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Google Ads for eCommerce is so powerful because you can use math, statistics and AI to guide decisions. No expertise in these areas? This guide simplifies it for you so you make right data-driven decisions.
This guide will teach you the main principles of using Google Ads for eCommerce to help you get a higher return on investment (ROI).
Once you understand these principles, you'll know what PPC marketing really means, and how to leverage Google Ads to your advantage.
Want to learn more about statistics? There are many great books, like "Naked Statistics" by Charles Wheelan, that can help.
Google Ads is Google's online advertising platform.
Google Ads is a tool. When used right, it's a way to reach potential customers and boost sales. When used incorrectly, it will blow a hole in your budget that will make Moon craters look mild.
This brings us to our next question.
The decision to use Google Ads for your eCommerce business isn't one-size-fits-all. It hinges on several factors:
Google Ads offers a potent avenue for eCommerce growth. But its effectiveness hinges on your business's unique circumstances and goals. It's not just about diving in; it's about diving in with a clear plan and purpose.
Google Ads for eCommerce is a cornerstone for many successful online businesses. Here's why:
Though it sounds simple, it isn't easy, or there wouldn't be so many marketing companies specializing in increasing online sales through Google Ads campaigns.
Sometimes, you can reach your monthly goal by spending just 15 minutes a week on the most impactful actions in your Google Ads campaign.
This efficiency is one of the reasons why PPC is such a popular choice for businesses looking to grow.
Let's walk you through the basic steps you'll need to take to start marketing your eCommerce business through Google Ads.
When setting up a Google Ads account, start with a clear goal. Sales? Traffic? Brand awareness? Your goal guides your campaign.
Different campaigns serve different purposes. Google Search Ads capture active searchers. Display campaigns boost brand visibility, great for retargeting. Shopping campaigns put products front and center.
Budgeting can be tricky. Set a daily budget in line with your marketing spend. If your budget runs out too quickly, check your campaign settings. If you're underspending, consider expanding your targeting.
The exact budget you need depends on many things, including the location you are targeting, your product, and your goals.
But generally, 1000$ per month is a good place to start. It will allow you to test multiple strategies fast before fully committing to the one that works best
Structure matters. Organize campaigns by product categories or services. Segment further with ad groups based on specific themes. It's about targeted bidding and easy navigation.
Track your conversions. Know which parts of your campaign work. Set up conversion actions that matter to your business, like sales or sign-ups.
The digital ad world changes fast. Regular reviews and tweaks keep your campaigns fresh and effective.
A well-set Google Ads account sets the stage. Do it right, and your eCommerce business stands to benefit immensely.
Google Ads isn't just one platform. It's a collection of networks. Each has its purpose.
Users type a query, your ad appears. It's all about capturing active searchers.
Ad Types:
Standard Text Ads: Basic text format.
Trigger: Triggered by keywords.
Best For: Direct response, immediate sales, and lead generation.
Over two million websites. Reach? 90% of internet users.
Ad Types:
Placement: Across various websites, news pages, blogs, and Google-owned sites.
Best For: Brand awareness, retargeting, and introducing new products.
Made for eCommerce. Products are at the front and center in search results.
Ad Types:
Placement: Google search results and the Google Shopping tab.
Best For: Direct sales for retailers, showcasing product range.
Think YouTube.
Ad Types:
Placement: Before, during, or after videos on YouTube and Google Display Network.
Best For: Brand stories, product launches, and audience engagement.
Got an app? This is how you promote it.
Ad Types:
Placement: Google Search, Play Store, YouTube, and Google Display Network.
Best For: Driving app downloads, re-engaging inactive users, and promoting in-app purchases.
Choosing the right network is about understanding your audience's behavior. It's essential to align your choice with your campaign objectives, ensuring you're reaching out effectively.
When diving into Google Ads for eCommerce, the campaign type you select can make or break your strategy. Each type is tailored for specific objectives and platforms.
Note: As of August 2022, Local campaigns began upgrading to Performance Max.
Each campaign type offers unique advantages. Your choice should align with your business goals, target audience, and the platforms they frequent. Making an informed decision here sets the stage for the success of your advertising efforts.
In Google Ads, your goal isn't just a setting. It's your direction. Some goals are great for eCommerce, some shouldn't be touched unless you really know what you are doing. To make our list concise, we will only describe those that we have found effective.
