Week 8: Google Ads

Google Ads is one of the most prominent platforms for advertising. What makes Google Ads unique is the variety of ad types you can create, along with the intricate rules and data that determine which ads show up when people search or browse the web. However, what I find most fascinating is how payments are structured on Google.

Before diving into the best practices, let’s go over some key definitions for Google Ads:

  • Daily Budget: This is the maximum average amount you want Google to spend daily on your campaigns over a 30-day period.
  • Maximum Click Bid: Google determines which ads appear and in what order using a complex system, but simply put, it’s like an auction. You set the maximum amount you’re willing to pay per click.

Google Ads also has a structured format for organizing campaigns, which looks like this:

Ad Campaign
    Ad Group 1
        Ad 1
        Ad 2
    Ad Group 2
        Ad 1
        Ad 2

Now let’s explore the different types of Google Ads campaigns:

  1. Responsive Search Ads (RSAs): These are the sponsored links with descriptions beneath them that appear on search engine results pages. You’ll recognize them by the “Sponsored” label in the upper left corner.
  2. Display Campaigns: These are ads that appear as images with text on websites. They’re shown to people most likely to be interested in your products.
  3. Shopping Campaigns: These ads appear under the “Shopping” tab or at the top of search results, usually as product images in square boxes. They rely on product descriptions and other details rather than keywords to determine who sees them.
  4. Video Campaigns: These are video ads shown on platforms like YouTube. There are several subtypes of video campaigns depending on your goals.
  5. App Campaigns: These campaigns promote apps, targeting users who might download them.
  6. Performance Max Campaigns: Google’s AI creates and optimizes ads across all channels, combining elements from all the campaign types mentioned above.
  7. Local Services Ads: These are specifically designed to target local customers or potential clients.

Best Practices for Google Ads

  1. Set a Budget and a Strategy
    • Decide how much you’re willing to spend and ensure your campaign aligns with your advertising goals.
  2. Choose the Right Campaign Type
    • Select a campaign type that best suits your product or audience (e.g., display ads for visuals or shopping ads for product-specific targeting).
  3. Set Up Bidding (Automatic vs. Manual)
    • Automatic Bidding: Let Google choose your bidding strategy based on your goals.
    • Manual Bidding: Take control and decide how much to bid on specific ads or keywords.
  4. Improve and Optimize Your Ads
    • Continuously test your ads, monitor performance, and remove what isn’t working.

And that’s the basics of Google Ads!

Works Cited

Shewan, Dan. “Google Advertising: What It Is and How It Works.” SEMrush Blog, 25 Sept. 2023, www.semrush.com/blog/google-advertising/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.