How to Use Google Ads for Beginners

Okay, so you want to learn Google Ads? Great! You're in the right spot. Think of Google Ads as a way to get your business seen online. This guide will give you some simple steps to get started with paid advertising and get more people to your website.

What's Google Ads All About? And Why Bother?

Google Ads? It used to be called Google AdWords. It's how you put ads on Google and YouTube. It lets you show ads to people who are actually looking for what you sell.

Why should you use it?

• Tons of People: Google is huge! You can reach a lot of potential customers.
• Hit Your Target: Show your ads to exactly the right people. This is digital marketing at its finest.
• See What Works: You can see how your ads are doing right now. No guessing!
• Control Your Costs: You set a budget. You only pay when someone clicks. It's called PPC (Pay-Per-Click).
• More Website Visitors: More people see your site! Paid advertising can really boost traffic.
• Get Your Name Out There: Even if people don't click, they'll see your brand.

Let's Set Up Your Google Ads Account: Quick Steps

Ready to get started? Here's how to make a Google Ads account:

1. Head to Google Ads: Go to ads.google.com and click "Start now."
2. Sign In (or Sign Up): Use your Gmail account, or create a new one.
3. What's Your Goal?: Tell Google what you want to achieve. More calls? More website visits?
4. Your Business Info: Give Google your website and business name.
5. Campaign Settings: Set up your first campaign. We'll talk more about this later.
6. Billing Time: Enter your payment info. You only pay when your ads run.
7. Double-Check: Make sure everything looks good before you hit "Confirm."

Google Ads Lingo: A Simple Guide

All these new words can be confusing. Don't worry! Here are some common terms:

• Campaign: A set of ads with a shared budget and settings.
• Ad Group: Ads and keywords that are related to each other.
• Keyword: Words people type into Google. You bid on these. Important for online advertising!
• Ad: What people see on Google.
• Bid: How much you'll pay for a click.
• PPC (Pay-Per-Click): You pay when someone clicks your ad.
• CTR (Click-Through Rate): How often people click your ad after seeing it.
• Conversion: When someone does what you want them to do (like buy something).
• Conversion Rate: How often clicks turn into conversions.
• Quality Score: Google's rating of your ads. Higher score = lower costs.
• Impressions: How many times your ad is shown.
• Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA): How much it costs to get a customer.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): How much money you make for every dollar you spend.

Find the Right Keywords

Keywords are super important. They're the words people use when searching for you. Choosing the right ones means showing your ads to the right people.

Here's how to find good keywords:

• Brainstorm: What words would your customers use?
• Use Tools: Google Keyword Planner is a great place to start.
• Spy on Competitors: See what keywords they're using!
• Keyword Match Types: Google has different types. Think of them like this:
• Broad Match: Shows your ad for similar searches.
• Phrase Match: Shows your ad for searches that include your keyword.
• Exact Match: Shows your ad for exactly your keyword.
• Negative Keywords: Words you don't want your ad to show for.
• Long-Tail Keywords: These are longer, more specific phrases. They can convert really well. For example, instead of "shoes," try "red running shoes for women size 7."

Make Your Ads Clickable

Your ad is what people see! Make it awesome. Here's how:

• Use Keywords: Put your keywords in your ad.
• What Makes You Special?: Highlight what makes you better than everyone else.
• Tell People What to Do: Use a strong call to action. "Buy Now!" "Learn More!"
• Add Extras: Ad extensions add more info, like your phone number.
• Test, Test, Test!: Try different versions of your ad to see what works best. Key to digital marketing!
• Address What They Want: Price? Quality? Make it clear in your ad!

Budget and Bidding: Spend Smart

How much should you spend? And how should you bid? Here's the breakdown:

• Set a Budget: Start small and increase it as you see results.
• Choose a Bidding Strategy: Google has different options:
• Manual Bidding: You set the bids. More control, but more work.
• Automated Bidding: Google sets the bids for you. Easier, but less control. Examples:
• Maximize Clicks: Get as many clicks as possible.
• Maximize Conversions: Get as many conversions as possible.
• Target CPA: Get conversions at a specific cost.
• Target ROAS: Get a specific return on ad spend.
• Watch Your Performance: Adjust your budget and bids as needed.
• Bid Adjustments: Change your bids based on location, time, etc.

Track What's Working (and What's Not)

See what's happening! Track these things:

• Impressions: How often your ads are shown.
• Clicks: How often people click.
• CTR (Click-Through Rate): Percentage of people who click.
• Conversions: Actions taken after clicking.
• Conversion Rate: Percentage of clicks that turn into conversions.
• Cost-Per-Conversion: Cost to get one conversion.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Money earned for every dollar spent.

How to improve things?

• Boost Your Quality Score: Make your ads more relevant.
• Tweak Your Keywords: Add new ones, remove bad ones.
• Change Your Ad Copy: Test different versions.
• Adjust Your Bids: Bid more for good keywords.
• Improve Your Landing Page: Make sure it's relevant and easy to use. Critical for online advertising!
• Use Analytics: Google Analytics can tell you a lot about your website visitors.

Advanced Stuff: Level Up Your Ads

Ready for more? Try these:

• Remarketing: Show ads to people who have visited your website before.
• Dynamic Remarketing: Show ads for the exact products they looked at.
• Customer Match: Target your existing customers with ads.
• Similar Audiences: Find new customers who are like your existing ones.
• YouTube Ads: Run video ads on YouTube.
• Google Shopping Ads: Show your products directly on Google.

Wrapping Up: Get Started!

This Google Ads tutorial should give you a good start to running your own paid advertising. Remember, digital marketing is always changing. Keep learning and testing to get the best results. Good luck with your online advertising!