SOCIAL MEDIA

Google ads.

What are Google ads?

Google ads allows you to promote your offers to your target audience via dedicated ads and post-click landing pages.
Google ads is google’s online advertising program, the program allows you to create online ads to reach audiences that are interested in the products and services you offer. The ads platform runs on pay-per-click (ppc) advertising i.e. you have to pay every time a visitor clicks your ad.
As a business owner you can use google ads as a promotion platform because it allows you to:

• attract more customers by showing ads where people actually go to find information.
  i.e. google
• advertise to a local and
  global audience.
• reach your target audience at the right time in the right segment
  and in person.
  

Google ads platform

The Google Ads platform, formerly known as Google AdWords, is a comprehensive online advertising tool that allows businesses to reach potential customers through the vast Google network.

This platform provides a range of advertising options that cater to different marketing goals and budgets.

By utilising Google Ads, businesses can prominently position their advertisements in front of users at critical moments when they are most likely to be interested in the products or services being offered.

Key Components of the Google Ads Platform:

Search Network:

The Search Network allows businesses to place text ads on Google's search results pages. These ads appear when users search for keywords that are related to the products or services being advertised. For example, a florist might bid on keywords like "flower delivery" or "buy roses," and their text ad could appear at the top of the search results when someone searches for these terms. The main advantage of the Search Network is that it targets users who have already shown intent by searching for related keywords, making them more likely to click through and convert.

Display Network:

The Display Network extends the reach of advertisements across a vast array of websites that partner with Google, known as Google Display Network (GDN). This network includes millions of websites, as well as Google properties like YouTube and Gmail. Ads on the Display Network can be in various formats, including text, image, rich media, and video ads. These ads are shown to users not based on specific keyword searches, but rather based on their browsing behaviours, demographic information, or because they've previously interacted with the advertiser's website (remarketing).

Features and Tools of Google Ads:

Keyword Targeting:

Advertisers can choose keywords that trigger their ads to appear. Google Ads offers tools to help find the right keywords, including keyword suggestions based on website content and the ability to see how much competition there is for certain keywords.

Ad Formats:

Google Ads supports a variety of ad formats, including text ads, image ads, video ads, and interactive ads, providing flexibility in how messages are conveyed.

Targeting Options:

Beyond keyword targeting, Google Ads allows for targeting based on geography, language, device, and even time of day, enabling advertisers to refine who sees their ads based on specific criteria.

Bidding Strategies:

Advertisers can choose from several bidding strategies depending on their goals. Options include cost-per-click (CPC), where you pay only when someone clicks on your ad; cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM), where you pay based on the number of impressions your ad receives; and cost-per-acquisition (CPA), where you pay based on actions taken, such as a purchase or sign-up.

Performance Measurement and Analytics:

Google Ads provides detailed analytics that help advertisers track the performance of their campaigns, adjust strategies, and optimize spending. Metrics such as clicks, impressions, click-through rates (CTR), and conversion rates are available to help assess the effectiveness of ads.

Integration with Google Analytics:

For deeper insight, Google Ads can be integrated with Google Analytics, offering a more comprehensive view of how users interact with ads and what they do after clicking on them.

The Google Ads platform is continually evolving, with new features and improvements that enhance targeting, efficiency, and the overall effectiveness of online advertising campaigns. Whether businesses are small local shops or large multinational corporations, Google Ads offers scalable solutions to meet diverse marketing needs and objectives, making it a cornerstone of digital advertising strategies.

Facebook Ads are a powerful tool within Facebook's advertising platform, allowing businesses to specifically target and reach a segmented audience based on their online behaviours, interests, demographics, and more.

This form of advertising is integrated across Facebook's various services, including Instagram, Messenger, and other affiliated platforms.

It harnesses vast amounts of user data to display highly relevant advertisements to users, enhancing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.

How Facebook Ads Work:

Targeted Advertising:

Facebook Ads are renowned for their robust targeting capabilities. Advertisers can define their audience based on a wide range of criteria, including age, location, gender, interests, behaviours, and even recent purchases. This precise targeting ensures that ads are displayed to users who are most likely to be interested in the products or services offered.

Retargeting:

The scenario you described—seeing ads on Facebook for items you've recently searched for—is a result of retargeting. Facebook uses various tracking technologies, like Facebook Pixel, to follow users across the web. When someone visits a website, the Pixel tracks this activity and communicates it back to Facebook. Later, when the user browses Facebook, they can be shown ads that relate to their web activity. This makes the ads highly personalised and increases the effectiveness of the advertising efforts.

Ad Formats:

Facebook offers a variety of ad formats to suit different marketing needs and goals, including image ads, video ads, carousel ads (which allow multiple images or videos in a single ad), slideshow ads, and even interactive ads like instant experiences. Each format has its advantages and can be chosen based on the campaign's objectives.

Integration with Instagram and Other Platforms:

Advertisers can also opt to have their ads appear on Instagram, Messenger, and the broader Audience Network, which extends the reach beyond Facebook to other websites and mobile apps. This integration maximises visibility and engagement opportunities.

Benefits for Businesses:

Increased Brand Awareness:

Due to its massive user base and sophisticated targeting options, Facebook Ads can significantly increase a brand's visibility among potential customers who are most likely to be interested in what the business offers.

Higher Engagement:

Ads tailored to the preferences and behaviours of users tend to engage more people, leading to higher click-through rates and better conversion rates.

Cost-Effective:

Facebook Ads can be a cost-effective marketing solution. Businesses can set a budget and choose a cost-per-click or cost-per-impression model, allowing for precise control over advertising spending.

Measurable Results:

Facebook provides comprehensive analytics that detail the performance of ads, showing metrics such as reach, impressions, clicks, and conversions. This data is invaluable for understanding ROI and optimizing future campaigns.

Getting Started with Facebook Ads:

Businesses interested in using Facebook Ads can start by setting up a Facebook Business Manager account. This is a dashboard that organises all of your business-related activities, including ad accounts, pages, and the people who work on them. From there, businesses can create campaigns, set budgets, choose audiences, and design ad formats all within a single interface.

Engaging with an experienced marketing team or agency, like the one suggested in your message, can further simplify the process. They can provide expertise in campaign strategy, ad creation, and ongoing management to ensure that your advertising efforts are successful and yield a positive return on investment.

For businesses looking to explore the potential of Facebook Ads, reaching out for professional guidance can be a great step towards harnessing the power of social media advertising to grow their presence and increase sales.