Everything You Need to Know About Google Text Ads (Google search ads)

If you're not using Google Text Ads for your business, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to reach potential customers. Google is the most popular search engine in the world, so your ads have the potential to be seen by thousands of people every day.

This guide will explain everything you need to know about Google Text Ads, including the different types of search ads, ad copy best practices, and the importance of a good landing page.

What are Google Search Ads?

Google Search Ads, also referred to as Google Text Ads, are pay-per-click (PPC) ads, which means that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. The amount you pay per click is determined by several factors, including the competitiveness of your keyword, your quality score, and your bid amount.

Google Text Ads are typically made up of two or three headlines, two descriptions, and a display URL. The headlines and descriptions should be clear, concise, and relevant to your keyword, while also communicating the benefits and features of your product or service.

Search Ads blend seamlessly with the organic search results, marked only by the small "Sponsored" label next to the URL. The primary goal of these text ads is to direct users to your website and encourage them to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or filling out a contact form.

What are the benefits of Google Search Ads?

Google Text Ads are relatively straightforward to set up, and bring several advantages for digital marketers:

• You can show your ads to people who are actively searching for your products or services, allowing you to reach potential customers when they are most likely to buy.
• If your bid is high enough, you can appear on the first page of search results as soon as your ads are live.
• You can choose the keywords you want to target, set your own budget, and write your own ad copy, giving you a lot of control.
• Search ads are highly measurable, meaning that you can track your clicks, impressions, cost per click (CPC), and conversion rate to see how your ads are performing.

Google Search Ads (PPC) vs. organic search results (SEO)

PPC and SEO are two different strategies for driving traffic to your website. PPC is a paid advertising strategy, while SEO is an organic search optimization strategy.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving your website so it ranks higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When someone searches for a keyword related to your business, you want your website to show up near the top of the first page.

As PPC ads typically appear at the top of SERPS, they can start generating traffic to your website immediately, but they can be expensive, especially for competitive keywords. SEO takes longer to produce results (sometimes months or even years to rank organically for competitive keywords) but it can be more cost-effective in the long run.

Different types of Google Search Ads

Google offers two different types of text ads: Responsive Search Ads and Dynamic Search Ads. Here’s a brief overview of both ad types:

Responsive Search Ads

Responsive Search Ads are the default ad type for Search campaigns in Google. This ad type allows advertisers to provide up to 15 headlines and up to four descriptions, and based on the specific search queries, Google will automatically test different combinations to provide relevant ads to users.

Dynamic Search Ads

Dynamic Search Ads are a dynamic ad type, ideal for advertisers with multiple landing pages and/or products. Instead of manually creating individual ads for specific keywords, Dynamic Search Ads automatically generate ads based on the content of your website. All you need to do is specify which landing pages Dynamic Search Ads should use, and include two descriptions.

If you want to dive deeper into the differences between Dynamic Search Ads and Responsive Search Ads, check out this detailed article on the topic to see which is best for your business.

How are Google Text Ads served?

Google uses an auction system to determine which ads are displayed for a given search query. The highest bidder with the highest quality score will have their ad displayed at the top of the SERP.

Your quality score is a measure of how relevant your ad is to the user's search query and how likely it is they will click on your ad. Google uses a variety of factors to calculate your quality score, including your ad copy, your landing page quality, and your click-through rate (CTR).

5 main factors in the ad auction determine which ads appear, and in what order:

1. Your bid:This is the maximum amount you are willing to pay for each click on your ad. The higher your bid, the more likely your ads will be delivered.
2. The quality of your ads: Google assigns a Quality Score to your ad based on the relevance of your ad and landing page. A high Quality Score can help you achieve a better ad position at a lower cost.
3. Your ad assets: Such as a phone number or additional links. Google Ads predicts how these assets and other ad types will affect your ad's success. This means that even if your competitors bid more, you can still get a better position for less money with the right keywords, ads, and assets.
4. Your Ad Rank: This is calculated by multiplying your Quality Score by your maximum CPC, determining the position of your ad in the search results.
5. The context of your ad: To determine your Ad Rank, Google considers the search terms, the person's location, their device (like mobile or desktop), the time of the search, the nature of the search terms, and other factors.

