Every Goop Digital client will tell you they’re sick and tired of hearing us bang on about the importance of blogging. “Make sure you blog regularly.” “Got news? Blog about it!” “Google loves blogs.” The importance of blogging is a song we’ve been singing forever and a day.
But now our digital agency has a new backing track to accompany that blogging song, and it’s called Google Ads. Yep, Google Ads! Goop Digital has joined the band and Google Ads is our Geelong HQ’s new hit.
For those not in the know, Google Ads – once called Google AdWords before a name change in July – is Google’s advertising system and involves advertisers bidding on specific keywords so their advertisements feature in Google’s search returns. It’s how Google makes cash.
Now, Google Ads is a little like jazz music – it’s certainly not for everybody – but for the right audience and with the right conductor in charge, Google Ads can produce the sweet sound of money in the bank.
We can hear your cries of protest and derision: “Nobody clicks on the ads.” “Who can afford Google Ads? It’s a rip-off.” “I’ve tried online advertising, and it was a waste of time.”
Nobody clicks on the ads? Hmmm. Google’s 2018 quarterly revenue of $US32.7 billion, or $AU46.2 billion, would argue you’re wrong. Goop Digital’s own evidence also proves you’re wrong, with our Google Ads clients receiving hundreds of clicks on their advertisements and the corresponding conversions into paying clients. Drop in, and we’ll show you the proof.
As for not being able to afford Google Ads… well, you must sit down and pay attention. What is a new client worth to you? Is a paying customer worth $1? Would you even pay $2 for a client who’s prepared to shell out hundreds of times that amount of money for your goods and services? Of course, you would. What’s a couple of bucks when the returns can be enormous?
The average cost of clicks on Google Ads is between $1 and $2. Sure, there are competitive professions and industries where a click costs $20, $50, $100 and more, but what is the return on that investment? If an advertiser picks up a multi-million-dollar client from a $50 advertisement, you’d argue that was a pretty shrewd move, wouldn’t you? We suggest your business can’t afford not to use Google Ads.
You only pay when somebody clicks
Ever had a newspaper offer to display your advertisement and only charge you after somebody has contacted you? Of course not! If that was the case, the papers would be going broke quicker than they already are. But that’s how Google Ads works. You only pay when somebody clicks on your advertisement. Let’s ram that home: You only pay when somebody clicks on your ad. That means you can have your business name sitting pretty in the spotlight at the top of Google’s home page and it won’t cost you a cent until somebody clicks on your advertisement. And once they click, they’re most of the way towards spending a whole heap of cash with you – a lot more than what that click cost you.
Google Ads means more Google real estate
Here’s a scenario for you: You’ve been working with Goop Digital for a while, and your website is all over the organic search results for your keywords. Would you like to take up more of that Google real estate? Would you like your business front and centre in the organic search returns and at the top of the Google Ads? You know you would! Have a look at the Google search returns on a mobile phone. Ads top and tail the organic results and are pretty much all you’ll see at a glance. Combining Google Ads with our Geelong team’s organic expertise means your business can be all over the search results, from the ads at the top and bottom of the listings to the organic search returns and the three-pack featuring local businesses.
Instant search prominence
Goop Digital is good – very good – at getting clients’ websites to rank prominently in Google’s organic unpaid search results. But as good as we are, that prominence can take a little time to achieve. Prominence in Google Ads, on the other hand, is almost instant. Once your advertisement is approved, it can sit up at the top of the search results within moments. Need to respond quickly to a new trend or development? The answer is pretty obvious. While you’re waiting for your website to emerge organically, you can get instant prominence with a little Google Ads assistance.
Google Ads are accountable
How many people read your newspaper ad? How many heard your ad on the radio? How many saw your TV commercial? Tell the truth – you have no idea, and neither do the companies providing those advertising mediums!
Traditional advertising methods are unaccountable and rely on your advertisement sticking in potential buyers’ minds to be recalled if and when they want what you’re offering. It’s a risky gamble. You spend your money and hope somebody sees or listens and, fingers crossed, buys your product.
Google Ads are the exact opposite. People clicking on Google Ads are looking for what the advertiser is selling. The searcher wants to buy now and is clicking on your ad to acquire what you’re offering.
With Google Ads you can target the audience you want, where and when you want. There’s a record of every time your advertisement displays, when it’s clicked on and when somebody fills in a contact form or calls your number. There’s no stabbing in the dark or forking cash, crossing your fingers, and hoping. Your online investment is measured and accounted for to the last cent and the results are all available for you to scrutinise and assess. Again, if you want to see an example, please contact Goop Digital.
Did you waste your cash?
And now to those people who say they’ve tried Google Ads – or AdWords – and reckon it was a waste of money. To those naysayers we have a few questions: Did you research your keywords before launching your campaign? How about negative keywords? Did you give them a thought? Did you choose the right ad extensions? Did you research your demographic? Did you group your ads properly? Did you research and target the right devices for your audience? Was your ad copy interesting and eye-catching? Did you have a daily budget and was it robust enough to extract meaningful data on which you could make informed decisions? Did you actively adjust your campaign to maximise results? Most importantly, did you link your ads to the appropriate page on your website, or did you just point them at your home page? You chose the home page, didn’t you? Sigh!
Yep, you’re right. Your online ad campaign probably was a waste of cash unless you implemented every one of the aforementioned steps correctly, and the many more that aren’t mentioned! You probably would have been better off spending the money on a night out with your partner or a weekend away.
Work with Goop Digital
Undoubtedly, Goop Digital is a big fan of Google Ads – we are an accredited Google Partner after all – but we’re the first to acknowledge it’s easy to waste money on online advertising unless you know what you’re doing. If you don’t do the research, plan and implement carefully and invest appropriately, you’re not going to get any results. Sorry, you will get a result – a negative one. Spending $50 over a week or two and hoping to dominate online will get you nothing except the bitter taste of disappointment. No, Google Ads is a lot like the sharemarket. Invest appropriately, sensibly and carefully over time and you will clean up. And just like most of us need a broker’s helping hand to invest in the sharemarket, most businesses need a digital agency like Goop Digital in Geelong to look after their Google Ads campaigns. We’ve got the experience, qualifications and relationships with Google to ensure you get the results you seek.
Take a few moments to think about what you’ve just read. If you want to be at the top of the tree in Google’s search results, want a proven and accountable form of advertising for your business and, most of all, want new clients who are actively looking for what you’re selling, then contact the team at Goop Digital to discuss how our Geelong team can help with Google Ads for your business.