What is Google Ads?

Google Ads is Google’s advertising platform that businesses use to place paid ads in search results, on websites and in apps. You pay per click or per thousand impressions. Google Ads is the most widely used SEA platform in the world and gives access to billions of searches every day. The platform includes search ads, display ads, Shopping, YouTube ads and Performance Max.

How is Google Ads structured?

Google Ads uses a hierarchical structure: account, campaign, ad group and ad. At campaign level you set the budget, the type and the objective. At ad group level you link keywords to ads. Your position is determined by Ad Rank, which depends on your bid, your Quality Score and the relevance of your landing page. For e-commerce, Google Shopping is especially relevant; for brand awareness, the Display Network.

Costs and bid strategies

With Google Ads you pay through the PPC model. The CPC is determined by an auction. You choose a bid strategy based on your goal: more clicks, more conversions or a target ROAS. Smart Bidding uses machine learning to optimise bids automatically for each auction.

Measuring and optimising

With conversion tracking you measure which clicks lead to purchases or enquiries. Combine this with Google Analytics 4 for a complete picture of the customer journey. You filter out irrelevant searches with negative keywords.

Would you rather have someone manage your campaigns? Take a look at outsourcing Google Ads.

How much does Google Ads cost per month?

This varies by industry and level of competition. You set your own daily budget. ROXTAR recommends a minimum budget of 500 euros per month for meaningful results, depending on the sector.

How long does it take for Google Ads to deliver results?

Ads are visible straight after approval. The Smart Bidding learning period usually takes 2 to 4 weeks for stable results.

What is the difference between Google Ads and SEO?

Google Ads delivers paid, immediate visibility. SEO builds organic positions over the long term. Together they give you maximum coverage in the SERP. More at developers.google.com/search.

What is Google AdWords?

Google AdWords is the old name for Google Ads. The platform has been called Google Ads since 2018, but it works the same way: you advertise on keywords and pay per click. Many people still search for the old name, so you will come across both terms.

How does Google Ads work?

With Google Ads you bid on the keywords your audience uses. When someone searches for one of them, your ad has a chance to appear at the top. You only pay when someone clicks: the pay-per-click principle. That way you reach people at exactly the moment they are searching.

Can I have my Google Ads managed for me?

Yes. If you would rather not advertise yourself, you can have it managed by a Google Ads agency. They make sure your budget goes to searches with purchase intent and measure what each campaign delivers.