Business Management | Resources

How To Use Google Ads To Promote Your Small Business

Sep 11, 2023 | Ananya Grover

In the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce, small businesses and brands specializing in handmade products encounter a formidable obstacle – the relentless competition within a saturated marketplace. The art of meticulously crafting unique, high-quality items is indeed a crucial facet of their enterprise. However, it is only the initiation of a multifaceted journey towards success in the digital realm. To truly flourish and carve a distinct identity amidst the bustling digital marketplace, these small businesses must master the art of reaching their intended audience effectively.

This is where the undeniable power of Google Ads enters the equation as a potent and indispensable business strategy. In the following sections, we will embark on a comprehensive exploration of why small businesses should seriously consider integrating Google Ads into their marketing arsenal for the purpose of promoting their handmade products. We will unveil how this dynamic advertising platform has the potential to be a genuine game-changer, propelling these businesses toward unprecedented growth and prosperity in the fiercely competitive world of e-commerce.

1. Automate and Optimize with Google Ads API:

The Google Ads API is a powerful tool that can help you automate and optimize your Google Ads campaigns. It can help you with tasks such as:

Generating keywords: The Google Ads API can help you generate a list of relevant keywords for your campaigns. This can save you a lot of time and effort, and it can help you ensure that your ads are reaching the right people.

For example, if you sell sustainable clothing, you could use the Google Ads API to generate a list of keywords like "sustainable clothing," "organic clothing," "fair trade clothing," "eco-friendly clothing," and "ethical clothing." This would help you ensure that your ads are being shown to people who are actually interested in buying sustainable clothing.

Creating text ads: The Google Ads API can help you create compelling text ads that are tailored to your target audience. This can help you improve your click-through rate (CTR) and get more traffic to your website.

For example, you could use the Google Ads API to create a text ad that says: "Shop sustainable clothing at our online store. We offer a wide selection of organic, fair trade clothing made from recycled materials." This ad would be tailored to people who are interested in buying sustainable clothing, and it would be likely to attract their attention.

For a business selling sustainable furniture, this is an example of a text-compelling add

Elevate your space sustainably with us! Explore our eco-friendly, stylish furniture. Crafted with purpose, our pieces reflect your values. Enjoy timeless design, exceptional quality, and support for sustainable practices. Make a positive impact on your home and the planet. Choose [Your Business Name] for green elegance. Shop now!

Reporting: The Google Ads API can provide you with detailed reports on the performance of your campaigns. This information can help you identify areas where you can improve your campaigns and get better results.

For example, you could use the Google Ads API to track the number of clicks your ads are getting, the amount of money you are spending, and the conversion rate of your campaigns. This information would help you see how your campaigns are performing and make necessary adjustments.

Managing stock levels: The Google Ads API can help you keep track of your stock levels and automatically update your ads accordingly. This will ensure that your ads are always accurate and that you don't miss out on any potential sales.

For example, if you sell a product that is in high demand, you could use the Google Ads API to set up a rule that automatically pauses your ads when the product is out of stock. This would help you avoid wasting money on ads that are not generating any clicks.

Customizing landing pages: The Google Ads API can help you customize your landing pages to match the look and feel of your website. This can help you create a more cohesive and user-friendly experience for your customers.

For example, you could use the Google Ads API to add a custom headline, description, and call to action to your landing pages. This would help you ensure that your landing pages are relevant to your ads and that they are encouraging people to take action.

By automating and optimizing your Google Ads campaigns with the Google Ads API, you can save time and effort, improve your results, and reach more customers who are interested in sustainable products.

2. Build an account structure for success.

Marketing Rule of 7, Jonathan Hedger

It takes an average of seven interactions with your brand before a purchase will take place.

When setting up your Google Ads account, it is important to structure it in a way that makes sense for your business and your goals. Here are three proposed structures to consider:

Crafting an Effective Account Framework:

1. Brand-Centric Structure - Ideal for businesses prioritizing the establishment of brand recognition and awareness. Advertisements within this framework are meticulously crafted to concentrate on keywords intricately tied to the brand identity. Examples encompass phrases like "sustainable handmade products" or "fair trade clothing." This structure is geared towards amplifying your brand's presence and resonance.

2. Generic Approach: Tailored for businesses seeking a broader outreach. Within this structure, advertisements are designed to target keywords closely related to the products or services on offer. Think of phrases like "handmade jewelry" or "organic cotton clothing." This configuration is geared towards casting a wider net, capturing the attention of a diverse audience.

