In order to make your Google Ads work, you’ll just need to speak fluent English and know how to operate Google Ad Manager right?
WRONG.Â
If mastering the art of Google advertising was so simple, most of us agency marketers would be out of work!
Advertising on Google might seem like child’s play but there’s a lot more that goes behind the scenes besides writing ad copies.
If you truly want your ads to excel, you’ll need to accept these 7 harsh but true facts about Google Ads.
7 Inconvenient Truths about Marketing with Google Ads
1. You Have to Fork Out (a bit more) Money
There’s no free lunch in this world. Everyone knows that. But some meals carry heftier price tags than others.
Unlike SEO which is does not involve boosting or pumping in cash, you will probably need to pay for clicks, traffic and leads if you use Google Ads.
Want more leads and traffic? Well, you need to pay a little more for them then.
Think of Google Ads as an investment. The more you pay, the more clicks and conversions you’ll get.
2. There will be a Lot of Trial & Error
A/B testing might sometimes be a little time-consuming especially when you have to prepare 2 distinct images for display advertising and sets of ad texts. Unfortunately, this is part and parcel of a long-term Google advertising strategy.
Why?
Simple, you are not your own customer.
Obviously, your target audience’s behaviour and preferences matter. You would want to devote more attention into creating copies and images that resonate with them. Unless you share similar perceptions and needs, you would probably need to try various materials to see what works and what doesn’t.
Even then, preferences and consumer behaviours change with the state of affairs. Which brings us to our next point.
3. You Cannot be Stagnant
“… the new set of Google Ads converted! They had tons of clicks that month, online purchases were off the charts and they lived happily ever after. The end.”
You would probably read texts like this in fairytales.
Unfortunately, this is the real world.
And if you want that happy ending, you’ll have to hustle and hustle continuously.
If there is one thing most marketers can agree on, it’s that digital marketing is a like marathon. To sustain a business, you will need a continuous influx of business. In order to keep business coming, you would need to continuously monitor your Google ads performance, respond to changing consumer behaviours and get rid of ads that are no longer giving you the results you want.
To make your Google ads work, you have to (basically) hustle hard.
Sounds pretty scary right?
Well, if its any consolation, Google Ads are immune to algorithm updates. That means that you don’t have to fly into a panic whenever Google announces a new update. Algorithm updates typically affect your website’s organic ranking rather than your ads.
4. Competition is Very Very Steep
Some people need to be in a competitive environment to thrive. But this also means that competition in the Google Ads space is tight.
If you want to come out on top, you are going to have to constantly think out-of-the-box to win over your competitors. No run-off-the-mill strategy is going to get you the leads and conversions you want (more on this later). You’ll need to get creative and get smart if you want to beat your competitors.
You might also need to invest in a handy competitor analysis tool or two just to spy on your competitors and pinpoint areas where you can improve.
5. Mediocrity isn’t Going to Cut It
So you just finished watching a 2-hour tutorial about using Google Ad Manager and your boss has given you the promotional materials for next month.
Think you’re ready to kill it?
Sadly, you’re probably just going to end up wasting time and money.
Because the reality is that amateurism really isn’t going to get those conversions. Not being harsh, just being real.
Not only do you need to be familiar with the ins and outs of Google Ad Manager, but you also need to be able to write killer copies for your ads. Furthermore, you need to manage your ad budget wisely to avoid overspending. Basically, effort and talent are tantamount here if you want to make your Google ads work.
6. Regular Monitoring is Mandatory
As we mentioned earlier, you need to be on the ball all the time. Your Google Ads campaign doesn’t stop when your ads get approved.
If this year proved anything, it’s that long-term planning is great and all, but you also need to be reactive and responsive to changes in the state of affairs as it does have significantly influence on your customers’ purchasing decisions.
You’ll probably have to check your ad performance daily to ensure that your budget doesn’t go to waste. Look out for things like click-through rate and average cost-per-click (CPC). Make adjustments immediately if you notice something amiss.
7. Just “Selling” Doesn’t Work Anymore
“Buy this now. Buy it NOW!”
“Buy this today and get a discount on the spot!”
Sadly, hard-selling just doesn’t work anymore, not even for digital advertising!
Instead, most digital content is leaning more towards support marketing and being there for your customers. Press play to hear Miraj talk about support marketing and how it helps make your Google Ads work.
Ready to Make Your Google Ads Work?
Finally, we get it. The bulk of the text you just read sounds pretty daunting. But trust us when we say that digital advertising isn’t as scary as it seems. It might be slightly challenging at the start, but it has proven to be extremely effective for multiple businesses across a broad spectrum of industries. Plus, it does get you more business a lot quicker than traditional marketing.
Then again, if you do need a helping hand, you might want to hire a digital marketing specialist or outsource your Google ads campaign to a vendor with the right tools and expertise.