Top 4 Things You Must Know When Starting Google Ads

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and create a Google Ads account for your business.

Congratulations!

Google Ads can be an extremely effective way to reach new customers and grow your business. But before you get started, there are a few high-level things you need to know. Here are four things you should know before setting up your account.

The Name of the Platform Has Changed

The name of the platform hasn’t always been Google Ads, it was previously called Google AdWords. This change was made in 2018 and while it may not seem significant, it is. The name change reflects the fact that ads are now being shown across all of Google’s products, not just on the traditional search engine results page.

Bottom-of-Funnel Campaign Types

While Google makes it easier to run multiple campaign types, it doesn’t mean you should. Most businesses should start with bottom-of-the-funnel campaigns, which basically means campaign types that focus on users who are almost ready to convert. These are typically search, shopping, or Performance Max campaigns. Once you’ve perfected these campaigns, then you can move on to other campaign types like display or video.

What is Your Cost-Per-Click Based On?

Advertisers in Google Ads do not pay the same CPC as one another. Your ‘Ad Rank’, which is used to determine your ad position or even if you show up at all, is based on a number of factors including your max bid and the quality of your ad. Quality Score is based on factors like click-through rate (CTR), relevancy of your ad text, and landing page experience. In short, you can still have an extremely successful Google Ads account, even if you are paying more per click than the competition.

TIP: Find out what a good CPC for your business is here:

Conversion Tracking is Essential

Google has migrated from advertisers primarily using manual bids to an automated bidding system based on conversions. In order to take advantage of this shift, you need to set up conversion tracking in your account so that Google knows what a successful conversion looks like for your business. Without conversion tracking set up, you will be flying blind and it will be very difficult to optimize your campaigns for success.

Summary

Google Ads can be an extremely effective way to reach new customers and grow your business, but there are a few things you need to know before getting started. Four things you should keep in mind are that the platform was previously called Google Adwords, most businesses should start with bottom-of-the-funnel campaigns, advertisers don’t all pay the same CPC, and conversion tracking is essential.By keeping these four things in mind as you set up your account, you’ll be well on your way to success with Google Ads!