Have you ever noticed the “Ad” label in the corner of top Google search results? That’s a sign of Google’s paid search advertising, also known as pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Utilized by 65% of small businesses, PPC is a critical advertising strategy that you should consider for your business. If you’re new to PPC, here’s how you can get started.Understanding the mechanics of paid search and implementing it effectively are crucial for your company’s growth. In this article, we provide a concise overview of the paid search process, followed by a subscription to Revenue Weekly for more insights from our email newsletter with over 200,000 subscribers!Paid search ads are a type of digital advertising that usually appear at the top of relevant Google and Bing search results.Operating on a pay-per-click model, your business pays only when someone clicks on your ad.Discover how paid search works and how to implement it for your company with our straightforward guide. Subscribe to Revenue Weekly for additional tips!Paid search ads are a form of digital advertising, typically appearing at the top of relevant Google and Bing search results.Paid search ads operate on a pay-per-click bidding model, meaning you pay for an ad only when someone clicks on it.Before embarking on your PPC campaign, set up a Google Ads account and begin crafting paid search ads for your business. Here’s a video that answers common questions about PPC:Next, we’ll walk you through a five-step paid search overview to understand the Google PPC process, covering how Google Ads works and how to maximize its potential!Step 1: Choose your keywordsStart by identifying the product or service your campaign aims to promote. Once you have a clear understanding, select a set of relevant keywords that people search for in Google to target your ads.Your keywords should be highly relevant to your product or service. For instance, if you’re selling a portable speaker, use keywords like “portable speaker.” Including your brand name (e.g., “erebor portable speaker”) can also be beneficial. Long-tail keywords, which are several words long, are ideal targets due to their specificity and lower competition. Use keyword tools like KeywordsFX to expand your keyword list.Step 2: Bid on your keywordsAfter creating your initial list of target keywords, bid on them in Google Ads. Google Ads will display your ad based on two factors: bid amount and Quality Score.
Bid amount: The amount of money you’re willing to pay for an ad.
You only pay for an ad when it gets clicked on, so your bid is essentially a way to set your max cost per click (CPC) for a given campaign.
Quality Score: Google’s assessment of your campaign’s overall quality, from the landing page’s design to the relevance for the user.
Set your maximum bids to control your spending and prioritize your keywords accordingly. Remember, competitors are also bidding for the same keywords, so be prepared to adjust your bids accordingly.Step 3: Craft your ads and landing pagesCreate your ads with your target keywords in mind. Ensure your ad focuses on your product or service and captures the user’s attention quickly. Design your landing page to be simple and centered around a call to action (CTA) that encourages users to convert.Step 4: Choose your targeting preferencesRefine your targeting by selecting specific groups of Google users based on various characteristics, such as age, ethnicity, occupation, gender, and location. Create buyer personas to better understand your target audience and use these personas to tailor your targeting settings.Step 5: Monitor your resultsMonitor your campaign’s performance within Google Ads, analyzing metrics like click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate. Adjust your campaigns as needed to improve results and drive more conversions.Struggling to get the best results from your Google PPC? WebFX can help! As a leading PPC agency, we have a proven track record of delivering incredible results for our clients. With our PPC services, you’ll receive assistance through every step of the process and a dedicated account representative to keep you informed. Contact us today to get started!