Possible customers are already using Google for search inquiries daily, where your ad is shown within that ranking can influence new customers, conversions, and ultimately sales. Google Ads allows for your ad to be shown at the top of their search results in places possible customers already are.
What Google Ads Are and Where to Find Them
Google Ads are the Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertisements that appear on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) when a keyword is triggered. They are typically shown at the top of the results, above any organic search results, and contain an ad label. When these text ads are set up, a specific webpage can be showcased along with matching headlines and ad copy.
Shopping ads work similarly to these text-based ads as they are triggered by keyword results and are shown at the top of the search engine results page. However, unlike text ads, the focus is on product photos that are shown with the name of the store, price, and any current promotions.
An example of text ads and shopping ads is this SERP for MacBooks. At the top of the results, we see the shopping ads and below that is a text ad for Apple.
Display ads can also be used and appear within the Google Display Network. This is a group of third-party websites that are partnered with Google to serve ads. Since these ads can be shown on various websites, they are triggered differently than search ads making them ideal for remarketing and banner ads. Display ads can contain images, videos, and other media formats.
Image ads typically contain a static image or automated imagery that leads to a designated webpage. These are shown across a variety of different websites including social media platforms and blogs.
Video ads are becoming increasingly popular as more content is being streamed across different platforms including social media and YouTube. These ads allow for more information to be presented in an eye-catching manner.
An example of video ads on YouTube.
How are Google Ads Selected?
Google Ads and PPC ads are based around selected keywords or key phrases and when a matching search is performed, your ad is shown as a result. Using these keywords and phrases, advertisers can then bid for these top spots. The cost for each keyword is not fixed and is based on the demand surrounding it. Bids take place using an auction system and are matched automatically with each new search result that is performed.
While the bid amount influences where your ad ranks in the search results it’s not the only factor involved. Google favors ads that are relevant and well designed as it benefits their users. This means that an increased quality score can lead to a higher ranking.
Quality score is measured on a scale of 1-10 and determined by:
- What the expected click-through rate for your ad or ad group is.
- How relevant the chosen keywords and phrases are.
- If the contents of an ad match the landing page results.
- How relevant an ad is to the search results it’s being shown with.
With an increased quality score, a bid can be won at a lower cost. For businesses with a limited budget, focusing on the quality of your ad means it can be showcased in these prime locations without the additional cost. These quality ads are also shown more frequently resulting in additional clicks and conversion.
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