{"id":3620,"date":"2020-12-04T20:40:34","date_gmt":"2020-12-04T20:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondbluemedia.com\/?p=3620"},"modified":"2020-12-04T20:40:34","modified_gmt":"2020-12-04T20:40:34","slug":"how-small-businesses-can-compete-on-google-ads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/2020\/12\/04\/how-small-businesses-can-compete-on-google-ads\/","title":{"rendered":"How Small Businesses Can Compete on Google Ads"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stepping into the online marketing game as a small business can feel like you\u2019re a little fish in an ocean full of behemoths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As intimidating as it may appear, there is a space for you to find success. But as a small business, all of your time and money are precious. It\u2019s only natural to wonder if Google Ads is the right strategy for you at this time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a lot to consider before diving into the world of online advertising. Let\u2019s go through what Google Ads are and explore what it looks like for a small business to participate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are Google Ads?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google Ads (previously known as Google Adwords) is a vital tool in crafting an online presence. With a whopping<a href=\"https:\/\/www.oberlo.com\/blog\/google-search-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"> 3.5 billion searches per day<\/a>, it\u2019s extremely advantageous (pun intended \ud83d\ude09 ) to have an active presence on the search engine results pages (SERPs) of Google. Building meaningful credibility as a small business can take time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That means you may not appear as one of the top contenders on a SERP for months or even years if you solely rely on your website\u2019s discoverability. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is one way to get a leg up quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google ads also extend to other corners of the web too! Through retargeting, you can place ads relevant to your ideal customer&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Google ads will appear through the web within three different placements:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Above organic results on a SERP<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Search Ads can be found on the SERP at the top of the page. They will have a similar look to a regular search result but can include even more information such as your business address, hours of operation, specific landing pages, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondbluemedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Screen-Shot-2020-11-30-at-4.49.19-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5418\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Product image ads \u2013aka <strong>shopping ads<\/strong>\u2013 can appear at the top of the SERP as well. This type of ad will be included on a carousel with other relevant product ads. A user can then follow the link directly to the product landing page to make their purchase.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondbluemedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Screen-Shot-2020-11-30-at-4.58.39-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5420\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Across the Google Display Network&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you ever noticed an ad placed in a banner or mid-blog on a website? They likely got there due to the Google Display Network. Essentially, the Google Display Network is a cohort of third-party websites in partnership with Google. A website can agree to serve Google Display ads to earn a partial share of the ad revenue<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondbluemedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/In-Blog-Ad-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5421\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. On Youtube&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As an entity under the Google umbrella, Youtube is another place you can easily place ads on through Google Ads. It\u2019s a ripe playing field for a small business. Since Youtube is the number one video sharing platform on the web, the potential audience is extensive. There are a few different ad types you can choose from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondbluemedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/In-stream-ad-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5422\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Skippable in-stream ads <\/strong>are video ads that appear before or in the middle of a Youtube video. They vary in length but a viewer can skip the ad after 5 seconds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Non-skippable in-stream ads <\/strong>are video ads you <em>can\u2019t <\/em>skip. They can also appear at the beginning or the middle of a Youtube video. They are typically 15 seconds in length. But <strong>bumper ads <\/strong>are a shorter version that only last 5 seconds.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Video Discovery Ads <\/strong>appear on the Youtube homepage and search results page as a link to a video ad.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Youtube display ads <\/strong>are a link listed above other related videos on the right-hand side of a Youtube video.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do Google Ads Even Work For Small Businesses?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Yes<\/em><\/strong>. If you play your cards right, you can absolutely find success utilizing Google Ads as a small business. But that success hinges on how efficient your ads account strategy is. To be completely transparent, Google Ads can be quite complex and difficult to understand. They also require consistency and maintenance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ll get into effective strategies to get you started in the next section.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When a small business does execute a successful Google ad campaign, it can leverage a higher level of exposure than possible through other online marketing tactics. While processes such as SEO require months of patience before obvious results, Google ads can create instant brand visibility.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How To Run a Successful Google Ads Campaign&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As we touched on previously, getting started with Google Ads can be a difficult undertaking. But there are some helpful rules of thumb to keep in mind as you flesh out your campaign structure. Above all else, it\u2019s vital to understand how to create a Google ad account.