Google Ads strategies that work for SMBs

Creating an excellent Google Ads campaign for SMBs can be tricky. Your budget is usually limited, and you have to choose the right set of keywords to be genuinely useful. It is crucial to target the right audience, create SEO-friendly pages, and track each campaign thoroughly. Therefore, let’s take a look at some of the most effective Google Ads strategies that work well for small businesses.

Set a realistic AdWords budget

One of the most common mistakes people make happens when they change their budget day after day. Setting your monthly budget is crucial, and you shouldn’t change it each day, especially if you have a small marketing budget. Of course, everyone is trying to be the top advertisement on the page, but it doesn’t have to happen immediately. And it is not even realistic if your budget is not very massive. Therefore, set your budget in advance, and don’t change it at all (or at least don’t do it frequently) since you can reduce your account’s performance.

Start small and grow progressively

Another misconception that we can hear quite often is that you need a large account with a ton of keywords, which is complete nonsense. Small businesses don’t require having a massive account to be successful. On the contrary, with a ton of keywords, you will, most likely, waste your money and overreach. Therefore, for small businesses, the best decision is to start small and grow slowly. A massive account means that you need to spend more time on it, which is usually impossible for small businesses since you have other, more important tasks to finish. Hence, nurture your small account in the beginning without spending too much time, and then grow progressively.

Optimise your website for ads

Improving your ROI on ads is impossible without the right optimisation of your website. First of all, you need a landing page that corresponds adequately to your ads. Product advertisements are the most common example. If you run an ad about the new product, make sure that clicking on the ad leads directly to the product page. Otherwise, if a click leads to your home page or any other page on your website, you might confuse potential customers. Such an ad will have a lower chance of converting, which is something you have to avoid.

On top of that, having an efficient AdWords management that takes care of your website and ad campaigns is crucial for boosting your online reputation. Don’t underestimate the level of expertise, creativity, and strategical planning that is necessary for your AdWords success.

Choose the right keywords and think about your competition

Choosing the right keywords is crucial for a successful campaign. Use the best SEO strategies to find the best keywords or hire an expert or SEO agency. If you want to do it on your own, the best way to start is to use some of the SEO tools, such as Google Keyword Planner, and find keywords that apply to your business. Start with the most obvious keywords and find more specific terms to reach a particular audience. Keyword research is essential for understanding how many times people search for each term, and also, how much traffic can each keyword potentially bring to your site.

Target specific geographic locations (local)

If your small business has a physical location, then the best AdWords strategy should be to stay local. Choose local keywords that are specific to your city or region and reach those highly targeted customers. There is no need to make too general ads if you expect only local customers to visit your shop. AdWords offer several tools where you can target a specific location – radius targeting, bulk location targeting, etc.

Furthermore, you can target places of interest, such as commercial areas or universities. Every tool that you might need is available in the Campaign tab. Analyze which one you can benefit the most from, and use it adequately.

It is essential to choose the right Google ads approach as a small business. You can’t afford to lose money nor time. Remember, don’t go too wide in the beginning – always start small and try growing only when the time comes.