Google Ads is one of the most effective ways to advertise your business online. This allows you to reach possible customers, monitor your campaigns, and change your budget as you see fit. So, if you’re interested in creating your first Google Ads campaign, read this easy-to-follow step-by-step guide. When you are finished, you’ll have your campaign ready to go.
Step 1: Create Your Google Ads Account
First, you need to have a Google Ads account. Go to the website and click on “Start Now.” Then, sign in to your Google account or you can create a new account. It will ask you for some basic information.
Additionally, it requires the business name and website URL, whereby everything you provide should be accurate to ensure that people get the right ads that they want. Once an account is built, your campaigns can be accessed and run through the Google Ads dashboard.
Step 2: Set Your Campaign Goal
Your aim for the campaign is before developing your ad on Google. Google Ads operates different campaign types like website traffic and lead generation campaigns. Then, just make the proper choice that could describe your needs best.
For example, if you want to bring in traffic to your website, then you must opt for “Website Traffic.” In case you are searching to increase conversions, you have to select “Leads” or “Sales.” The right goal will guide you to channel your efforts and optimize your campaign to succeed.
Step 3: Choose Your Campaign Type
Now, you will need to choose your campaign type. Google Ads has options of several types, which are:
- Search Campaign: Advertisements appear on search results in Google.
- Display Campaign: Your ads are presented on websites that form Google Display Network.
- Shopping Campaign: Suitable for the e-commerce business that wants to endorse its products.
- Video Campaign: Suitable for video ads on YouTube.
Additionally, choose the one which best suits your purpose. If you have no idea where to begin, the “Search Campaign” is a good place for anyone to start.
Step 4: Define Your Target Audience
Targeting the right audience is the key to success in your Google Ads campaign. Google Ads lets you target specific groups of people based on the following:
- Location
- Language
- Device
- Interests and demographics
For example, if you are a digital marketing agency in Nigeria, you can target people in Nigeria who are interested in digital advertising. That way, you ensure that your ads reach the most relevant audience.
Step 5: Set Your Budget and Bidding
This step of budgeting for the advertisements now is about how much you are ready to spend per click or impression; this can even be made into a daily budget and how much is ready for a day, meaning spending per day through the advert.
Additionally, you can also choose a bidding strategy. Google Ads provides automated bidding options, where Google will set bids for you based on your goals. You can also manually adjust bids if you prefer more control.
Step 6: Write Your Ad Copy
Once your campaign is set up, it’s time to create your ads. Write a compelling ad copy that clearly explains what you’re offering. Include a strong call-to-action (CTA), like “Buy Now” or “Get a Free Quote.”
But ensure your ad is relevant to the keywords you are targeting. Use simple language that resonates with your audience. For example, when you advertise a digital marketing agency in Nigeria, you would emphasize more on the services that you offer such as SEO, social media management, or paid search advertising.
Ensure that your ad falls within Google’s character limits, which are 30 characters for the headline and 90 characters for the description.
Step 7: Select Keywords
Keywords are the foundation of your Google Ads campaign. These are the words or phrases people type into Google when searching for products or services like yours. Therefore, use Google’s Keyword Planner tool to find relevant keywords for your campaign.
For example, if you are offering digital advertising services in Nigeria, target keywords like “Digital advertising in Nigeria” or “Google Ads in Nigeria.” However, do not use too many keywords in one ad group because it reduces the effectiveness of your ads.
Step 8: Review and Launch Your Campaign
Review everything before launching your campaign. Recheck your ad copy, targeting settings, and budget. Ensure everything fits within your campaign goals.
After you are satisfied with the details, click on “Save and Continue.” This will launch your campaign. Google Ads will begin displaying your ads to your target audience.
Step 9: Monitor and Optimize Your Campaign
Once you launch your campaign, it is important to keep track of its performance. Look at the impressions, clicks, and conversions metrics. If your campaign isn’t performing well, make adjustments to your settings, keywords, or ad copy.
Furthermore, you can also try testing different ad variations to see which ones perform the best. Google Ads allows you to test A/B variations of your ads by comparing different ad copies and bidding strategies.
Step 10: Scale Your Campaign
As your campaign becomes more successful, you can scale it by increasing your budget or targeting additional locations. You can also make more ad groups or test different ad formats. Besides that, continue optimizing your campaigns for better performance.
Conclusion
Setting up your very first Google Ads campaign doesn’t have to be confusing. Follow these steps below to create an effective campaign that reaches your target audience, boosting results. In Nigeria, a digital marketing agency can help optimize your ads.