Google ads cheat sheet: the ultimate guide

Safalta Expert Published by: Vanshika Jakhar Updated Sat, 10 Dec 2022 11:31 PM IST

Source: Safalta

Let's say you're an advertiser hoping to benefit from the massive volume of searches performed on Google every single day and gain the quick exposure you require to expand your business. In that case, registering for Google Ads is the best place to start.

Click here to enroll and become a successful digital marketer now. 


Table of Content
What is a Google display ad?
The significance of display marketing
Sizes and formats for display ads on Google
Top 5 Google display ad recommendations
 

What is a Google display ad?

On websites and apps that are a part of the Google Display Network (GDN), Google display ads are served appropriately; however, there are other display ad networks available. Around 90% of internet users are reached by the more than two million websites and apps that make up the Google Display Network. A sword with such a vast potential for reach is said to have two edges: You indeed can introduce your brand to a huge number of relevant customers. However, you run the risk of exposing your brand to a huge number of irrelevant customers.
 

The significance of display marketing

  • Be unique with your brand.
You must find ways to set your company apart from the competition because you and your rivals are vying for the same customers. Display advertisements give you the chance to establish (and distinguish) your brand in the minds of your prospects because of the potency of visual imagery.
  • Increase brand recognition
Brand awareness is the biggest advantage of display advertising because it gives you such broad exposure. According to Larry Kim, the single biggest indicator of whether customers will make a purchase is whether they are familiar with you. 84% of B2B marketers rank brand awareness as their top objective, followed by lead generation and sales.
  • Boost the effectiveness of your other ads.
To return to the aforementioned point, people are more likely to click on and interact with all of your other marketing campaigns—search and social ads included—the more familiar they are with your brand. As stated in the introduction, studies have shown that 27% of customers search for a company after seeing its display advertisement and that this leads to a 59% increase in conversion.

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Sizes and formats for display ads on Google

Google display ads come in two flavors: uploaded and responsive.

  • Uploaded display ads

Take the uploaded route if you have the design capabilities to build your display ads from the ground up. JPG, PNG, and GIF are supported by Google Display ads. But keep in mind that even if you meet the requirements for a certain placement, your advertisement won't display if it isn't the right size. Therefore, it is up to you to maximize your exposure by uploading variously sized versions of each advertisement.
  • Responsive display ads
Google introduced responsive display ads and eventually made it the default ad type for display campaigns because that's not the most enjoyable activity. You only need to supply some simple ad copy and your visual assets (images, videos, and your logo). Google will then test various combinations to see which it thinks works best. The best part is that responsive display ad automatically change their size to fit the specifications of particular web pages.
 

Top 5 Google display ad recommendations

1. Use your best-performing search terms
Start with your best-performing search terms if you want to experiment with keyword targeting. You decide what qualifies as "top-performing," of course, but if there are a few keywords that frequently result in inexpensive clicks or sales on the search network, the consumer intent on these two Google Ads networks is entirely different. However, if clicks and conversions show that your search ads are being noticed, you can be sure that the keywords used in them are successful.

2. Make bid alterations
You'll have enough data after running your display campaigns for a while to conclude the performance, such as which keywords are effective and which affinity audiences are not. You have the option to set bid adjustments at the ad group or campaign level, which lets you turn performance evaluations into tactical decisions. When you specify a positive bid adjustment for a specific ad group, you are instructing Google Ads to raise your maximum CPC bid each time an ad from that group is qualified to appear. You can instruct Google Ads to lower your maximum CPC bids for that ad group by setting a negative bid adjustment.

3. Examine the traffic from your referrals.
There is a ton of helpful information in Google Analytics. The referral traffic report (found under Acquisition > All Traffic) is extremely helpful for display advertisers. The referral traffic report essentially informs you which websites link to yours the most. In other words, it informs you which websites target users who might find your product or service useful.

4. Make your value proposition clear.
Consumers are now so used to seeing display ads that they may scroll right past them without even noticing them. Your display ads must engage your target audience to avoid wasting opportunities and money if you're bidding on a cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) basis.

5. When writing responsive display ads, pay attention to the headlines.
To create a responsive display ad, you must write the following four types of copy:
  • A succinct heading
  • A lengthy heading
  • An explanation
  • Your company name
There are two important things you need to understand about headlines:
(1) Google Ads never run both at the same time.
(2) Google Ads may occasionally reject your description.
There's no guarantee your description will be included with any headline that is chosen for a specific version of your RDA.

Tools for making Google display ads that are simple and free

Even though we adore display advertising, we've come to realize that it has a glaring flaw: it's not as accessible as it is effective. Many small and medium-sized businesses simply lack the time, money, and design staff necessary to produce eye-catching display ads. You can easily make your own Google display ads thanks to a variety of free tools available on the market. Two of our personal favorites are listed below:

Creatopy: Use drag-and-drop to build stunning visuals that are compatible with all platforms using a variety of free fonts, stock images, and animations.

Canva: Choose from tens of thousands of free, adaptable banner ad templates and alter them to fit your brand's style.

Why are Google ads used?

You can use Google Ads as a product to advertise your company, aid in the sale of goods or services, create awareness, and boost website traffic.

What sizes do Google display ads come in?

Mobile: 300×200, 300×50, 300×100
Desktop: 300×250, 336×280, 728×90, 300×600, 160×600, 970×90, 468×60
Both: 250×250, 200×200

What does a Google display ad cost?

According to data, the average CPC on the Google display network is $0.63. On the search network, the typical CPC is $2.69, which is more than four times higher.
 

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