Keywords and negative keywords

Keywords are the backbone of any successful Google Text Ads campaign. Keywords are the words and phrases that you want to target with your Search Ads. So when someone searches for one of your keywords, your ad will be eligible to be displayed.

You want to choose keywords that are relevant to your business and likely to be searched for by your target audience. The sweet spot is choosing keywords that have a high enough search volume but not too much competition.

You can use handy tools like the Google Keyword Planner to discover new keywords, see the monthly search volume, and estimate the CPC.

Negative keywords are words and phrases that you don't want to target with your Google Search Ads. For example, if you’re an e-commerce brand that sells high-priced clothing, you might want to add negative keywords like ‘cheap’, ‘discount’, etc., to avoid showing up for irrelevant search terms.

How many keywords should I have per ad group?

It is generally recommended to have 5-10 keywords per ad group, and no more than 20. This will help to keep your ad groups focused and create ad copy that is relevant to each keyword.

How to write Google Search Ad copy that converts

Good ad copy is clear, concise, and relevant to your keyword. It should also be persuasive and include a call to action. Here are four tips for writing engaging ad copy, including examples:

1. Create product-centric headlines

Highlight your products' key features, benefits, and value propositions in the headlines. Focus on what makes your products stand out and how they address customer needs. Here are some examples:

• "Get the Perfect Summer Look with Our Stylish Swimwear Collection"
• "Upgrade Your Gaming Setup with Our High-Performance Headset"
• "Stay Cozy and Warm: Shop our Luxurious Winter Jacket Collection”

2. Feature dynamic pricing and offers

A surefire way to increase click-through rates on your ads is to showcase special offers, discounts, or limited-time promotions in your headlines and descriptions, such as:

• "Save 20% on All Laptops Today"
• "Limited-Time Deal: Buy One, Get One Free on Select Shoes"
• "Shop Our Exclusive Summer Clearance: Up to 50% Off"

3. Include customer reviews and social proof

Incorporating positive customer reviews, ratings, and testimonials in your ad copy can build trust and credibility, reassuring potential buyers about the quality of your products.

• "5-Star Rated: The Camera Loved by Photographers Everywhere"
• "Customers Rave About Our Skin-Soothing Organic Skincare Line"
• "Join Thousands of Satisfied Customers - Shop Our Bestsellers Now"

4. Write short and straightforward CTAs

Include short CTAs to guide potential customers on what action to take next. Whether it's shopping, exploring, or learning more, a clear CTA helps to drive clicks and conversions:

• “Get Free Shipping Now”
• “Browse Our Sneaker Collection”
• “Get 10% Off”

The importance of a good landing page

While effective ad copy is essential, it's equally important to ensure that your landing page is optimized for conversions. Not only does your landing page impact the overall Quality Score of your ads, but it also determines whether or not a visitor will take the desired action on your site.

A good landing page should be:

• Relevant to your ad: Featuring the product(s) mentioned and any offers you may have included in the ad.
• Well-designed: The landing page should be easy to navigate and visually appealing. You want people to be able to find the information they're looking for quickly and easily.
• Mobile-friendly: In e-commerce, more and more people use their smartphones to make purchases, meaning your landing page should be responsive and optimized for mobile.
• Persuasive: This means using clear and concise language, highlighting the benefits of your product or service, and making it easy for people to take the next step.

Google Text Ads: 4 best practices

Getting Search Ads to work for you is about putting together a smart game plan that covers everything from choosing the best keywords to selecting the right targeting strategy.

Here are four best practices to improve your search campaigns:

1. Use image extensions

Image extensions are a type of Google Ads extension that allows you to add relevant images to your text ads. Product photos can make your ads more visually appealing, and lead to a higher click-through rate.

2. Constantly track and optimize your campaigns

Monitor your click-through rate, conversion rate (CVR), and cost per conversion (CPA) regularly. You can use this data to make changes to your keywords, bids, and landing pages to improve your results.

3. Set a competitive bid

Your bid amount is one of the factors that determines your ad's position, so it's important to set a bid that is competitive enough to get your ad seen, but not so high that you're overpaying for clicks.

4. Use ad scheduling and geotargeting

Make sure your ads are seen by the right people, at the right time by adjusting your ad schedule (the times ads are delivered) and geotargeting your ads to specific countries or regions where there is a high demand for your products.

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