Drive traffic to your online business with Google Ads
On the surface, creating Google Ads seems like a daunting task. With so many options available and a relatively complex user interface, many business owners are confused by where to get started.
Surprisingly, paid Google Ads are an easier way than you think to spread the word about your eCommerce website. If you take the time to understand what you’re looking at and how to use it, they’re exceptionally effective.
It’s important to mention that learning about paid Google Ads can be time consuming. For entrepreneurs that want to focus more on their primary business, hiring a specialist in the field can be a big time saver. But if you’re looking to grow your knowledge of all things marketing, and take control of your business’ promotional elements, this is a great place to start.
Learn more: Best business ideas to start with little money
What’s so great about Google Ads?
By now, you’re probably wondering why so many people are willing to invest time and resources into running Google Ads. There are a number of reasons, like:
You can set your own budget and turn your spending on and off any time, giving you financial control of how long your campaigns run.
For most of the ad types you set up, you only have to pay per click (PPC marketing). No clicks? No need to pay.
You’ll get important data fast to help you figure out what’s working and what isn’t.
You can run small focused campaigns to only a set target audience or go big and spread the word to everyone, everywhere.
Besides the obvious benefits for eCommerce businesses, Google gives you the option of ad types you want to run: search ads (the most common), Google Display Network and YouTube ads.
What are search ads?
As you may have figured out from the name, these are ads that most consumers see when they search for certain things on Google. When Mary from Alaska types a phrase like “faux fur snow jacket” into Google and you happen to sell the item she’s looking for, your business will come up if you’re running ads attached to that phrase.
Google is a place that people go looking for answers. When you run effective Google Ads, you can ensure that your business is the answer potential customers are looking for. Plus, you have the choice of promoting your business, driving specials and holiday sales, or even giving shoppers more insight into the types of products or services you offer.
Within this category of ads, you can create a variety of ad types. Text ads, for example, will show to your target audience as a text result marked clearly with the word “Ad” in a small green box. Placing your ads on Google Shopping however, showcases your products with their prices and even a rating from past customers.
Google Display Network (GDN)
While it’s not the most frequently selected method of paid advertising, it does have one impressive benefit. With GDN, you can expand your advertising network beyond Google search results. These types of ads include text, images and digital video banners that display when anyone browses websites, uses apps online and even when they watch videos.
This network of ads has an impressive reach: 90% of people using the internet. And the ads themselves are shown on more than 2 million websites. Wondering what they look like? Think of a news site you visit frequently. You’ve seen these types of ads at the top of the site as a banner, or somewhere along the margins.
Ads on YouTube
Owned by Google, this platform is one of the top 3 most visited websites in the world. People right now are watching over a billion hours of videos on YouTube every day. Want to reach them? Then this platform is right for you. And there are so many ways for you to do it.
On YouTube, pre-roll ads are the most common. These are the ads that show up before a video plays. While some don’t allow you to skip, most make you watch at least 5 seconds before you can hit the skip button. If you’re planning on using this platform, you can also use banner ads, end-roll ads and more.
A deeper dive into search ads
Search ads are not the easiest to understand. In order to use them effectively, you need to be willing to do extensive keyword research. But they can do a lot for your business.
Branded search ads: These are great for helping you boost orders and sales. Their CPC (cost per click) is quite low, since the keywords you’ll use include your brand name. When using those keywords, include the names of your products or services if they’re specific to your brand. If you own an online stationery store with your own line of pens, or a spa with a signature treatment, use those brand names in combination with your business name.
Non-branded product generic ads: These are amazing when you want to let everyone know you have the products or services they’re looking for. In these ads, your potential customers are searching for items rather than brands, like phone covers, notebooks or work shirts. The CPC can be higher because you’ll be competing with other online merchants for the same keywords. But they’re useful for bringing in new site visitors and building your brand presence.
Non-branded product specific ads: Use these when you want to show customers you have niche products they want to buy, like unicorn phone covers, waterproof notebooks and long-sleeve men’s work shirts. Again, your CPC can be higher since you’ll likely have some competition from other online merchants. But if you’re selling something people can’t easily find in a physical store, this is a great way to open up a whole new business stream.
Google Shopping: These campaigns are a hit with shoppers. With Google Shopping, customers can search for products they want to buy and see them instantly appear in their search feed. Click the ad and they’re taken right to the page where they can buy. If you want to create a new sales funnel for your business, this ad type is a great way to do it. All you need is to create a Merchant Center. From there, you can pick keywords and quickly set up your ads.
Retargeting ads: Here’s how you target potential customers who may have already visited your site, browsed items or even purchased one of your products or services. Retargeting is generally considered cheaper than bringing in new customers, since your target audience already knows about you or the products you sell. Use text, banner ads or videos when retargeting to remind potential customers of what you have to offer them.
How much do you need to spend on Google Ads?
Before you whip out your wallet, you should know that Google Ads don’t work like their counterparts on Facebook or Instagram. Google Ads are auction based, meaning you don’t pay a set fee for each one. They’re PPC, or pay per click ads. This means you need to set an amount that you’re willing to pay if someone clicks on one of your ads.
Why set a certain amount instead of just paying for what you need? And what happens if someone else, a competitor perhaps, pays more for the same type of search ad you want to use?
The simple answer is everyone can afford to advertise with Google Ads. But if you have more money to allocate to your ad campaign, you have a chance of ranking higher than those who don’t have much to spend.
Don’t be disheartened though. Rankings are not based on budget alone. In fact, Google also takes ad relevance into account. So if your ads are more useful to people searching for certain keywords, you may be able to outrank your competitors. As a business owner, that means you need to be savvy with your keyword research and know exactly what your customers will search for online.
How to create Google Ads with Wix
Ready to get started with Google Ads? Google Ads with Wix gives you everything you need to manage your campaigns in one place, including AI for Google Ads. Check out our guide on Wix Google Ads for even more details.
Simply log into your site's dashboard and navigate to your Marketing & SEO tools, where you'll see an option to create your first Google Ad campaign. Wix provides an easy-to-follow checklist to simplify account setup. You can also leverage Wix's beginner-friendly tools and 24/7 support team for help building a campaign that's well-targeted and masterfully organized.
Create your online store with Wix to take advantage of our full eCommerce toolbox today.
Daniel Clinton
Managing Editor, Wix eCommerce
Daniel is the Managing Editor at Wix eCommerce, where he uses his experience as a merchant, journalist and marketer to create content that helps online businesses grow.
