Ecommerce PPC / Google Ads for Beginners: Guide For Success

Google Ads for Beginners: Guide For Success

Andy Thorne
graphic illustration of google ad

Google Ads for beginners can be overwhelming. Google Ads is a powerful platform for eCommerce businesses across the world. The channel allows you to serve well-timed ads to your target audience when they are searching for them. This means that your business will show up on the search engine results page at the moment your customers are searching for relevant products and services.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the basics of Google Ads and how you can set up your first Google Ads campaign.

How do Google Ads differ from Facebook Ads?

Google Vs Facebook

Google Vs Facebook: The platforms differ in how they allow you to target your selected audience

As a pay-per-click advertising platform, Google Ads allows you (the advertiser) to advertise by paying per click or per impression on an ad.

How Google Ads is different to Facebook Ads in that you are not targeting people based on their interests or demographics. Instead, you are targeting people on the search terms they enter in Google. This means that you reach your target audience when it makes sense for them to come across your ad.

Introducing the Google Networks – where can I advertise on Google?

Google Ads for beginners - Google Networks

Google shopping ads should be your main focus if you are an eCommerce business

Google Ads for beginners can be confusing to set up because there are so many choices of where to place your adverts.

There are five Google Networks for you to choose from. We’ll outline each network below, but remember that this guide is focusing on Google Search Ads.

Google Shopping Ads should be a primary focus of your Google Ads campaigns if you are an eCommerce business, but we’ll publish a separate blog post on that very soon.

Search Network

Search ads are text ads that are displayed on Google results pages. As the search engine results page is where most searchers look for information first, search ads are a prime area in online advertising.

Display Network

The Google Display Network is a network of websites in various industries and with an array of audiences that opt in to display Google Ads. The benefit to advertisers is that you can show your ads in places where your chosen audience visits.

Video Network

Video ads are displayed during YouTube videos – you are looking to disrupt the user’s behaviour just enough to grab their attention.

Shopping Network

Shopping Ads are displayed on the search engine results page and showcase your product information and imagery as a product listing atop the results page.

How do you bid on Google Ads?

Google Ad Beginners Must Understand Bidding Strategies

Ensure you chose the right types of bidding for your campaign

When it comes to Google Ads for beginners, the bidding can be overwhelming.

Google Ads is based on a bidding system, where you as the advertiser selects a maximum bid amount you’re willing to pay for a click on your ad. The higher your bid, the better your placement.

Think of it as a traditional auction. The item you’re bidding on is your selected keyword (more on that later!) and your bid is how much you want to pay for that item.

You have three options for how you are charged:

  • CPC, or cost-per-click, is the amount you pay for each click on your ad.
  • CPM, or cost per mille, is the amount you pay for one thousand ad impressions, that is when your ad is shown to a thousand people.
  • CPE, or cost per engagement, is the amount you pay when someone takes a predetermined action with your ad.

We’d recommend always using cost-per-click. This way you’ll only pay for the results you get.

What are keywords and why do they matter?

Keywords are important for Google Ads beginners

Choosing the right keywords for your campaigns can impact your reach whether this be good or bad

One thing Google Ads beginners have to understand is different keywords and how they trigger your ads for different people. Google matches your ad with search queries based on the keywords you select. That means that your keywords need to match searcher intent as much as possible.

Each ad group that you create within your campaign will target a small set of keywords and Google will display your ad based on those selections.

You use match types to tell Google whether you want to match a search query exactly or if your ad should be shown to anyone with a search query that’s semi-related. There are four match types to choose from:

  • Broad Match is the default setting that uses any word within your keyword phrase in any order.
  • Modified Broad Match allows you to lock in certain words within a keyword phrase by denoting them with a “+” sign. Your matches will include that locked-in word at the very least.
  • Phrase Match will match with queries that include your keyword phrase in the exact order but may include additional words before or after it.
  • Exact Match maintains your keyword phrase as it is written in the exact order.

How to start setting up your Google Ads campaign

If you are a Google Ads beginner, we’ll run through setting up your first Google Ads campaign here. First, head into your Google Ads account (you’ll need to set one up if you haven’t got one) and go to campaigns in the menu on the left. Click the blue + button to create a new campaign.

Select your goal

On the next screen, you’ll select the goal of your campaign. We’d recommend traffic for your campaign. Sales could also be a consideration.

You’ll then want to select your campaign type – we’ll be using search for this example.

Select your audience

On the next screen, you’ll want to select your audience. You can select a location and the language you want to target.

Budget & Charging

Budget and bidding can be confusing for Google Ads beginners

Under budget and bidding, you set your desired budget and what you want to focus on

Underneath this, enter your budget and how you want to be charged. We’d recommend selecting this as link clicks or conversions (if you are targeting sales).

Adding Google Ad Extensions

Google Ad Extensions are a great way to increase your CTR

Google Ad Extensions are a great way to increase your click-through-rate

Ad Extensions allow you to supplement your ad with additional information at no additional cost. These extensions fall under one of five categories: Sitelink, Call, Location, Offer, or App.

Writing your Google Ad copy

Google Ad breakdown for beginners

Google Search Ads are made up of three key components – a headline, a description and a link

Google search Ads rely on text copy only – no visual creative. That’s why it’s important to make sure your ad copy is as engaging as possible.

The main components are your headline, description and link. You can set multiple options for each. Google will mix and match each to choose the best performing copy for your ads.

Other things to consider

Link Google Analytics

Linking to Google Analytics will make tracking, analyzing, and reporting between channels and campaigns much easier because you can view these events in one place. Head to settings, linked accounts and select Google Analytics. Then select your account.

Set up conversion tracking

You want to set up conversion tracking so Google knows what you count as a conversion. Head to Tools > Conversions and set up your conversion there.

Google Ads For Beginners: Summary

As we’ve touched upon, Google Ads for beginners can be overwhelming. However, we hope this step-by-step guide can help you achieve success with your campaigns. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us here at Factory Pattern.