digital advertising

Digital Advertising Basics: Google Ads

The Importance of Utilizing Pay-per-Click Strategies for Your Business

At any given time, only 3% of your target audience is looking to actively buy your product or service. So how do you market to the other 97%? Per-per-click campaigns and Google ads are a great way to stay top-of-mind with your target audience when they are ready to buy. 

Digital ads are cost-effective compared to traditional advertising options. They can generate new leads and sales opportunities, drive website traffic, and raise brand awareness for your business. Proper account set-up and ad organization are key to running successful campaigns. Our quick guide below covers account organization basics, how the Leverage Team can optimize your ad strategy, and options to consider if you need extra help.  

Setting up a Google Account

An optimized account enables your business to run successful ads and maximize your advertising budget. While Google Ads are easier to set up than Facebook initially, this is not a “set it and forget it” type of platform. You must keep up-to-date on the latest Google features, analyze ad data, and correctly organize your campaigns to lower ad costs. 

For the initial start-up, you will need an email address, a business website, and the payment method you plan to use for advertising. From there, Google will try to switch your account to smart, automated campaigns. Similar to boosted posts on Facebook, these ads are easy to create, but it gives Google complete control over all ad copy, ad extensions, and your ad goals are limited to Google’s presets.

To get the most out of Google Ads for your brand, you will need to do the following: 

  • Create an account structure based on your products or services. 
  • Gather all the relevant keywords for your brand. It is also helpful to create a list of keywords that you want to avoid. 
  • Set your ad target area based on what makes the most sense for your business. 
  • Decide on a bidding method that makes sense for your business. There are many different options, and you will need to select a bid method that best aligns with your long-term business goals. 
  • Develop your ad copy and creative (images or video). It is a good idea to create two sets of each that feature minor differences so that you can set up A/B testing (more on this below). Make sure the differences aren’t too significant, or it will be hard to determine what people prefer between the two ads. 
  • Choose the correct extensions for your ad. 
How We Determine the Best Advertising Strategy for Your Business.

At Leverage, our team is obsessed with learning your business inside and out. We will dive into your industry, research your competition, and learn about what sets your brand apart from the rest. We then work with you and your team to create an effective, purpose-based strategy that focuses on your long-term vision and goals. 

One of the ways we start to refine an advertising strategy for your brand is by going through a series of intake questions. These questions include: 

  • What actions do you want visitors to take from advertising? 
  • Which of these goals best describes your approach to advertising? 
  • Have you developed a persona/avatar of your ideal customer? 
  • Are you aware of any keywords related to your products/services that draw in customers? Any keywords we should avoid? 

 

The second way we optimize your advertising strategy is through A/B testing. The only way to truly be successful with digital advertising is to constantly test different types of ad creative, copy, landing pages, and calls-to-action to determine what resonates the most with your target audience. While it might seem like you are spending more money upfront to test, you are actually minimizing future risk by fine-tuning your messaging and overall user experience, which, in turn, also increases the likelihood that leads convert into paying customers. 

 

“Take a risk and keep testing, because what works today won’t work tomorrow, but what worked yesterday may work again.” – Amrita Sahasrabudhe

 

Get Better Ad Results with Leverage Marketing. 

If all of this sounds overwhelming, you are not alone! Running successful digital advertising campaigns requires a LOT of work, not to mention keeping up with the latest trends and platform updates. 

At Leverage, we understand everything Google Ads so that you don’t have to, and we offer clients different advertising packages depending on company goals and budget. Our digital ads management includes: 

  • Campaign creation and optimization
  • Keyword research
  • Ad copy creation
  • A/B testing
  • Positive and negative keyword management
  • Extensions and dynamic content enabling 
  • Audience optimization
  • Campaign and bidding management
  • Ad and web analytic reports (provided bi-monthly or quarterly)
  • Quarterly ad strategy meetings 

 

We take care of initial account set-up (starts at $750) and monthly management (starts at $500) and will work with you to determine an ad spend that makes sense for your business goals.

Ready to kick your advertising up a notch in 2023? Give us a call, or send us an email with any inquiries. We would be happy to set up a FREE consultation, and we look forward to connecting with you on your digital advertising needs soon!