A Quick Guide to Google Search Ads Marketing

In today’s digital age, where information is just a click away, mastering the art of online visibility is crucial for businesses. Google Search Ads stand as beacons in the vast realm of the internet, guiding users to relevant products and services. 

In this brief guide, we’ll navigate through the fundamentals of Google Search Ads, exploring their benefits, the expansive reach they offer, and a glance at potential pitfalls you might encounter.

Navigating the Digital Landscape with Google Search Ads

In the fast-paced world of online marketing, Google Search Ads have emerged as a powerful tool to ensure businesses stay ahead of the competition. 

These ads seamlessly integrate into Google’s search results, connecting businesses with users actively seeking their products or services. Google Search Ads are a form of online advertising that appears within Google’s search results. 

Unlike traditional display ads, Search Ads are triggered by specific keywords, ensuring that businesses connect with users actively looking for information related to their offerings.

Benefits of running Search Ads

Precision Targeting

With Search Ads, you reach users actively searching for keywords relevant to your business, ensuring your message is delivered to a highly targeted audience. Businesses tailor their campaigns based on specific interests/themes or brand-related keywords.

Precision targeting ensures that your ads are displayed to users with a genuine interest in what you offer. For example: You’re a real estate brand who wants to reach out to people looking for “studio condos in Sydney.” 

Using Search ads, you can target this exact phrase and be the first thing people see when they type this on Google.

Immediate Visibility 

Search Ads offer instant visibility on the search engine results page (SERP), allowing your business to be seen by potential customers at the exact moment they express interest. 

The reach extends beyond the Google Search engine itself. They are also displayed on Google’s partner sites, expanding your potential audience and increasing the overall visibility of your ads.

The best scenario when Search ads work best is for bottom of funnel activity, especially when using brand keywords.

For example, you are a shoe brand who have fierce competitors. When you look up your own brand name on Google, you see your competitors get top of the page because they’re advertising on your keywords.

You can secure the top spot of that Google search bar by bidding on your brand keywords. You will most likely win that bidding war since your ads and website are much more relevant to the keyword versus your rivals.

Possible Pitfalls in Setting Up Search Ads

While the benefits of Google Search Ads are substantial, there are potential pitfalls to navigate. Common mistakes include:

  • Overly broad keyword selection – Going too broad in your target might mean consuming more dollars on irrelevant audiences.
    • Try to explore Phrase and Exact Match Type.
    • Remember to use Keyword Planner to research the volume of people searching for these terms + the estimated cost per click for your desired keyword.
  • Neglecting negative keywords – Prepare an exclusion list prior to your campaign launch if you have particular keywords/themes that you wish exclude, perhaps sensitive topics or websites.
    • You can also add a negative keyword list once your campaign starts. Check your Search Keywords tabs and create a customized exclusion list base on searches you find irrelevant to you campaign.
  • Overlooking ad extensions – Ad extensions boost your ads relevance plus help you add more information to your ads.
    • Remember that a regular search ad has a 30 character-limit for headlines and 90 character-limit for descriptions.
    • Adding a sitelink, callout, and other extensions will help you mention supplementary info that you might not be able to squeeze into your headline.

Ultimately, a strategic approach to campaign setup and regular monitoring/optimisations can mitigate these challenges. Here at Murmur, we are an insights-led agency. We use data & research to inform strategy and execution and ensure that we do not fall into these pitfalls right off the bat.

In the dynamic landscape of online marketing, Google Search Ads serve as a compass, guiding businesses to success. By understanding their benefits, reaching specific audiences, and being mindful of potential pitfalls, businesses can harness the full potential of Google Search Ads to elevate their online presence and drive meaningful results.