Google is one of the most powerful advertising tools that businesses can master. Every day, billions of people use Google Search and Google Maps to locate businesses that address their immediate needs. Whether it be a birthday gift, car repair, or a hot cup of coffee, people are searching for it! By using Google the right way, you can turn these search terms into real life sales that come directly from expert use of two marketing tools: Google Ads and Google My Business. 

Google Ads appear at the top and bottom of Google search pages and show up on site pages that are often related to a consumer’s keyword search terms. Google My Business is the profile that appears in the business listing section of either Google Search or Google Maps and contains essential information about the business. These tools, when used properly can boost foot traffic, online sales, and increase your overall brand recognition. 

So, if your company doesn't have a google marketing strategy set up yet, keep reading!

How Do Google Ads Work and Why Does My Company Need a Google Marketing Strategy?

Before we learn how create a google marketing strategy, let’s find out exactly what makes Google Ads such a powerful marketing tool

Google Ads is a marketing tool that operates on a pay-per-click model, meaning the advertiser (you) pays for each impression, or click. Google Ads are extremely useful because they have the ability to direct customers who are searching for similar products or services to your site. For example, if you own a vintage clothing store and a potential customer is looking for vintage clothing online, your paid Google ad will appear in their search results or on one of the pages they visit. There are several different facets to Google Ads that will help grow your online presence. That’s why, at Responsival, we take advantage of every avenue to grow your brand. The different ways you can market your business on Google ads include:

• Shopping Ads - Google Shopping Ads display a product with your company name, price listed, a photo of the product, and a call to action.
• PPC - Pay-per-click advertising is designed to drive google search traffic to your site. The reason is referred to as pay-per click is because the advertiser pays each time the ad is clicked.

By using Google Ads properly, your business will receive more online engagement, reviews, and overall sales. That is to say, there is a way to use Google Ads properly to reach your target audience. If your ads fail to reach the target audience, it is unlikely that you will see any change in overall engagement. Luckily, we are here to share some of the Google Ads best practices we use as a top digital marketing company. Let’s dive into the wonderful world of Google Ads!

Google Ads Best Practices

Use our tips to start your Google marketing strategy

Before you start using pay-per-click Google Ads, it's best to start with a well planned Google marketing strategy. Lets learn about some of the main points to consider before you start your campaign.

      1. Use Specific and Researched Keywords

Keyword research is the trickiest yet one of the most important parts of using Google Ads. Finding keywords that are relevant to your business, commonly searched, and with little other competition is difficult — but not impossible. 

Start by trying a few commonly used, yet unique keywords and see if your ads are hitting the mark. If your ads are underperforming, you will want to reevaluate your keywords and try for something different. There may be different versions of the keywords that work better with the algorithm to reach your audience, so sometimes you have to keep slightly altering keywords until you hit the target.

      2. Make Sure Your Ads Appeal to Your Target Audience

Though there are a lot of advertising strategies specific to Google Ads, some tenets of advertising carry over in all areas. In this case it is important to make your ads extremely relevant to your target audience and match their search intent. An easy way to determine a consumer’s search intent is by thinking about the problem your product or service solves. From there, imagine what people might search to find a solution. Once you’ve worked backward to get a better idea of your consumer’s search habits, you’ll have a starting point for your next ad campaign and some keywords you can use.

     3. Pay Close Attention to Your Quality Score

A Quality Score in Google Ads determines how high your ad will rank in response to certain keywords. If you are missing the mark on the keywords, it is likely you’ll have a lower ad quality score. Quality Scores are measured on a scale of 1-10, and generally any score above 8 means that you have a successful advertisement on your hands. So, if you are wondering why your ad isn’t performing, it could be related to your Quality Score and keyword choice.

     4. Create a Strong and Effective Landing Page for Your Google Ads

Creating a Google Ad and increasing your site visits doesn’t mean all that much if customers bounce from your landing page. If you want customers to visit your website to make a conversion, you should definitely have a welcoming and properly functioning landing page. Even for brick and mortar businesses, a shoddy landing page can deter a customer from visiting in person. Keep in mind that your landing page should help answer the needs of your customers.

Overall, running a successful Google Ads campaign is all about predicting the needs of your audience and using the right keywords to garner clicks and conversions. Now that we’ve explored some key Google Ads strategies, let’s find out how to successfully use Google My Business.

How Can I Optimize Google My Business to Increase Site Traffic and Click Through Rate?

Think of Google My Business as your own digital storefront where customers can find essential information

Google My Business is another essential tool for executing a successful google marketing strategy. Just like having your business in the phone book back in the day, most potential customers will discover information about you through your Google business listing. There are a few ways to manage your Google business listing to increase your exposure and make your business easy to locate online including:

• Google My Business - Google My Business refers to the business listing that appears on Google Search and Maps, usually listing business hours and other essential information.
• Google Posts & Web Stories - Google posts are just like other social media feed posts. Google Web Stories are full screen content formatted for web browsers. The Stories are “tappable” stories similar to that of Instagram or Facebook stories.

Let’s find out how to get the word out using Google My Business!

Google My Business Best Practices

Find how to use Google My Business to get customers through the front door

It doesn’t matter if your company is large or small, the ubiquity of Google My Business means that all business types can — and should — pay close attention to Google My Business. Use these tips to optimize your page so customers can easily find your business.

        1. Keep Your Business Information As Up to Date As Possible

Keeping your information up to date is the most important part of managing Google My business. If your hours, phone number, or location are out of date customers will be frustrated when they can’t get in contact with you. The minimum you should have on your profile are the following:

• Address
• Contact Email
• Phone number
• Hours of operation (including holidays)
• Business category
• Appealing landing Page
• Photos
• Answers to frequently asked questions

If your business has more than one location, Google My Business allows you to add several locations managed under a single master account.

       2. Google Posts Are An Asset to Your Google My Business Profile

Google posts are a valuable, yet underrated advertising resource for businesses. Google Posts are a lot like a post on any other social media and can contain updates, promotions, or product showcases. Posts are a great way to show off what is currently happening at your company without a potential customer visiting your individual social media page. You can also use Google’s new feature Google Web Stories to keep consumers up to date. Here at Responsival, we know that this is key to the social media strategy for small businesses — which is why we offer it as one of our marketing platforms.

      3. All Review Engagement is Good

If someone is considering your business versus a competitor, where are they going to look to sway their opinion? The reviews, of course! Online reviews are one of the most important resources consumers have to garner firsthand insight about your products or services. The amount of reviews you get can really give your business an edge over your competitors. Just remember, reply to all reviews! It doesn't matter if the review is negative or positive, you should respond in a timely manner. A response to a negative review is always an opportunity to show how much you care about your customers.

      4. Let People Know About Your Business in the Q&A Section

Much like reviews, the question and answer section of Google My Business is a great way to communicate with customers and entice new ones to visit your site. The more questions you answer, the more people will know about your business just from the listing. It's all about building trust with your customers, which is one of the most important marketing strategies out there. 

And there you have it, some essential tips for creating a successful Google marketing strategy. As a top digital marketing firm, Responsival can help take the hassle out of growing your online presence. No matter how big or small your business, Responsival has the tools you need to successfully market your brand using Google. Beyond optimizing your SEO, Responsival provides ecommerce marketing services and development for our diverse set of clients. Let’s work together, schedule a discovery call with our sales team today!