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you log into <a href=\"https:\/\/ads.google.com\/home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Google Ads<\/a>, start by <strong>setting a goal<\/strong>. Do you want more phone calls? Or do you want to drive more purchases from your e-Commerce site? Be sure you have a clear direction to build off of.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, nail down an appropriate <strong>geographic region<\/strong>. This can be as specific as a neighborhood or as broad as an entire country. After this, you\u2019ll decide on a budget. We\u2019ll discuss more on this step more later.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now comes one of the most crucial steps: <strong>decide on an appropriate audience or list of keywords<\/strong>. This can make or break a successful ad campaign. There is a range of parameters including your ideal audience\u2019s age range, interests, behaviors, gender, income, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your audience must be lasered inefficiently to start. Remember, you\u2019re paying per click so it\u2019s important you\u2019re not serving ads to an audience without the buyer\u2019s intent. This step requires preparation and must be backed up by research. You can start by using <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/3726570\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Google Insights<\/a> to hone in on potential high-performing audiences. Once you find an appropriate audience or set of keywords, you can expand from there.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Here are some more tips to consider:&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Run a Re-engagement Campaign&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you gain steady web traffic, you can re-engage past visitors. Essentially this means you can serve ads to those who already showed interest in your business. Your re-engage campaign can even serve ads on specific products a visitor viewed while on your site. This can be an excellent way to build brand recognition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Be Budget-Wise&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You may ask, <strong>how much should a small business pay on Google Ads?<\/strong> Technically, there isn\u2019t a minimum spend requirement. But $1000 a month is a good starting point to see worthwhile results. As you set up your campaign, you\u2019ll need to look at your budget through the lens of <strong>daily budgets and bids<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your daily budget is the amount you\u2019re willing to spend across your ad campaigns within a day. A bid is an amount you\u2019re willing to spend on an ad click for a given keyword. Sometimes you won\u2019t hit your daily budget cap, and some days you may go over. Likewise, you may not need to pay the full amount of your bid if your ad has a higher <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/7050591?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">quality score<\/a> -or the quality of your ad\u2019s relevance- than your competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Be sure to have a good understanding of what a realistic budget for your business is. It can be easy to waste a lot of money if you set too high of a bid or don\u2019t target the proper audience.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Select Suitable Keywords&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When creating your ad, you\u2019ll need to choose a list of keywords. A keyword will be the ideal search query a user makes where you\u2019d like your ad to appear. The keywords you select will affect your quality score and, inevitably, your cost-per-click (CPC). It\u2019s important to thoroughly research which keywords will best fit your ad to increase your quality score. Google has a <a href=\"https:\/\/ads.google.com\/home\/tools\/keyword-planner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Keyword Planner<\/a> you can use to research what will suit your business goals best.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Track Your Progress&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google Ads isn\u2019t something you can set and forget. Think of it as a really expensive house plant you must constantly check the conditions of to keep it alive. As you work with Google Ads, it\u2019s important to keep track of stats such as your clickthrough rate, ad spend, conversion rate, and most importantly cost per conversion. Throughout your campaign, you can adjust accordingly or set yourself up for greater success for your next campaign.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another important way to track progress is to set Google Analytics up on your website and connect it to your ad campaign. This gives you a snapshot look at your progress. Google Analytics can help assure you\u2019re reaching conversion goals once a user lands on your website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get Help From The Pros&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Does diving nose-first into the world of Google Ads sound intimidating? Or perhaps you just don\u2019t have the time to dig into it as you tend to your burgeoning business. Consider letting the pros take over!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond Blue Media is no stranger to pulling off a successful Google Ads campaign. You can count on us to create a targeted digital marketing strategy perfect for your business\u2019s unique needs. We\u2019ll track down potential customers with high intent to secure an excellent ROI.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not only can we help with Google Ads, but we can also leverage other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beyondbluemedia.com\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get in touch<\/a> to see what heights we can take your business to today!&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stepping into the online marketing game as a small business can feel like you\u2019re a little fish in an ocean full of behemoths. As intimidating as it may appear, there is a space for you to find success. But as a small business, all of your time and money are precious. It\u2019s only natural to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3620","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-online-advertising","category-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3620","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3620"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3620\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3620"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3620"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.beyondbluemedia.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3620"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}