One of the ways SMBs can now compete with the bigger names in the industry is through Google Ads – a simple yet powerful ad management platform. But countless brands go through a lot of trial and error to get it right. So, is there a way to utilize Google Ads to attract more customers without losing money first?
Yes, here’s how!
Get in front of your customers when they are looking for you
With more than 90% of the search engine market share, Google enjoys approximately 5.6 billion search queries every day. People look up problems on Google to find a solution. This is where your business comes in. When your potential customers search for information, they are looking for you!
So, you need to be at the right place at the right time a.k.a. when they are ready to buy.
Here’s a tip – Avoid spending time thinking about all the areas you should be in. The spraying and praying approach rarely works on ads. When it comes to Google Ads, it pays to have a deep dive into just one area that can help drive more customers your way.
Utilize local keywords
When someone searches for results related to your niche within your area, ads with local keywords have a higher chance of showing up at the top of their search results. This allows you to target customers in a specific area and meet their needs faster.
But you have to make sure that your ads are highly specific and optimized to get those click-throughs and conversions.
The most underrated trick is to time your ads properly. DialogTech’s study on paid search ROI finds that every “1 in 5 calls from paid search goes to voicemail.”
That’s because most local businesses forget to restrict their ads to their business hours. So, even if a customer is looking for them past their working hours, they get the ads and are disappointed when nobody answers.
Needless to say, this can promote a negative impression of your business among your target segment.
Set up a Google My Business account
Google My Business is a free tool that gives you the ability to connect your business with customers and potential customers. It is easy to set up an account, claim your business, enrich your listing and manage your online presence.
Once set up, you can have all of your business details, such as your business address, listed at the top of your Google listings. This will happen automatically and will theoretically help with your ‘popularity’ in the SERPs. That’s why you need to set it up before running your ads.
Geo-target specific devices
Geo-targeting is a technique of targeting web ads based on geographical location. It allows you to generate more in-store traffic than website traffic but is a great way to increase your customer count.
Let’s say you are a furniture store in San Francisco and you want to be popular in your neighborhood. You can configure your Google Ads to target relevant on-the-go mobile phone users who are right around your shop because they will more likely be able to drop by your shop than those far away.
Not only will this allow you to attract more in-store customers but also gain visibility among your other potential customers.
Filter. Filter. Filter your audience
The reason why some people struggle so much with Google Ads is that they are not able to filter their audience and get specific with their niche.
For instance, if you are a curtain-selling business, going for people who are looking for “curtains online” may not be your best bet at attracting more customers.
You need to dive deeper. What kind of curtains do you sell? What’s the price range? What kind of colors do you have? How long are they? What purpose do they serve? What type of people do you think would love them?
When you filter using these questions, you will be left with an ad that reads something like “Grey Blackout Curtains for French Bedroom Windows” as opposed to “Blackout Curtains.”
This type of filtering will allow you to attract people who are willing to make a purchase (Top of the funnel leads) because they know exactly what they want, so you are guaranteed to make more sales.
Prioritize ad retargeting
Ad retargeting is the tactic of showing ads to people who have already visited your site or interacted with the ad. It works on the principle that an average customer needs to see your brand ten times before an impression is created on them.
But the number could vary depending on the environment your target customer lives in, their attention span, and the type of product you are selling, among other factors.
As a general rule of thumb, a prospective customer needs to see your ad seven times before they make a purchase. With retargeting, you can expose your brand to customers who wish to buy a product like yours but are uncertain about their choices.
Optimize your website to host more traffic
Did you know that 81% of consumers conduct online research before making a buying decision? More than 60% of them visit your website before making a purchase. That means it is not enough to put ads out there with the hope that they will generate leads. You have to optimize your website to host that traffic.
If your ads are working and more people are clicking through them but your website isn’t equipped to handle the traffic, you won’t be able to convert leads. And when conversion rates start decreasing, it is time to make some changes.
Conclusion
For a customer to notice your brand, you must first get their attention. Turns out, Google Ads are the best way to do that. They can produce a lot of sales leads. But your ads need to be outstanding to generate results. So, it is always recommended to work with someone who has done it before.
Cyrusson is a full-service digital advertising agency. We are a Premier Google Partner, which means Google recognizes us “for maximizing campaign success for your clients, driving client growth by maintaining clients’ campaigns, and demonstrating Google Ads skills.”
So, who could better manage your Google Ads than Cyrusson?