Quality Score and AdRank

The amount you bid and your quality score contribute to your AdRank. Your AdRank is what decides your placement on the search results page, on GDN sites, and on YouTube videos. As mentioned above, your Quality Score relies heavily on your click-through-rate. If your ad matches the Google users’ search intent, you will have a higher CTR. Here are the ways you can improve CTR: using relevant keywords, writing ad copy and call-to-actions that meet the searcher’s requests, and improving your landing page’s user experience. It’s crucial you place most of your efforts on improving your Quality Score, especially when you’re a new Google Ads user. Before you consider increasing your bid amount and spending more money, improve your QS. Remember, a higher QS means a lower cost of acquisition.

The Different Types of Ad Campaigns

When creating your ad, there are three types of campaigns to choose from. Here are the reasons you might choose each of the different options.

Search Ads: These ads are text-based and shown on the Google search results page. They’re placed at the top of the page under the search bar. They will have the green “Ad” text enclosed in a box. These ads are great because they’re displayed right where most users look first. Your ad looks like the other results, minus the bolded text and the ad box. Users will often assume these ads are equal to the other search results and click them.

Some advertisers opt for responsive search ads. With these ads, you can enter up to 15 versions of your ad’s headline and copy. Then, Google selects the best ones to show to its users. This allows Google to best cater your ad to your audience by choosing the copy it thinks will best suit them. It also provides automated testing for you to see which copy is most effective.

Display Ads: The Google Display Network has an extensive network of websites that cater to different industries and audiences. When a website becomes part of the network and agrees to host ads on their site, they’re paid by Google for every click or impression the ad gets. The advertiser gets to show their ad to that website’s unique audience. Display ads are usually image-based. Some display ads can also be shown on the Google results page, but fall under the “shopping campaign” or “app campaign” categories.

Video Ads: YouTube is a search engine that acts similarly to Google, only its results are in video form. The ads Google shows on YouTube are also in video form. They can play either before, during, or after a video and placement is based on keywords. The video creator is paid for the clicks or impressions the video ads get on their videos, and the advertiser gets their ads in front of that creator’s audience.

Ad Qualities

Your ad is more than just copy and an image. There are many elements you need to get right for it to be effective. Here are some of the components you need to focus on.

Location: You must set the geographical location you want your ad to be displayed in. For businesses with physical storefronts, it’s smart to use the radius around your store. For e-commerce businesses, most will set the location to the places they provide shipping to. And, when your business services the entire globe, your options for location setting are endless. Setting your location is immensely beneficial to reaching your target customers. If your hair salon wants local Houston customers, people in Oregon who type in “best hair salon” won’t see your site. Only users in your set location will see your ad, which makes your ROI even higher.

Keywords: It’s crucial you do efficient and detailed keyword research for your ads. The closer your keywords match your target user’s search query, the more likely you are to show up in their results. It’s optimal to choose between one and five keywords per ad.

Match Types: Do you want Google to only show your ad to users with the exact keywords you chose, or also to users with semi-related keyword queries? Both are strategic options for you to choose from.

You could choose Broad Match which means your keywords can be used in any order. If you choose “vampire facials in New York”, your ad will also include “vampire New York” and “New York facials” in your results.

which means your keywords can be used in any order. If you choose “vampire facials in New York”, your ad will also include “vampire New York” and “New York facials” in your results. You could choose Modified Broad Match which allows you to ensure certain words within your keywords are locked in. You do this by placing a “+” sign before the word. For example, “vampire +facials in New York” will also yield results like “facials in NYC” and “facials for anti-aging”.

which allows you to ensure certain words within your keywords are locked in. You do this by placing a “+” sign before the word. For example, “vampire +facials in New York” will also yield results like “facials in NYC” and “facials for anti-aging”. The option, Phrase Match , keeps your keywords in the order they’re written, but may also include other words. So, if your keywords are “vampire facials in New York”, you won’t show up if someone types “New York vampire facials for anti-aging.”

, keeps your keywords in the order they’re written, but may also include other words. So, if your keywords are “vampire facials in New York”, you won’t show up if someone types “New York vampire facials for anti-aging.” The last option is Exact Match which uses your keywords in the order they were written without any other words added. Unless users use your exact phrases, your ad won’t show up.

It’s best to start with Broad Match keywords when you’re starting out. As you test the effectiveness of your ads and assess your QS, you can make your match type more specific. You will always be testing and modifying your ads as you learn more about them.

Headline and Content: Copy is incredibly important in your ads. The wrong spelling, grammar, or meaning can make users not click your ad. Always make sure your ad copy specifically addresses the intent of your target users. Here’s an example of effective ad copy. Let’s say you enter “adult music lessons” into Google. The top ad you might see has the following headline: Adult Music Lessons? | Find Your Perfect Teacher. It uses the keywords you searched exactly in the headline, confirming it matches the intent the user had. Below the headline is the URL, and below that is the description. The description is where you prove to the user that your ad will answer their query best. For the ad in this example, the description says: Hand-Picked, World-Class Teachers. Best Facilities, Staff and Resources, etc. It uses this section to convince the user that this link will best solve their problem. This ad will secure many clicks, but it all depends on the landing page to create conversions.

Ad Extensions: Extensions are free and super helpful in providing users with more information. They encourage users to engage with your ad. There are five main ad extension categories.

SiteLink Extensions. These create additional links below the description of your ad to other pages on your website. For example, if you’re an online clothing store, you could have a SiteLink extension to your New Arrivals or Sales pages.

These create additional links below the description of your ad to other pages on your website. For example, if you’re an online clothing store, you could have a SiteLink extension to your New Arrivals or Sales pages. Call Extensions allow you to include a phone number in your ad. Users can instantly contact your customer service team and engage. Your phone number is displayed to the right of your URL in the ad.

allow you to include a phone number in your ad. Users can instantly contact your customer service team and engage. Your phone number is displayed to the right of your URL in the ad. Location Extensions include your phone number as well as your location in the ad. This gives Google the ability to show a map when users click the address in the ad. If you have a physical store, this is a very useful extension, especially when users include “near me” in their search.

include your phone number as well as your location in the ad. This gives Google the ability to show a map when users click the address in the ad. If you have a physical store, this is a very useful extension, especially when users include “near me” in their search. Offer Extensions are useful when you’re running a promotion. It includes the promotion information below the description in the ad. It might say, “First time customer bonus $100 value.”

are useful when you’re running a promotion. It includes the promotion information below the description in the ad. It might say, “First time customer bonus $100 value.” App Extensions include an “app.” at the beginning of the URL so users are taken to a download page for your app instead of a regular landing page. This is only useful if you want your target audience to download an app.

Ad Retargeting

It’s common for users to see an ad many times before clicking it or engaging with it. When you retarget a Google ad, you’re advertising to those users who’ve already seen your ad but are yet to engage. By using tracking cookies, Google can see where those users are on the internet and show them your ads. It’s said that it takes users seven times to view your marketing before acting on it. Retargeting is an important facet of your advertising strategy.