3. Competitor-Focused Structure: Suited for businesses with a strategic intent to compete head-on with specific brands or industry players. Advertisements under this structure are precision-targeted towards keywords directly associated with competitor products or services. Examples encompass terms like "ethical clothing" or "sustainable fashion." This approach equips you to assertively engage in the competitive landscape.

By segmenting your Google Ads account in this manner, you gain the strategic advantage of precisely targeting various audience segments and competitor strategies, thereby optimizing your advertising efforts for maximum impact and effectiveness.

Ethan divides SEO into three buckets: programmatic, editorial, and technical.

Programmatic SEO refers to the use of tools and software to improve your website's SEO. This includes things like optimizing your website's title tags and meta descriptions and building backlinks.

Editorial SEO refers to the creation of high-quality content that is relevant to your target keywords. This is the most important bucket of SEO, as it's the content that will ultimately attract and keep visitors to your website.

Technical SEO refers to the technical aspects of your website that can affect its SEO performance. This includes things like your website's speed and loading time and the use of structured data.

3. Choosing the Right Bidding Mechanism.

The bidding strategy you opt for when managing your Google Ads campaigns plays a pivotal role in determining the cost associated with each click on your ad. There exists a range of diverse bidding mechanisms at your disposal and the most suitable one for your unique objectives hinges on your overarching goals.

1. Prioritizing Website Traffic: If your primary aim revolves around driving traffic to your website, you may find bidding mechanisms centered on clicks, such as CPC (cost-per-click) or CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions), to be your preferred choice.

2. Emphasizing Conversions: On the other hand, if your core goal centers on converting visitors into customers, you might lean towards bidding strategies tailored to conversions, such as CPA (cost-per-acquisition) or ROAS (return on ad spend). These strategies are designed to optimize your ad campaigns with a strong focus on generating sales. We can focus on SEO as given by Ethan on his podcast : 

Assessing opportunities and determining where to focus.

Building an SEO strategy based on these opportunities.

Developing a content strategy to support the SEO strategy.

Strategies for user conversion and engagement.

Measuring success.

Your selected bidding strategy should be an organic extension of your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). An exemplary choice, particularly when dealing with limited conversion data, is the Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) strategy. This approach excels in its ability to fine-tune campaign performance over time, ultimately aligning your ad spend with your desired return on investment.

In conclusion, the bidding strategy you embrace within your Google Ads campaigns is a pivotal determinant of your advertising costs and, consequently, your overall success. Align your bidding approach with your overarching business objectives to maximize the impact of your ad spend.

                          

4. Supercharge the performance of your ads with extensions.

Extensions, in the context of Google Ads, offer valuable opportunities to enrich the content and appeal of your ads. They hold the potential to infuse a personalized touch and captivate your audience, ultimately resulting in increased click-through rates (CTRs). For small businesses and brands specializing in sustainable handmade products, leveraging these extensions can be a game-changer. Here, we explore some of the most effective extensions tailored to this niche:

1. Call Extensions: Incorporating call extensions inserts your phone number into your ad, enabling potential customers to initiate direct calls directly from the search results page. This seamless connection serves as an excellent lead generation and sales driver.

2. Location Extensions: These extensions introduce your business address and operating hours to your ad, making it easier for interested parties to find and visit your physical store. It's a potent tool for boosting in-store foot traffic.

3. Sitelink Extensions: Sitelink extensions offer the ability to highlight specific product categories or pages on your website within your ad. This facilitates a streamlined browsing experience, helping customers quickly find what they're searching for.

4. Review Extensions: Harnessing review extensions integrate star ratings and reviews from Google Maps into your ad. This adds a layer of trust and credibility to your brand, bolstering your appeal to potential customers.

5. Price Extensions: Price extensions display the cost of your products directly in your ad, empowering customers to compare prices and make informed decisions swiftly.

By incorporating these extensions and embracing ad customizers, you can elevate the performance of your Google Ads campaigns, effectively reaching a broader audience of potential customers with a keen interest in your unique handmade products.

5. Crafting Personalized and Relevant Ads:

Elevate your Advertising game with AD Customization:

Transform your advertisements into finely tailored, engaging messages by embracing the power of ad customizers.

1. Tailor Ads to User Specifics: Customize your ads by factoring in user location, search inquiries, and distinct audience groups. This personalization ensures that your handmade product offerings hit the mark with precision.

2. Embrace Creativity and Experimentation: When launching campaigns, don't hesitate to explore your creative side. Experiment with different taglines, calls to action (CTAs), color palettes, and messaging variations. This approach allows you to pinpoint what resonates most effectively with your eco-conscious audience.

