To get started on Google Ads, you will need:
- A Google account;
- and a Google Ads account.
Once these have been set up, and you are on the Google Ads dashboard, click on “Tools”(the wrench icon, top right) then choose “Setup > Billing and Payments”, to enter your billing details.
Your First Google Ads Campaign
Click on “Google Ads > Campaigns” and click the blue plus symbol – that’s where you add a new campaign. There are several options, however, choose “Search” as it is the simplest way to start.
For this exercise, let’s pretend you have a shoe shop. Google Ads will prompt you through the process, asking you to choose things like:
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- Your goal: Choose “website traffic”.
- A name for your campaign: For example, “First Ad Campaign for Shoes”.
- The locations you want to target: If you are a shopfront in Brisbane, you probably won’t want your ads shown in Sydney, the US, or Canada.
- A start and end date for your campaign
- Your average daily budget: It’s best to start with a small budget until you get the hang of things.
Setting up an Ad Group
Google Ads recommend creating several ads based on the same keywords, and putting them in one Ad Group. That’s because this amazingly powerful platform can work out which ones work best, and show them more often.
To advertise children’s shoes, you might use keywords like “children’s sandals”, “kids school shoes” etc. Google will offer suggestions as well.
Creating Ads
Again, Google will step you through the various ad elements, such as the headline, description, and URL. Make sure you “Save” your work; Google will ask you to review and let you know if anything needs fixing. And voila! You’ve set up your first Google Ads.
Track Your Ad’s Performance
In a day or two, you should see a wealth of information on the Google Ads dashboard about your ads’ performance, such as:
- impressions (how many people saw your ads);
- clicks;
- budget spent;
- cost per click; etc.
As you become more confident, you may want to start playing around to try and improve your results.
Alternatively, you can get in touch – I’m a Google Ads Certified Partner, which means I can help you get the most bang for your Google Ad bucks!
