So many business people today are wondering if they should be using Google Ads – or what some might call “paid search”. You might be among those wondering if investing in Google Ads would grow your business. 

Google is the biggest search engine in the world. Chances are, your potential customers use Google. They may even be using it to search for the product or service that you offer. Right now!

Just because your customers and referral sources are using Google doesn’t mean that you should jump into advertising on the platform. Making the right decision depends on having good information.

Let’s talk about some of the things you should consider before investing in the paid search portion of Google Ads. 

What is “paid search”?

What should I consider before running a Google Ad? 

• When someone clicks on an ad, does the web page they land on make sense for what they searched? If they searched for “Google Ads” – your page should talk about Google Ads. If you talk exclusively about Facebook advertising on your page, the person that just trusted you with their time is likely going to leave your site. To them, it will feel like a bait and switch.

• Is your ad compelling? Does it align with what they searched for? Does the ad offer more information or an answer to a problem they have?

• Would it be a good idea to include your phone number? Or is it best to send them directly to your site? What business process do you have in place to handle the incoming inquiry, call, email, form submission, etc.? 

• Does your website take forever to load? If it does, you’ll pay for the click without the person ever actually viewing the page. That will likely cost you sales.

• Will your page make you money – today or eventually? If your website doesn’t convert them into someone you can sell now or later, you won’t benefit from the money you spent on their click. This is critical, and the answer to this question is most often truthfully answered “no.” Build a page that converts before spending money on advertising. We can help with that. 

• Are you getting data on your visitors, so you can advertise to them later? (This is an advanced question. But this tactic could massively improve your return on the investment of your paid search clicks.)

• Is your audience really looking for your product? Are they interested in something else altogether? If you aren’t careful, you can set up ads that are too broad. Overly broad ads can cost you a lot of money. People who are not prospective customers may click your ad just out of curiosity. Here’s an example… Advertising on the search term “bolt” may get clicks from people who are looking for information on the world’s fastest runner, lightning, a Disney movie, a piece of hardware, and more.

• Are most of your current customers local? If so, make sure you are targeting the local area with the Google Ads tool. Otherwise, you can pay for clicks from India for a product that can only be sold in-person in Phoenix, AZ. Even if you aren’t fixed to your physical location, starting locally can help you understand if Google Ads is the right place to advertise.  

• Do you know exactly what your customers are searching for?  If so, make sure you use the tool to target the exact phrase people enter into their search.

• How much money are you willing to invest monthly? For some markets, $150 is all you need for actual ad cost. In others, you may need to spend much more to see any real results from a paid search campaign.

• How many people are searching for the terms that would most impact your business? You could be spending too much time on Google Ads if very few people are searching using the terms you want to run ads for. Do your research before assuming that people are looking for your product or service on Google. 

• Is there a lot of competition for the terms you want to advertise for? Google Ads is an auction. A lot of different variables determine who is placed at the top of the page. Try to find the highest quality terms with the lowest competition. Starting here may help you evaluate if you are getting a return on your advertising dollars. 

• This considerations list could go on and on. If you want help navigating the decision of if your business should run Google ads, contact us. We can help with a free consultation.

Is there a better place to spend your advertising dollars?

It’s easy to hear from a fellow business person that a certain marketing tactic like Google Ads is working for their business and think, “I need to start doing that!” We have been in your shoes – ready to jump on what seems like an obvious marketing opportunity.

Knowing the nuances of Google Ads can help you understand if this is the best place to start – or continue – your advertising efforts. 

Some other advertising routes may cost you less money. And they may still get you great results. This is not a knock on advertising with Google Ads. It may be the best place for your business to advertise right now!

But maybe it makes more sense, given your market and competition, to spend time and money on search engine optimization. This would allow you to achieve a top ranking when someone searches for your product or company on Google. This tactic cuts down the recurring cost of advertisements. 

Maybe LinkedIn would help you drive referrals or connect with professionals who would make excellent customers.

Maybe offering an eBook on Facebook would launch your business to the next level. It could bring you notoriety in your market and a healthy flow of qualified leads. 

You could be doing a highly-targeted mailer to prospective clients. A three-dimensional component could make you stand out in the crowd of paper. 

The options for advertising are limitless. But every business has one or two options that should be considered first. It all depends on where/how you will stand out from the crowd, and where your customers are most often engaged and even ready to do business. 

If you’d like a free consultation, where we help you think through advertising avenues that may be best for your business, contact us.