By adopting ad customizers, you have the means to craft ads that resonate deeply with your target audience, enhancing engagement and driving success for your small business or handmade product brand.

Chase Center and its seating arrangements, including the Chase Center seating chart, provide a clear illustration. SeatGeek, as the top platform, offers a prime example of this scenario. SeatGeek's domain name incorporates the word "seats," traditionally implying it would automatically excel in rankings for seating-related queries due to this keyword presence in the domain. However, this is no longer the prevailing situation. Presently, our ranking success is closely associated with the term "seat" in our name.

Users frequently seek CPQ promo codes using phrases like "CP CP yeah" alongside "seat." This has led to us gaining prominence in searches related to seating. This success can be attributed to branded searches, anchor text usage, and content sharing. When websites link to CPQ, they often include "CP chase center" in the anchor text. Although this doesn't directly convey the same exact match domain benefit as SeatGeek, it indirectly enhances our ranking through branded searches and anchor text, consistently featuring the term "seats." Consequently, you'll observe that SeatGeek maintains a prominent position in seating chart rankings, even when compared to Ticketmaster, a platform specializing in ticket-related queries. This underscores the efficacy of our approach.

                       



6. Unlocking Pro Strategies for Running Google Display and YouTube Ads

1)Understand the stages of the buyer's journey (funnel stages) and tailor your ads accordingly. 

                      


Harnessing content targeting offers you the ability to display your ads to individuals engaged with specific web content. For instance, you can choose to showcase your ads to those exploring pages dedicated to sustainable fashion or eco-friendly clothing. This approach serves as a powerful means to connect with individuals at the initial stages of their buyer's journey, as they embark on discovering sustainable handmade products. Craft ads that not only educate them about the advantages of such products but also emphasize the significance of sustainability in their choices.

· Leverage Affinity Audiences for Interest-Based Targeting: Affinity audiences provide an avenue to target individuals who have already exhibited an interest in specific subjects or activities. For instance, you can zero in on people with an affinity for sustainable living or environmentalism. This approach is tailor-made for connecting with an audience that is already inclined towards sustainability and is highly likely to show interest in sustainable handmade products. Your ads can spotlight the sustainability aspects of your offerings, demonstrating how they contribute to a more eco-conscious lifestyle.

· Utilize In-Market Audiences for Decision-Ready Shoppers: In-market audiences empower you to target individuals actively researching or contemplating a purchase. For example, you can focus on those currently in the market for sustainable handmade products. This is an effective approach to reach an audience primed for making a purchase, actively seeking the best available options. Your ads can spotlight the unique features of your products, making a compelling case for why they are the ideal choice for these discerning shoppers.

· Deploy Remarketing for Action: Remarketing enables you to display your ads to individuals who have previously visited your website or engaged with your brand. Craft remarketing ads featuring products they've previously viewed or items similar to their past purchases. This strategy serves as a gentle reminder and encourages them to take the desired action, whether it's completing a purchase or exploring your offerings further.

By strategically incorporating these targeting approaches, you can maximize the impact of your Google Ads campaigns, effectively engaging with various stages of your audience's journey and driving the success of your small business or handmade product brand. For instance, In Ethan's presentation, prioritizing the bottom of the funnel for higher intent and enhanced topical authority in SEO involves focusing on specific, high-intent user queries, such as "corporate tax rates in Texas." At the bottom of the marketing funnel, users are close to taking action, making their intent strong. This strategy not only increases the chances of conversion but also establishes the website as an authoritative source on the topic, which positively impacts SEO rankings. SEO experts identify key, specific search queries, create precise and authoritative content, and consistently provide valuable information to accumulate topical authority over time. This approach ultimately improves overall SEO performance.

2) Experiment with different creative types, formats, and communication styles.

When crafting your Google Ads, it's imperative to embrace a spirit of experimentation, exploring a spectrum of creative elements including types, formats, and communication approaches. This dynamic approach is key to discovering what resonates most effectively with your target audience, compelling them to click on your advertisements.

Here are some concrete instances of the various creative elements you can explore:

1. Creative Types: Delve into the realm of diverse creative types, ranging from text ads to image ads, video ads, and display ads. Each type offers a unique canvas to convey your message and engage with your audience.

2. Formats: Experiment with an array of formats at your disposal, including responsive search ads, expanded text ads, and dynamic search ads. These formats present distinct ways to present your content and captivate your viewers.

