The following is an informal email that I’ve sent to a small business client about getting started using Google Ads. This may be a good reference to other freelancers or those that also run a small business. Let me know if it helps by upvoting. But this is Reddit. So, I don’t have my hopes up.
Before you begin: https://www.wordstream.com/how-to-use-google-adwords
Setup the following accounts and mediums:
Create a Website and verify it with Google
Gmail = Setup business Gmail account
Google Webmasters = Setup Google Webmasters account and add google tracking metrics to your website @ https://www.google.com/webmasters/#?modal_active=none
Google My Business = Setup Google My Business Account @ https://www.google.com/business/
ProTip: Register a local number (important if you are planning to advertise locally), Get business location and number verified.
Google Ads Account = Only setup your ads account after you have set up the other accounts because it will make the process of creating the ads account simpler @ https://ads.google.com/home/
Google Ads = Once you’ve set up your Google ads and synced it with all your other Google accounts you can begin creating ads.
ProTip: Turn on advanced ad settings @ “tools and settings button” When you create a new ads account it will have the advanced settings turned off, you will need to turn them on.
1st Keyword research: Decide on the keywords you’d like to use. Keep them broad “when starting to find out search queries” and relevant to the area you are planning to advertise in. Pick no more than 10 “Keywords to Start” Use the keyword planner tool and make sure you set your settings to the area you want to target. “City, State, County” etc.
VeryProTip: When doing keyword research check what terms your competitors are appearing for. Also, see what Google suggests when typing in Google search. Most people let Google autofill using a suggestion “these suggestions are keywords”.
Reference: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2453981?hl=en
ProTip: When you are doing keyword research look at search volume, don’t worry about the estimated costs because it’s not what you are going to pay. You’ll pay more or less. The numbers Google gives you don’t mean anything.
2nd Pick an ad type, choose your goal, leads or conversion, do you want someone to click on your ad and go to your website? Or do you want someone to click on your ad and give you a call?
ProTip: Start with a plain text ad that goes to your website and or gives you a call. (Make sure the proper “Conversion tracking is setup” https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2013/08/13/adwords-conversion-tracking-guide) Track how much traffic is going to your website using Google’s Webmaster Tools.
ProTip: What are you selling and your business goals? Do you specialize in BtB or consumers? Are you targeting your local town plus 20 miles or 5? What are the services or products you wish to sell, and the types of mediums? Do you want clicks or calls? Whatever the ads are that you wish to create base your conversion on your business goals.
Ad breakdown example:
Campaign
• Ad Group (Ad groups are put together based on your campaigns goals)
•• Ads ( Ads are what are shown)
••• Keywords (Keywords should relate to your ad group content, they relate to a users search queries and tell google what bidding pool you should be put in)
NOTE: there are different types of keywords Broad, Broad +modifier, “Phrase”, [Exact] https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7478529?hl=en
KEY POINT: Just because Google defines the keyword types does not mean that their definitions hold true. I’ve seen many contradictions with the different types of keywords.
3rd Set your daily spend: The amount you want to spend per day.
NOTE: Google can spend up to double your daily spend based on performance. It’s rare from my experience but I’ve seen it happen.
VeryProTip: If you see an ad creeping up to a spend you are not comfortable with don’t pause it. Just reduce the daily spend to a point that is below what you have already spent. Doing this will stop the ad from showing due to you reaching your daily spend once the day is over your ad will resume.
4th step run your ad for a month, 4 weeks based on your business’s hours and “prepare to lose money”.
I usually come in and help a business once they have data from a prior campaign. The reason for this is because whatever ad I setup will fail. (*to any freelancer reading this you can charge a setup fee) I need data to determine the appropriate course of action and until a business has data I really can’t come up with a battle strategy that will work for them.
I say run a campaign for x amount of days to gain data on the market you wish to advertise in then I can take a look.
PPC Marketing is not a one shoe fits all and people who are trying to sell the concept that they have a formula that works “for all” are lying.
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any other questions.
Please excuse any grammatical or spelling errors.