Sales: Want more online or in-store sales? This is for you. Tailored for conversions, whether it's products or in-store visits.
Leads: Niche product with a long sales funnel? If inquiries drive your business, focus here. Think form submissions, sign-ups, or calls. Dynamic Search Ads can be particularly effective here, adapting to what potential leads are searching for.
App Promotion: Got an app? Although most eCommerce businesses don't have and don't need one, this goal can be useful for you. Drive installs and user engagement. Showcase what your app brings to the table.
Your goal sets the tone. It shapes your strategy, ad creatives, and measures of success. Define it clearly, and let it guide your Google Ads journey.
Keywords are your Google Ads compass. They are the most effective way to target your ads. Audience targeting is not as important for an eCommerce business.
But it's more than just picking words; it's about tapping into what your audience is thinking.
Tools: Google's Keyword Planner isn't just a tool; it's a treasure trove. See search volumes, competition, get new ideas.
Think Customer: What would they type? What are they looking for? Get in their head.
Refine: Start with a list. Review. Drop what's not working. Add what's missing based on real search data.
Long-Tail Keywords: Longer, specific phrases. Might have fewer searches but can mean a ready-to-buy user.
Stay Fresh: Searches evolve. New trends, products, events. Update your list to stay in the game.
In Google Ads, keywords are your beacon. They pull in the right crowd. Nail your keyword strategy, and you're not just getting clicks; you're getting the right clicks.
While most of the attention goes to the keywords you want to target, negative keywords play a crucial, behind-the-scenes role in Google Ads. They're the gatekeepers, ensuring you don't waste money on irrelevant clicks.
What Are They?: Negative keywords are terms you add to your campaign to exclude your Google ads from showing up for certain searches. Think of them as the "not this" filter.
Stepping into the Google Ads arena is exciting. But once your campaign is live, the real game begins. Here's how to navigate this phase:
Launching and monitoring isn't just about setting and forgetting. It's an active process, a dance of analysis, adjustment, and anticipation.
With a vigilant eye and a responsive approach, your Google Ads campaign can soar to new heights.
Google Ads marketing flips traditional pricing on its head. Why? Because in PPC, relevant traffic is limited.
Say only 100 people are searching for your product. Capturing more of this audience costs more per person.
Every searcher is different. Some are ready to buy, some are pondering, and others are just browsing.
Want to reach more people? Your cost per click rises. For a keyword like "PPC management" with 1,300 monthly searches, capturing more of this audience gets pricier.
Bid $10 per click? You might get 8 clicks from 400 auctions. Bid $70? You could see 50 clicks from 1,000 auctions.
You might need to become an expert in that area or hire a PPC marketing company that specializes in Google Ads management. By doing so, you can get more value from each click and potentially get more online sales.
This approach can be a vital part of your strategy to leverage Google Ads for better results.
Say your Google Ads campaign has a 60% search impression share. You're missing 40% due to low bids. To increase impressions:
But, raising CPC can up your conversion cost. Instead, try new keywords or platforms like Facebook. Smart ad spend can elevate results.
For instance, if you limit ads to even days, your impression share could halve, hurting sales. Or, with a $7000 budget and $7 CPC on Google Ads, why not reduce CPC to $5 and explore Bing?
So increasing CPC should be your main strategy to get more traffic and increase online sales.
Due to the auction system in this situation, there would be only a few winners – usually Google, Facebook, or Microsoft.
KPIs like CTR, ROI, and CPA gauge PPC effectiveness. But they can be deceptive. A headline boasting “800% ROI in 2 weeks from PPC” might sound impressive. But what if that ROI came at the cost of overall profit?
Misinterpretations aren’t limited to ROI. Take CTR. It's swayed by ad position. A high CTR might result from quirky ad text or keyword tactics, but it might not translate to profit.
I see CTR as an indicator traffic relevance. Weekly, I assess CTR against the average ad position. If top-positioned keywords have a low CTR, I delve deeper.
But remember, KPIs are just guides. They need context. Profit is the ultimate KPI, but it intertwines with CPC and ad spend. And, we can't always tally every marketing cost.
Don't rely on a single KPI. Pair them up, like cost per lead with lead volume or ROAS with revenue. Prioritize metrics that boost sales. Grasping their KPIs is pivotal.
Clients often call me worried about low sales on Sunday, only to feel better after seeing a boost on Tuesday. But making decisions based on just a couple of days can be misleading.