3. Communication Styles: Tailor your messaging to align with different communication styles, whether it's an informative tone, a persuasive approach, or a conversational style. Your choice of communication style can significantly influence how your audience perceives and engages with your advertisements.

By embracing this diversity and experimentation in your Google Ads strategy, you can uncover the winning combinations that resonate most effectively with your audience, ultimately driving higher click-through rates and achieving greater success for your small business or handmade product brand.


3) Optimize for the right business objectives:

Clearly Define Your Business Goals:

To lay the groundwork for effective Google Ads campaigns, start by unequivocally articulating your business objectives. What are the outcomes you aim to achieve? Are you seeking lead generation, heightened website traffic, or boosted sales? Once your objectives are crystal clear, you can seamlessly align your campaigns with these overarching goals.

Align Campaigns with Specific Aims:

Each of your Google Ads campaigns should be purpose-driven, with a specific goal at its core. For instance, one campaign could be meticulously designed to generate leads, while another might be strategically tailored to increase website traffic.

Customize Each Campaign in Line with Objectives:

Ensure that your bidding strategies harmonize seamlessly with your defined objectives. For instance, if your aim is to generate leads, consider implementing a cost-per-lead (CPL) bidding strategy. Conversely, if the objective is to enhance website traffic, a cost-per-click (CPC) bidding strategy may be the most fitting approach.

By methodically structuring your Google Ads campaigns around your business objectives and aligning each campaign with a specific aim, you set the stage for a strategy that not only resonates with your handmade product brand but also efficiently drives the desired results.

4) Plug the Leaky Funnel with Remarketing

In the digital realm, not all website visitors become paying customers. Remarketing is the key to converting missed opportunities into profitable sales. In this guide, we explore remarketing, offering practical solutions and examples for sustainable furniture businesses.

a) Crafting a Robust Remarketing Strategy:

Remarketing re-engages visitors who didn't make a purchase. It maintains brand visibility and nurtures potential customers.

Solution: Integrate a retargeting pixel/code on your website to track user behavior.

Example: Picture Emily, a visitor who explores your sustainable furniture store, adds items to her cart, but leaves without buying.

b) The Power of Audience Segmentation:

Segmentation categorizes visitors based on behavior, enabling tailored remarketing.

Solution: Segment your audience based on their interactions.

Example: Emily is a "Cart Abandoner," while Sarah focuses on a specific sustainable dining table.

c) Crafting Bespoke Ad Campaigns:

Create personalized ad campaigns that address each audience segment's unique needs.

Solution: Cultivate tailored ad campaigns for each segment.

Examples:

Cart Abandoners (e.g., Emily): Use dynamic remarketing to showcase their abandoned cart items with enticing incentives.

Product Enthusiasts (e.g., Sarah): Spotlight their admired products and suggest related items.

Loyal Patrons: Feature new arrivals or exclusive offers.

Newsletter Subscribers: Run email campaigns with exclusive discounts.

By embracing remarketing, sustainable furniture businesses can rekindle connections with potential customers, invigorate brand presence, and convert missed opportunities into sales. Don't let those wandering visitors slip through the cracks; recapture them through the power of remarketing.

5) Setting SMART Goals

1) Establish SMART Goals: SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. When you define SMART goals for your Google Ads campaigns, you can monitor your progress and ensure you're moving toward your desired outcomes.

2) Ensure Accurate Tracking: Tracking your results is vital to identify what's effective and what's not. This data-driven approach enables you to make necessary campaign adjustments for better performance.

                               

3) Don't anticipate immediate goal achievement- Instead, set incremental objectives that you can attain over time. This approach maintains motivation and keeps you on the right path.

The digital landscape offers boundless opportunities for small businesses and brands selling handmade products to flourish. By incorporating Google Ads into your business strategy, you can unlock the potential for growth, reach wider audiences, and establish your unique craft in the global marketplace.

Remember that success in Google Ads requires strategic planning, creativity, and a commitment to adapt and refine your approach over time. Start small, set clear goals, and gradually scale your efforts as you witness the positive impact on your business.

As you embark on this digital journey, keep in mind that the world is eager to discover the stories and craftsmanship behind your handmade treasures. Google Ads can be the beacon that guides those who seek your unique products. So, take the plunge, invest in your digital presence, and let your handmade creations shine in the spotlight they deserve.

In the end, it's not just about selling products; it's about sharing your passion, preserving traditions, and leaving an indelible mark on the world. With Google Ads as your ally, your small business can achieve remarkable heights in the realm of handmade wonders. Start today, and watch your handmade dreams turn into a digital reality.





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