An Introduction to Google Ads

How Does Google Ads Work?

Google Ads can help advertisers attract interested, relevant customers to their websites through targeted search. The process is simple. If a user enters a relevant or closely related word to an advertiser's product or service, Google Ads will show that ad in its search results. The idea is to target users who are most likely to buy a product or service. Ads also help manage and control advertising spending by offering several pricing options. With Google Ads, advertisers pay only if a user clicks an ad and visits a site, making it a wise economical choice.

Features of a Strong Ad 

Choosing the right keywords is essential when creating ads. These are the words a potential customer will most likely search for to find a business or product. Choosing relevant keywords and categorizing them will help ensure that ads are reaching the most relevant audience possible.

It's also important to create a high-quality ad that draws attention easily. It should first speak to the audience in such a way that potential customers have a reason to visit an advertiser's site.

Next, it's time to determine the landing page for an ad. This is the page a potential customer will see after clicking the ad. A quality landing page is the one that addresses what the potential customer is looking for.

Now, it's time to track how the ad is performing. Google Ads will show how many people saw an ad and clicked it, while Google Analytics shows how much time users spent on a site after clicking an ad.

New Google Ads Features

There are many new features available within Google Ads, including:

• Recommended Products in Google Merchant Center 

  While using Google Shopping ads through a Google Merchant Center account, Google will recommend what can be sold in a store.

• Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool 

  This is available in the Tools section within a  Google account. It shows common searches and lets advertisers know if there's anything amiss within their campaigns. It also offers insight into optimizing low-performing ads.

• Shoppable Google Images Ads 

  Studies show that images work better with ads. Through this not-yet-released feature, users will be able to view a product and its price, then be directed to purchase the product through Google Images.

• Google Ads Scripts and Automation 

  Advertisers can load and use certain scripts that can perform specific tasks continuously. Some scripts can check if any sites are down, in which case it will automatically stop a campaign. Others can check whether a quality score is lower than a certain amount, in which case it will reduce the spend for that campaign.

What are Google Ads “Smart” Campaigns?

Google Ads Smart campaigns (formerly known as Google AdWords Express) are designed to make it easier to advertise. They help businesses new to online advertising build the confidence they need to create ads that make an impact. 

The setup is simple. All that is needed is ad copy and an industry category, and Google will do virtually all the rest. The ad will be created, and advertisers can then target their audience based on relevant categories. The ad will then appear in Google search results, as well as on relevant partner sites.

Optimizing Google Ads Smart campaigns

As a simplified, hassle-free version of Google Ads, Google Ads Smart campaigns lets advertisers select a budget and a category and create an ad easily. It is geared more toward local and small businesses, bringing relevant results without the complexities of a traditional Google Ads campaign. As an added bonus, Google handles all of the optimizations to ensure ads are reaching their targeted audiences.

Creating a Google Ads Smart Campaign Account

All that's required is a Gmail account. Once an advertiser signs up, it will select an ad goal, create the ad, and determine a budget. Next, the advertiser will set up a location, define the product or service, write a description of the product and include a high-quality image, then add the landing page as the link. Lastly, it will determine a budget range for the ad. Once it's approved by both the advertiser and Google, the ad will start running.

Why Use Google “Smart” Campaigns Within Google Ads?

Google Smart campaigns are useful because they are a simplified version of the overall Google Ads platform. Advertisers don't have to know much about using Google Ads, and Google handles a lot of the keyword analysis within a campaign. It helps target local businesses and takes almost no time to manage, and there's no cost to set up the tool. Because Google recommends using one or the other to avoid competition and confusion, advertisers should do their homework and select the ad type that works best for their respective audiences and needs.

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Going Forward

Want to master Google Ads by understanding how to create and optimize campaigns? Enroll in Simplilearn's Google Ads Professional Certification training today for an in-depth understanding of how the ad platform works, including search, display, mobile, and video!