5 Ways to Determine if Google Ads Are Right For Your Business
1. Demand Capture Vs. Demand Generation
Are people actively searching for your product or service?
Before throwing dolla dolla bills into Google Ads, it’s crucial to evaluate the search volume for your service or product. If no one is searching for your product or service, your ads are not going to work. Google search is all about demand capture. You can determine this by using Google Ads > Tools > Keyword Planner > Get Search Volume & Forecasts. You can start a Google Ads account for free, even if you don't intend on spending any money.
Watch my YouTube Video for more info on how to use Keyword Planner to forecast search volume and projected spend.
For example, if you offer eco-friendly home cleaning solutions that are free from harsh chemicals, you might find that people aren’t actively searching for "natural household cleaning sprays" as much as they are searching for more general cleaning products. In this case, your main goal may be to raise awareness about the benefits of chemical-free cleaning solutions. This is better than just using search ads for direct conversions.
You can begin with educational content or social media campaigns. These will help inform your audience about eco-friendly cleaning options.
Google Ads might not be your main focus at first. However, building brand awareness can help create demand over time. This will eventually lead to more search volume.
The content you create for each channel should solve a problem people face. It should offer a cleaning solution that is safe for your health. Boom!
Alternatives:
Social Media Ads (Facebook, Instagram): These platforms let you create eye-catching ads. You can reach out to people who might not know about eco-friendly cleaning products. This includes parents with small children aged 0 to 5. These kids touch everything around them. This helps raise awareness about their benefits.
Create blog posts and videos that inform your audience about the dangers of chemical cleaning products. Focus on content marketing, including SEO and educational materials. Show them the benefits of using green alternatives. This will build organic traffic and drive interest in your product over time.
YouTube Videos: You don’t need expensive, overly produced videos to promote your product/service. Shoot a video on your iphone or with Loom about the problem your product solves. Show your eco-friendly cleaning products to people interested in sustainable living or home improvement topics.
2. The Buying Journey
Where is your audience at in their buying journey?
Marketers have different views of the sales funnel, with some preferring models like the flywheel. Whether you use a funnel or a flywheel, knowing the customer lifecycle is important. This knowledge helps you choose the right outbound or inbound marketing strategies.
Google PPC ads usually target customers who are already interested or aware of a product. They focus on mid to low-funnel purposes.
If your business is just starting out, you may need to build brand awareness. YouTube video ads and display ads can help increase visibility. They are effective at the beginning of the marketing process.
If you sell travel kits with medicine for international trips, people might not want to buy them. They may not be interested in your products.
They might not know they need them. Your job is to teach international travelers how your product can help them prepare for their trip. Here, the funnel begins with awareness and education rather than direct sales.
Alternatives:
YouTube Search Ads: Create educational or awareness-based video ads targeting users interested in travel content.
Email Marketing: Build a list and nurture leads throughout the funnel with targeted messaging.
Native Ads: Share your content on sites like Outbrain or Taboola. This helps you reach new audiences who may not know they need your product.
3. Competition
Who are you competing with?
Competition is one of the biggest factors to consider in deciding whether Google Ads are right for your business. If you run a small eCommerce store that sells tennis shoes, you face tough competition.
Big brands like Nike, Adidas, and New Balance are your main rivals. These brands control important keywords. This raises the cost-per-click (CPC) and makes it hard for smaller businesses to compete.
In these cases, it's crucial to get granular with your keyword strategy. Instead of using broad terms like "tennis shoes," try focusing on more niche or long-tail keywords. These are more specific to your product, such as "eco-friendly tennis shoes" or "tennis shoes for arch support."
If the competition is still too high and your budget is tight, you may need to look at other channels. These channels should have lower CPCs and less competition.
Alternatives:
Bing Ads: Bing usually has lower costs per click than Google. Its market share is smaller, but it still reaches millions of users. In fact, Bing has stolen 8% of Google’s market share in the last 5 years. See more information about Bing’s Growth in this article by the Search Engine Journal.
Amazon Ads: If you sell eCommerce products, Amazon's advertising platform can really help you. This is especially true if you have already listed your product there.
Pinterest Ads: For visually-driven products, Pinterest ads can be highly effective in generating interest and driving purchases.
4. Ad Budget and ROI Considerations
Do you have the budget to compete effectively?
Google Ads can become expensive, especially for competitive industries or high-value keywords. If your budget is tight, check if Google Ads will provide a good Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
Beyond calculating the cost-per-click (CPC), businesses need to look at POAS for ecommerce (profit on ad spend). If the margin on your product isn't large enough to offset the ad costs, you could end up with negative returns.
Also, you need to have at least 30 conversions in 30 days for the algorithm to optimize your campaigns. If not, it will lead to a higher CPA.
For businesses that operate on a tighter budget, consider testing other ad channels before fully committing to Google Ads. Testing smaller platforms can sometimes result in better ROI because there’s less competition driving up costs.
Alternatives:
Email Marketing: Leveraging 1st party data to more economically target your ICP.
LinkedIn Ads: If you’re a B2B business, LinkedIn can offer highly targeted ads to decision-makers and executives. The cost is not always cheaper than LinkedIn. However, if you can reach the right people, it can be a good choice.
Remarketing: Use remarketing strategies on Google or other platforms. This helps you reach users who have already visited your site. It can reduce wasted ad spending.
Influencer Marketing: Work with influencers in your niche to promote your products. This way, you reach an engaged audience without paying for every click.
5. Audience Targeting Options
How well do you know your audience?
One of the advantages of Google Ads is its advanced audience targeting capabilities. You can hone in on specific demographics, interests, and behaviors to ensure your ads reach the right people. However, if your audience is extremely niche, Google Ads may not offer the level of precision you need. Platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn may provide better options for micro-targeting specific groups.
Alternatives:
Facebook Lookalike Audiences: Facebook lets you create detailed audiences based on your current customers. In some cases, Facebook is also cheaper than Google.
Reddit Ads can help you reach your target audience. If they are active in specific communities, known as subreddits, you can connect with them through ads. This platform lets you reach people who are discussing products or services similar to yours. Reddit’s ad platform allows for targeting based on subreddit topics, making it ideal for niche audiences.
Quora Ads: If your target audience uses Quora, running ads can help reach them. They are looking for information about your industry.
Google Ads can be highly effective, but they aren't the perfect fit for every business. Considering search volume, your customer lifecycle stage, competition, and ad budget is important before diving into the platform.
If Google Ads don’t seem right for your business, don’t worry. There are many other options that can help and Demand Beacon is here to find the right marketing channel fit. These alternatives can work alongside or even take the place of Google Ads in your marketing plan.
Expanding beyond Google can help you get traffic from different sources. This can increase your chances of success. It may also lower costs and help you reach your audience better. Reach out to Demand Beacon to chat more about your digital marketing strategy.
