Are Google Ads worth it?
Absolutely.
They’re flexible, quick, and one of the cost-effective ways to reach a targeted audience.
You push a button, and prospective customers land on your website at that exact moment when they’re online searching for your product or services.
Sadly, they’re not easy to set up. A little mistake, and you could be flashing money down the drain.
So, are Google Ads still worth it in 2023?
Absolutely – and that won’t change any time soon. So, do well to include them in your marketing campaigns.
12 Reasons SEO Experts Swear by Google Ads
#1. Everyone Googles
When people worldwide want a solution to a problem or want to research a product or service, the first platform they’re likely to turn to is Google.
If anything, Google accounts for about 92% of all search engine traffic (95.23% on mobile and 85.29% on desktop).
Its closest competitor is Bing, which holds about 7.88% of the search engine market on desktop and 0.45% on mobile.
Therefore, it’s safe to say that Google dominates the search engine market. And not just that, their entire ecosystem dominates the internet – starting with Google, YouTube, Gmail, etc.
Studies show that when people search online for a product or service, about 57% will first turn to a Google-owned site. If it’s not Google as a search engine, it will be YouTube or maybe Google voice.
In other words, there’s no better way to be where your potential customers are than running your ads on Google.
#2. Unlimited Potential
Google Ads campaigns are as scalable as they can get. Every day, millions of new keywords are put up for bidding.
So, whether you’re looking to connect to a pre-identified demographic or tap into a new market, Google ads can make it happen.
And better, it doesn’t take anything more than adding a few new relevant keywords to your ad campaign.
If your budget allows, you can increase the chances of attracting clicks by raising bids on important keywords.
Not to mention, you’ll always be in control. You can pause or re-enable your campaign anytime you like without attracting any penalties.
#3. Quick Results
You’ve probably come across a post comparing Google Ads and SEO. The most common argument is that you don’t have to waste money on PPC ads when you can drive as much traffic or attract as many clicks with SEO.
And while SEO plays a critical role in marketing, the strategy itself is a long shot, and results take a long time to show.
That’s where Google ads come in.
Their results are almost immediate. You run the ads now, and the next minute they’re served in the SERPs right where you want them to be.
However, with SEO, you have to wait for months, or even years, before you see anything tangible.
The idea isn’t to choose one over the other but to serve both. Google ads will keep the ball rolling, while SEO will ensure you play the long game.
#3. You Connect with Prospective Customers at their Most Convenient Time
Have you ever visited the market with no intention of buying anything?
Well, that’s how Google ads operate. Every time they’re served to a user, it’s because they have expressed the intention to visit your page or check out your product or services.
Compared to all the ads you can run, Google ads mean the user is out shopping and positioning you where you can be seen and noticed.
In other words, Google ads place your products or services in front of your target audience just when they’re ready to purchase.
#4. You Can Target Highly Specific Markets
Every business owner has a market they’re eying, with goals they want to achieve.
For instance, as a local business, you might be looking to build authority in your niche while looking to get more local customers through your front door.
With Google ads, you can reach whoever you have in mind, just in any context you imagine them.
Do you want to lock a specific geographic region? Corner a specific niche market?
You can do that easily, as well as anything else you envision in your mind’s eye.
#5. You can Track Your Campaign
Creating an effective marketing strategy and putting it into action is only one half of the equation.
The other half is about keeping track of the data, analyzing it thoroughly, and using it to adjust your campaign.
Google Ads has a built-in, user-friendly analytics feature that provides detailed information on how your campaigns perform.
You can access vital metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), keyword search volume, cost-per-conversion (CPC), ad quality score, and ad position ranking with just a few clicks.
Additionally, you can also link your Google Analytics account to Google Ads and view your organic and PPC data side-by-side, making it easy to make data-driven decisions. Overall, Google Ads offers a comprehensive set of analytics tools to help you optimize your marketing efforts.
#6. More than a Few Ways to Level the Playing Field
There are multiple ways to improve your ad ranking on Google. While increasing bids on important keywords can be effective, it’s not the only solution. Google values quality and relevancy in ads, so marketers who excel in creating high-quality ads and campaigns have an advantage over their competitors.
By creating compelling and relevant ads and optimizing them to perfection, you can easily outrank less relevant ads with higher bids.
Your ad’s quality score is determined by its relevance and positive user experience. You also want to note that your ad rank combines your quality score and maximum bid per click.
#7. A Seamless Way to Reconnect with Your Previous Website Visitors
Ever tried finding a solution online? How many websites do you visit before you finally make up your mind?
It’s the same with the customers you’re targeting. Unless they’re unusually diligent about bookmarking options, most don’t even remember where they saw something promising.
You’d be surprised to learn that there’s a potential customer somewhere beating themselves up trying to remember your website.
Google ads offer several features that you can use to remind your previous website visitors of your offerings.
If someone visits your website and leaves without finalizing a purchase, you could use a remarketing campaign to trace them from wherever they are and send them your product ads.
A potential lead who has interacted with your website is more likely to convert if they see your product ads again in the future.
#8. It’s Easy to Get Started with Google Ads
Getting started with Google ads is super easy.
