The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Creating Ads on Google

Are you curious about how to create Google ads for your business? Or are you paying an agency to manage Google Ads for you and would rather do it yourself? Well if so, this blog will teach you how to use Google Ads to drive traffic to your website and sell more products or services!

First, there are a few things you’ll need in place before you dive in and launch your Google display, performance max, remarketing, or search ad. Let’s get started!

Why Advertise on Google

Advertising your services or products on Google, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn can be highly effective. Why? These platforms allow you to target certain demographics to ensure your ad is shown to the right people.

In addition, Google processes over 8.5 billion searches per day! It’s always learning. Using machine learning to better target the audience you seek and provide a personalized experience. In the right place. At the right time. And, get them to act. So, whether your customers are at the campground or at the beach, reach them on Google where 86% of searches begin!

camping-couple-airstream-nighttime-advertising

Reach your customers wherever they are with a well-placed Google ad. Maybe when they are searching for that perfect item for camping?

Google Advertising: Things to Think About

Paid advertising on Google or other platforms like Instagram or Facebook is not for everyone. Therefore, you will want to take some time to think about:

What ad channels are already working for your business?
Will these Google ads support your overall strategy & goals?
Do you have the time and budget to dedicate to paid advertising?

If you’ve immediately decided that your time should be spent elsewhere, maybe focusing on fundraising or business development, then contact someone on our team to get a quote! We’ve been producing Google Ads for clients since we started Top Rope Media in 2016. And we have certifications in both Google Analytics and Google Ads. Therefore, our team is happy to help you get started on the right path.

1. Setting Up and Managing Your Google Accounts

First, make sure you have an account set up on Google. There are actually several different Google platforms you’ll want to set up before you begin. And, typically, you can use one login to access multiple accounts. Here are the different Google applications you will need to set up BEFORE you start running Google Ads:

Save the Google Ads account setup for last. Remember to add a payment method, and ensure it’s properly connected to Google Analytics so you can track your ad performance in both platforms. These steps can take days as Google will need to verify your business, your website, etc. Be patient and don’t give up. Once all accounts are set, you will not need to do too much else to maintain them.

Nonprofits: Have You Applied for Google Ad Grants?

Before you get too far down the road, if you’re a non-profit, have you applied for Google Grants for Non-Profits? If you have not applied for a Google Ad Grant, you are missing out on $10,000/month in FREE advertising on Google. You read that right. $10,000 dollars of in-kind advertising on Google. Not sure if you or your non-profit qualifies? Check out Google Grants Eligibility Requirements.

If your non-profit supports getting more women on bikes, apply for a Google Ad Grant to support your fundraising efforts, and save you thousands of dollars in advertising!

2. Decide on Your Marketing Strategy Before Launching Your Google Ads

Now that you’ve started down the trailhead. And got your essentials in place. What’s the next step? Outline your Google advertising campaign strategy. What do we mean? Make sure your Google Ads campaign aligns with content you may be sharing in your email newsletters, on social media, in-store, or at an event. Does your Ads campaign contain similar messaging? Images? Videos? Keyword phrases? Links to the same landing page?

Completing this first allows you to easily move through setting up your Google Ads.

3. Select the Type of Google Ad: Search, Display, Shopping, Performance Max or Remarketing Ads

Google Search, Display, Performance Max, and Remarketing ads provide some of the best ways to target and reach your potential customers online. What’s the difference between each? Here’s a quick breakdown.

a. Google Search Ad

A Google search ad is simply text, arranged with a headline, a description, callout extensions, a phone number, etc. In addition, you can create several different ads within an ad group.

b. Google Responsive Search Ad

A Google Responsive Search Ad allows you to add more headlines and different versions of your description. Once the ad is running, Google learns which combinations of your headlines and descriptions are most relevant to your viewers and are performing best. Google adapts your content to more specifically match what a potential customer is searching for. A responsive search ad can certainly improve your campaign’s performance when set up correctly.

c. Google Display Ad

Display ads allow you to use both text and images and will display your ad across the Google Network, including millions of webpages, and key platforms like Gmail and YouTube.

d. Google Shopping Ad

To generate better-qualified leads for your products, a Google Shopping Ad can show your product at the top of their search! The Google Shopping ad displays an image, the price, and so by the time a potential customer clicks on it, he or she is much further down the purchasing funnel than your average web search user.

e. Google Remarketing or Retargeting Ad

Remarketing ads (also called retargeting) are one of the best-paid ways to convert visitors who have already been to your website. By targeting your most engaged, and low-hanging fruit, you save money and convert prospects to customers at a more rapid rate!

f. Google Performance Max Ad

Google Performance Max ads allow you to access new inventory, formats, and audiences across all Google channels including YouTube, Search, and Discover. Therefore with a Performance Max ad, you can get your products or services in front of hundreds of millions of potential customers with a single campaign!

Google Ads: Creating Your First Google Ad

Now that you have a solid idea of how to set up your Google accounts and the differences between each type of Google Ad, our next blog in the series, is How to Create Your First Google Ad!

Still need a bit of help creating a road map for your paid advertising? Or, have you been setting up ads with little to no conversions? Drop us a line and let’s chat. In addition, here’s more tips for online advertising that will help:

Thanks for reading!

Meredith McConvill, Top Rope Media

Google Ads: The DIY Guide to Advertising on Google