Using only a bit of data can give the wrong idea. For example, an online store might have a steady 11.19% conversion rate over the year. But day-to-day, it might drop to 6% on Monday and jump to 20% by Wednesday.
In PPC, it's tempting to make quick changes, like increasing the CPC after a slow Monday. But these fast decisions can lead to mistakes.
It's better to wait and look at more data. Whether it's Google Shopping Ads or YouTube Ads, focusing on the long term and not just daily changes will help you get better results.
The Pareto Principle suggests that a small portion of your efforts, say 20%, can yield a majority of your results, like 80% of profits.
This means you don't need to juggle thousands of keywords to boost sales. Instead, hone in on the top-performing ones.
I've often achieved a client's monthly targets with a single move, like shifting budgets to top-performing areas such as Search or Smart Shopping campaigns.
This frees up time for new tactics, like testing Video ads.
Key high-impact strategies include:
It's about focusing on actions that yield the most significant results. Using Google Ads' full suite, from Search to Video ads, can craft a potent advertising approach.
Did you know 15-25% of search queries are brand new? This means you can't possibly capture every keyword. Sometimes, you'll rely on broad match keywords, and crafting content for each can be daunting.
But here's a relief: you don't need a unique landing page for every search term. Instead, dynamically adjust your site's content for each visitor. I'll delve deeper into this in another piece.
Also, think about price segmentation.
For instance, users searching with terms like 'cheap' are likely hunting for bargains. Airlines use this strategy, and it's just as effective for eCommerce via Google Ads.
Take the most from each click.
With countless PPC strategies out there, it's easy to lose track of the tweaks you've made, especially when managing campaigns like Google Shopping.
One way to boost sales is by honing your targeting. This might mean adding negative keywords or specifying prices in ads.
While it might not skyrocket sales, it can cut down costs by avoiding non-converting clicks.
Surprisingly, keywords deemed "bad", like "free", can sometimes have stellar conversion rates. But haphazardly adding negatives can backfire, potentially denting profits.
My approach?
Only add negatives that are entirely off-mark or have data backing their exclusion. Alternatively, enhance your site's content. More conversions from the same click volume means more sales without inflating your Google Ads spend.
Always measure your actions! By understanding the nuances of Google retargeting ads, ad groups, Google ads extensions, and other tools, you can create a robust and effective advertising strategy for your eCommerce businesses.
Landing pages are often the unsung heroes of PPC campaigns. They're what ultimately closes the sale and drives more sales, and yet they are often overlooked. Let's fix that.
Don't just throw together a landing page and hope for the best. Optimize it like you would any other part of your campaign, including Google ad extensions and negative keywords. Your conversions (and your bottom line) will thank you.
Ad copy is a crucial component of PPC advertising, including search ads, bumper ads, and dynamic remarketing ads.
If you're looking for ways to increase online sales for your online store, it's time to pay serious attention to this element.
The goal is to write ad copy that speaks to your audience and motivates them to take action.
It's not about empty hype or over-promising.
It's about presenting your offer in a way that resonates with those you want to reach, guiding them to explore further, and ultimately increasing online sales. Each word and phrase in your ad copy has a role to play, so choose them wisely.
PPC is an advertising model where advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. It's a popular method used to increase online sales, particularly in search engine, social media, and display advertising.
To increase online sales, focus on the highest frequency actions, add negatives, segment by price, use dynamic website content, and maximize relevant traffic with multiple channels.
Testing various strategies to find what works best for your specific account can also be beneficial.
Avoid making quick decisions based on short-term data, blindly adding negatives, or failing to understand your specific KPIs. Always take a comprehensive approach.
While you can manage PPC campaigns yourself, it requires a strong understanding of the platform and ongoing optimization. Many businesses prefer to hire a PPC marketing company to handle the complexities.
Negatives are keywords or phrases that prevent your ad from being triggered by specific search terms. They help in reducing irrelevant clicks and can improve your campaign's efficiency.
Success in PPC is often measured by KPIs like ROI, CPA, and conversion rate. But remember, these numbers must be interpreted correctly, understanding what they mean for your business and profits.
Dynamic website content allows you to change the content for each visitor based on their search terms. This strategy is particularly useful for those looking to understand how to increase online sales. It can enhance relevance without needing to create hundreds of landing pages, thereby improving conversion rates and ultimately leading to more sales.