goal is to make them aware of your website… and that’s where Google Ads comes into the picture.
What exactly is a Google Ad?
Google Ads is an online advertising platform developed by Google. This service lets businesses bid to place brief advertisements, service offerings, product listings, or videos to web users.
Google Ads services operate under a pay-per-click (PPC) pricing model. You will only be charged when people click on your ad. This type of ad pops at the right top of any Google search result page and can be an effective way to boost traffic to your website while you’re still learning the ropes.
The Good
You can target people already looking for you
Using PPC ads and the right keywords, you can target potential customers at the exact moment that they are searching for your product or business.
Let’s say I’m looking to purchase cat food. I type “buy cat food online” in the Google search box. This will pull up a results page with various relevant Google Ad links to pet shops and stores that offer cat food. Customers are more inclined to click on the top links and start shopping.
You can target people based on location
Setting a local Google Ad campaign is a great way to reach customers in your town or city. Stats show that those who perform local searches are 72% more likely to visit a store near their location. Limiting your targeted keywords at a specific geographic range lets you avoid competing against bigger names with a national reach.
You can target niche markets
You can also target niche markets and lower the cost of your ad by choosing specific keywords that can reach the right people.
For example, you are from North Shore and your business is dog accessories. Bidding for a general term like “dog accessories” can be expensive because you would be competing with other businesses that offer all sorts of products aimed at dog owners across various geographies. But if you choose a more specific term like “dog accessories in North Shore” you will have a higher conversion rate and a much lower cost for your ad campaign.
You can control your advertising budget
We’ve already established that you will only be charged when somebody clicks on your ads. But aside from that, you are also allowed to set campaign parameters to control spending. You can set an average daily budget for the course of your campaign and Google will not exceed that amount.
You get fast results
If you are obsessed with numbers, you will be glad of how quickly Google Ads displays your data. Google Analytics shows you how your campaign is performing as well as the adjustments you should try doing. You can track everything from average cost per click, advert position, and even check the visitor behaviour on your online shop.
The Bad
First, Google Ads has a learning curve. If you are new to this sort of stuff, it can be complicated and confusing. You need to brush up on your basic digital marketing rules and principles while also trying to kickstart a profitable small business venture.
Second, the platform doesn’t offer free trials and there is a possibility of you spending more than you should if you don’t configure your campaigns correctly. There will be lots of tweaking and trying out different strategies before you see the desired results.
And of course, there is also the tedious task of making sure all your branding, messaging, and landing pages are working perfectly even before you start spending money on Google Ads.
There are also those critics who claim that Google’s algorithms and attempts at automated bidding structures are making advertisers less in control. Some also say that Google Ads are becoming too expensive for smaller businesses.
The Truth
In conclusion, Google Ads is a powerful tool that can help small businesses reach millions of potential customers when used correctly. And while there are also cons, there are many ways to steer past them.
If you are worried about the learning curve, there are literally thousands of free courses and resources on the Internet that you can check out. If you are good at networking, maybe you can ask friends, mentors, and colleagues who are more experienced in the platform to give you a hand.
If all else fails, you can always hire expert digital marketers and third-party Google-certified partners to handle your ads and campaigns. Naturally, you would have to spend more, but at least, you can rest easy that they can make Google Ads services work for your small business.