You can start by creating a Gmail account for your business if you don’t have one. Next, follow this link to set up your Google ads account. Fill out all the requested information, add a payment method, and create ads.
Note that Google will review your ads before they run. The review process should happen within one business day.
Immediately after the ads pass the eligibility test, they’ll run.
You can monitor the ads from there and make necessary adjustments as they run.
Remember running the ads is one thing. Optimizing them to generate maximum ROI is another. There’s also a steep learning curve to it before you finally become an expert.
If you’re operating with a huge marketing budget and have no idea what you’re doing, we suggest you outsource the service to a PPC expert.
#9. Google Ads Are Flexible and Can Work with any Budget
Whether you can only afford $20 per month or have over $200,000 to spare, you can still use Google ads effectively.
First, Google ads allow you to set your ad’s daily budget. The minimum you can spend is US$1, with no set maximum.
On a side note: Google may exceed your average daily budget. The system is designed to optimize your campaign for clicks and conversion and capitalize on those moments when the traffic is high.
On some days, you may spend more than the daily limit you’ve set and less on other days. But rest assured, it won’t exceed your daily spending limit (two times your average daily budget) or your monthly spending limit (30.4 times your average daily limit).
#10. You Only Pay When Someone Clicks on Your Ads
Google ads are charged on a Pay Per Click model. Meaning you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Google doesn’t charge you for impressions. If someone views your ad but doesn’t click on it to visit your website, Google doesn’t charge you a penny.
Remember that not every Google ad is PPC. But the model is the same. For example, if you run a Pay Per Impression (CPM) ad, then Google will only charge you when someone sees your ad.
#11. Numerous Ad Formats to Choose From
Search ads aren’t the only ads Google offers.
If you have a relatively new brand and want to build brand awareness, it makes more sense to use “display ads.”
Or, if you run a plumbing business with no website, then it makes more sense to run a call-only ad.
Google understands the nature of every business out there, and they have an ad format that snugly matches every single one of them.
#12. Google Ads Help You Learn and Understand Your Audience Better
You learn a lot from Google ads.
You’ll first learn which keywords or images resonate best with your target audience.
You also find out which audience segment has the best conversion rate.
You’ll be provided with a lot of data that you can use to improve your ad campaign.
What’s more? The information you glean from Google can also be applied to other marketing strategies. For instance, you can use high-performing keywords in your next SEO campaign.
Also, the copy that generates the most clicks can be used to inspire your next email subject line.
The Downside of Google Ads
One of the advantages of Google ads is that anyone with a marketing budget can create and launch the campaign.
But the downside is that it takes a lot of time and expertise to get it right. Small businesses don’t often have the time to learn and master the ins and out of running an effective Google ads campaign.
Therefore, they’re likely to be disappointed by the results.
Let’s face it — Google ads can be a huge waste of your marketing money if you’re running a suboptimal campaign. If you’re looking to make the most of your marketing money through Google ads, our best advice would be to consider working with a PPC expert.
What’s the Success Rate of Google Ads?
The success rate of Google ads depends on several factors. First, it depends on how much you’ve invested in optimizing the ad campaigns.
It also depends on the industry you’re in and how competitive it is, and, most importantly, it depends on the type of ad you’re running.
The easiest way to tell the effectiveness of your ad campaign is to look at the Cost Per Click (CPC).
It helps to know that the average CPC varies wildly between industries.
For instance, an attorney pays an average CPC of $8.67, while restaurants only pay $1.73.
But that doesn’t imply Google ads aren’t successful for lawyers. A single legal client spells a significant source of revenue, while a single restaurant customer only translates to a few dollars of profit.
That’s the logic behind the high CPC. In other words, while a legal entity won’t mind spending hundreds of dollars to land one client, a restaurant can only afford to spend a few dollars on a customer. Otherwise, they would be operating on losses.
How to Measure the Impact of Your Ad Campaign
You measure the impact of your ad campaign by looking at their conversion rates. However, you want to note that the benchmark varies wildly depending on the industry.
For example, the average pet or animal-related industry conversion rate is 19.19%, while furniture products only convert at 3.25%.
This doesn’t come as a surprise, considering people shop around a lot for furniture before they can make up their minds and decide on what to buy.
However, with pet products, most of the time, the user just wants to know where to buy them. So, a single Google search is enough to get them to commit to a purchase.
The bottom line is that Google ads are as effective as you’ve ever imagined. You just have to understand your industry and how everything ties in together.
