Google Adwords and Driving Traffic
It’s been over 20 years since Google launched Adwords, today known simply as Google Ads. According to Wikipedia, “Google Ads is the main source of revenue for Alphabet Inc, contributing US$168.6 billion in 2020. In 2021, Google Ads generated US$257.6 billion.” There is perhaps no better way to drive traffic to your website than by using Google’s online advertising platform. Formerly, Google Adwords Ads had only one model for driving website traffic: PPC. The singular Pay Per Click ad model. Other online advertising platforms like Amazon Advertising and Microsoft Advertising, formerly Bing Ads, also profit significantly from the scheme, but Google reigns supreme. Evolving from search, Google’s PPC models now include shopping, display, video, apps, and local and discovery channels.
Google Ads SEM (The Rise of Search Engine Marketing)
Today’s online marketing professionals fall between two schools of thought, disciplines or expertise. SEO, search engine optimization, is primarily thought of as the natural, organic, content-centric approach. Through the SEO lens, content is king, and in terms of E-A-T: Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness (or Page Quality), there’s no better acronym for long-term and long-tail success. However, SEO is no longer the jewel of low-hanging fruit it used to be. Content is now more nuanced and a commodity that is an editorial art rather than a mass of click-bait short-form prose. Google launched AdWords in 2000, four years before its pubic IPO. Yes, they built it, and they came. Google let the cat out of the bag, and online marketers could use Google’s keyword tool to bid on winning phrases. Of course, Google knew the phrases that paid and graciously recommended a bidding strategy that could not fail.
Driving Traffic Using Google Ads
If you run an online commerce store and need to get on page one fast, Google Ads is the answer. Google supplies keyword tools and bidding automation that can convert almost anyone into a digital marketing maestro. Just think of your search behavior. Rarely do we have the modern-day attention span past page one SERPs (search engine results pages). For common search queries, pages one and two find an average of 3-5 Google Ads per page. Check out this resource for more intel about the prowess of Google’s online advertising kingdom. In next week’s post, we’ll help you learn how to drive traffic using Google Ads.