The Pros and Cons of Google Ads for Your Business
One of the biggest questions we hear being asked is, “Are Google Ads worth it?” The answer to that question isn’t a simple yes or no. There are a lot of factors at play that may make PPC (pay per click) ads worth it for some businesses and not worth it for others.
What are those factors and are Google Ads right for you? Let’s dive right in.
What are Google Ads?
First, it’s a good idea to know what Google Ads is. It’s Google’s paid advertising product. It’s referred to as PPC advertising, which stands for pay per click. There are a few different types of Google Ads:
- Sponsored Search Results: displays as one of the top listings in a Google search result.
- Display Ads: often photos and appear on other websites that have partnered with Google to host ads.
- Shopping Ads: showcase products directly in search results with an image, price, and store name and appear when users search for specific products on Google.
- Video Ads: video advertisements that play before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll), or after (post-roll) on YouTube.
- App Ads: can appear in multiple locations across Google’s ecosystem, including its search engine, Google Play Store, YouTube, and the Google Display Network.
What is Pay Per Click?
Simply put, pay per click, or PPC, is a form of digital marketing where a business pays a fee each time a user clicks on the ad. That fee is referred to as cost per click (CPC). The amount of the fee is determined through an ad auction.
What Makes Google Ads so Powerful?
First, let’s talk about Google Ads versus other PPC advertising options. The most visited website on the internet is Google’s search engine. The second most visited is Google’s YouTube. This means you have the ability to reach millions of internet users every single day.
Second, because Google Ads is PPC advertising, it not only means you can advertise to a large user base, but that it also drives results quickly. Once you have your assets, copy, and budget ready, most of the wait time is just on the platform to approve your ads. Once approved, your ads start showing to your defined audience and you’ll see results start to roll in shortly after.
Pros and Cons of Google Ads
Let’s get into some of the benefits and the downsides of using Google Ads so you can decide if it is right for your business.
1 | It’s Time Efficient
We already touched on this in the previous section, but the fact that Google Ads is time efficient certainly makes it one of the perks of using this advertising platform. A bit of keyword research, some time spent on creating assets and copy, and deciding on your budget and defined audience is really all you need to do. Quite a bit of this can be done pretty quickly, especially if you already have a good idea of who your target audience is and what their needs are.
2 | It’s Targeted
With Google Ads, there are two ways that your ads target the right people. The first is by setting your defined audience. You can get incredibly specific about the audience you want to have your ads shown to. Because of this, it often helps maximize your return on investment (ROI). Another way that they are targeted is that you use keywords. These are the words or phrases that your target audience is searching for and can help get your ad in front of the right people.
3 | It’s Easy to Measure Results
Google makes it really easy to track and monitor your results with their metrics. You can check out impressions, clicks, click-through rate, conversions, and more. Checking your metrics is something that you want to do often as your campaign runs. Why? Because you can adjust your campaign as needed during its run, helping it perform better. These metrics also allow you to learn more about your customers for future ad campaign runs!
4 | You Have to Pay Per Click
Google Ads doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. Fees are set via an auction, meaning that more searched words will cost you more per click. So the amount you have to pay depends on your industry and your keywords. You can specify how much you are willing to spend. However, because it is pay per click, that does mean you still have to pay for a click, regardless of whether or not it leads to a conversion (purchase). This could mean you get clicks from people who have no intention of buying a product or service, which can decrease your ROI. If you are having a real issue with this, it could be that you haven’t added enough sufficient negative keywords to your campaign.
5 | It’s a Short-Term Investment
Google Ads has a short shelf life. As soon as your budget is spent, your ads turn off. So while it does drive near instantaneous results, it’s no replacement to good SEO (search engine optimization).
Key Takeaways
Google Ads is a bit of a balancing act. It’s all about finding the right balance of keywords, negative keywords, and budget. If you are looking to drive quick results, Google Ads, like other forms of paid advertising, can be a good way to supplement your organic marketing. Whether you decide to use Google Ads depends largely on your advertising budget.
Make your Google Ads budget go further by getting expert help! Tintero Creative knows what it takes to run a successful PPC advertising campaign. If you don’t want to delve into the nitty gritty of keyword research, we can help you get more bang for your buck with our know-how. Schedule a free consultation today!