Google Ads CPC Benchmarks Across Different Industries
Industry | Average Cost Per Click (CPC) | Average Cost Per Lead | Average Click Through Rate | Average Conversion Rate |
Arts & Entertainment | US$1.51 | US50.40 | US$11.43 | US$4.81 |
Animal & Pets | US$2.86 | US$17.46 | US$7.08 | US$15.45 |
Apparel/Fashion/ & Jewelry | US$2.66 | US$57.97 | US$6.27 | US$2.06 |
Attoneys & Legal Services | US$8.67 | US$83.10 | US$4.24 | US$9.33 |
Auomotive Sales | US$2.27 | US$46.99 | US$8.67 | US$5.77 |
Automotive Repair, Service & Parts | US$3.13 | US$18.73 | US$5.65 | US$12.74 |
Beauty & Personal Care | US$3.10 | US$40.04 | US$5.92 | US$6.88 |
Business Services | US$4.85 | US$73.70 | US$5.17 | US$5.31 |
Career & Employment | US$3.94 | US$81.45 | US$5.93 | US$4.58 |
Dental Services | US$7.10 | US$50.91 | US$5.03 | US$13.33 |
Education | US$3.94 | US$54.60 | US$6.17 | US$5.93 |
Finance and Insurance | US$4.57 | US$74.44 | US$5.70 | US$5.59 |
Furniture | US$2.39 | US$76.71 | US$6.01 | US$2.59 |
Health and Fitness | US$4.01 | US$45.60 | US$6.15 | US$9.21 |
Home and Home Improvement | US$6.11 | US$54.05 | US$4.62 | US$11.21 |
Industrial and Commercial | US$4.18 | US$49.90 | US$5.61 | US$7.78 |
Personal Services such as Weddings, Plumbing, Cleaners, etc | US$3.32 | US$29.08 | US$6.95 | US$10.18 |
Physicians and Surgeons | US$3.78 | US$29.96 | US$6.25 | US$15.07 |
Rea;l Estate | US$1.36 | US$44.70 | US$8.55 | US$3.52 |
Restaurants and Food | US$1.84 | US$26.58 | US$7.60 | US$5.54 |
Shipping, Collectibles, and Gifts (General) | US$2.25 | US$30.27 | US$5.50 | US$3.07 |
Sports and Recreation | US$1.73 | US$31.50 | US$8.82 | US$5.86 |
Travel | US$1.63 | US$46.06 | US$9.19 | US$5.19 |
The Average CPC measures how much an advertiser pays each time someone clicks on their ads. Many factors, including the industry and the level of competition, determine it.
The typical Google ads CPC ranges from $2 to $4.
The industries with the highest CPC include Attorneys & Legal Services, Dental Services, and Home & Home Improvement at $6 to $8.
That is no surprise, as these industries tend to have lower click-through rates that attract higher CPCs.
Also, these are highly competitive markets with higher marketing costs, longer decision cycles, and a higher value placed on individual conversions.
Industries with lower CPC include real estate, arts & entertainment, and travel, all under $2.
These industries generally have higher click-through rates. The CPC drops when the clicks come in easy and at a higher rate.
Some industries saw bigger CPC changes than others. Beauty & Personal care and Insurance industries took the biggest hit, with their CPCs dropping by 17% and 11%, respectively.
The increase in travel CPC is attributed to the increased competition brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As covid-19 restrictions eased, people began travelling more.
Which is Better, Google Ads or Facebook Ads?
Facebook ads are the closest rival to Google ads. They’re popular and just as effective.
Like Google Ads, Facebook ads allow you to connect with your prospective customers at scale.
However, there are a few distinct differences in how the ads work:
Google Ads | Facebook Ads |
When a search engine user searches for a relevant keyword, Google Ads are displayed | The ads are served to a target market based on interest and online behaviour. Facebook doesn’t wait for the user to search for anything. Instead, they use the information they have about them to serve them the ads that resonate with them. |
The ads are shown to people who have expressed the intention to buy | The people seeing the ad don’t necessarily need to have portrayed the intention to buy |
Text-based ads | Creatives and videos are the primary drivers of Google ads |
Great for finding new customers
They’re generally good for closing sales |
Great for connecting businesses with potential customers. They’re generally good for brand awareness. |
As you can see, these two types of ads are completely different. While Google ads help businesses connect with customers based on keyword queries, Facebook relies on the interest and online behaviour.
Because of this, it’s safe to say that Google ads are a better way to target users who are warm enough and ready to purchase your product or service.
These people are actively looking for your product or services, and all that remains for you is to convince them that you’re the best solution they can find.
However, Facebook sticks out for another reason – they have a diverse selection of ad formats you can work with.
The ads are highly visual and equally suitable for driving engagement and communicating with prospective customers.
Both Facebook ads and Google ads have their own strength and weaknesses. So, instead of choosing one over the other, it’s advisable to use them together.
You want to leverage each platform’s capabilities to target customers at every stage of their buying journey.
While Facebook ads will help you target customers at the early stages of their purchase journey, Google ads can target customers on the verge of making a purchase.
Every Business Must Give Google Ads a Try
The best way to find out if Google Ads is worth your time and money is to try it.
You can start small and experiment with the platform.
Use the test campaign to gather data you can evaluate and devise an ad strategy.
You specifically want to pay attention to the generated ROI. If it’s positive, it means there’s money to be made.
Even if it doesn’t generate that immediate results, that doesn’t mean the ads won’t work for you.
It would help if you tweaked the campaigns to see the best results.
Underperforming ads means you must use your Google ads knowledge and expertise to make changes that improve your campaign.
If the campaign continues to yield no results, you should go back to the drawing board, re-evaluate your data, and make necessary adjustments until it pays off.
Overall, Google ads are a viable idea for almost any business. Whether or not the ads are effective depends on your competency and execution.