The Complete Guide to Google Ads

The Ultimate Google Ads PPC Kit

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Google is the number one search engine, and it receives over 5 billion searches a day. This is a huge platform where you can advertise your practice and the services it offers, and, likely, your competitors are already using Google Ads. So what is Google Ads and can you use it to compete against other practices and boost traffic?

What is Google Ads?

Google Ads is a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform where you pay for your ad per click or impression (CPM) the ad receives. Google Ads can increase your website traffic, increase visits, and help you receive more phone calls from clients who are interested in the services you offer. Paid ads on Google encourage about 65% of users to commit to that appointment or consultation you are promoting.

You can also time your ads on mobile and desktop viewports so that your ad, and your practice, show up on the search engine results page (SERP) when your potential clients are looking for medical practices like yours. The timing improves how well those ads are received because Google users will see them as they are actively searching the topic highlighted in your ad.

Getting Started with Google Ads

To get started with Google Ads, you will need to set up an account with the name of your practice and website. You will then select your advertisement goals and add keyword themes based on the services you will be advertising. You can also set up your ad location to create a narrowed pool of users who will see your advertisements. For example, if you own a clinic near Grand Rapids, MI, you can set this physical location on your account.

You will also need to set up UTM codes and conversion tracking and integrate your Google Ads account with your CRM (customer relationship management). UTM codes (urchin tracking module) is used by Google to track each specific URL or link’s activity. It helps you track which ads led to the highest conversion rate which lets you know what is working or not working in your campaign. This probably feels like a lot of steps, but the marketing specialists at Digital Limelight Media will help you set up and manage your account.

How to Use Google Ads

These are important components to remember as you set up your paid advertising campaign. Each of these helps increase traffic and generate new leads for your website.

Use a Planning Template

At DLM, we create all our graphics on a template to make sure your Google ad fits on all mobile and desktop screens in a visually appealing way. You can view how your ad will look online before it is posted and make sure it is perfect before viewers see it. 

Avoid Broad Keywords

If your keywords are too broad, Google will not be able to direct your ad to the right audience. This means fewer clicks and less traffic being generated to your site and your practice. Make sure your ads are clear and specific regarding the service being offered and do a keyword search to see what is being commonly searched by other people or included in other advertisements.

Create Relevant Ads

If the keywords you incorporate do not match the content being advertised, you will not get enough clicks to balance out the cost of the ad. For example, if you are posting an ad about a Botox special, do not include keywords regarding the other surgical or cosmetic procedures you offer.

Increase Your Quality Score

Google will tell you the quality score of your ad and rank the ad based on this score. Your quality score is based on your click-through rate (CTR), use of keywords, and quality of your landing page. A low-quality score will give you a low ranking and fewer people will see your ad.

Optimized Landing Page

The landing page that your ad takes users to once they click on it needs to be optimized for conversion. Make sure that the page answers users’ questions and is relevant to the ad they were interested in.

These are some of the basic terminologies that will help you navigate Google Ads as you set up and manage your account:

AdRank

This is measured by your maximum bid multiplied by your quality score. It determines the placement of your ad and how high up on the page it will be located.

Bidding

Bidding is when you select a maximum amount you are willing to pay per click. A higher bid will earn you a higher AdRank. You have three bidding options:

  • CPC (cost per click): the amount you pay for each click
  • CPM (cost per mille): the amount you pay when 1,000 people see your ad
  • CPE (cost per engagement): the amount you pay when someone takes an action with your ad

Campaign Type

Before you start your ad campaign, you need to decide which type of campaign you will be using.

  • Search Ads: text ads displayed on the Google search page
  • Display Ads: image-based ads displayed on web pages in the Google Display Network, a network of websites that use Google Ads
  • Video Ads: 6-15 second ads displayed on YouTube
  • Shopping Campaigns: displayed on Google’s search page and shopping tab
  • Smart Campaigns: use Google to find the best targeting for your advertisements

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

CTR is a proportion of the number of clicks your ad receives compared to the number of views it gets. Higher CTR means you have relevant keywords that are targeting the right audience.

Conversion Rate (CVR)

CVR measures how well your landing page matches the ad content. It looks at the number of form submissions received compared to the total number of visits your landing page receives.

Let’s Help Get You Started

Paid advertising on Google Ads is a great way to promote your business. At DLM, we have an experienced team of marketing specialists with in-depth knowledge about all the components you need and the analytics to track for a successful Google Ads campaign. Give us a call at 616-222-3735 and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.