What Every Small Business Should Know About Google Ads

If you've every searched for your own business on Google and saw how some of your competitors show up first, you've seen Google Ads in action. This is how businesses of any size can compete with the big dogs.

Google Ads, like anything new in the Digital Marketing World, can seem intimidating at first, but if done correctly, it can be the most effective ways to reach clients/customers who are actively searching for what you offer.

If you've ever wondered how they work or how to make it worth your money, here a re a few simple things you should know be diving in.

1. You Only Pay When Someone Clicks

One of the great features of running Google Ads is how cost-effective it can be. Unlike most Marketing tactic, you're only paying for when someone clicks. Not just impressions.

For example, your ad could be seen "3,000 times" but you only pay when someone clicks to your website.

Tips for getting started:

• Start small and check results. (Starting with even just $10/day can show if you are competing well with your competition based on how much it is bidding for impressions.

• Make sure your ads link to the relevant page the ad copy is trying to portray.

• Make sure your site has plenty of CTAs and form fill-outs. (No point in having someone click if there is nowhere for the person to easily reach out if they are interested!)

Track your campaign on your phone or computer.

2. Picking the Right Keywords for your Google Ads

Keywords can make or break your campaign. Keywords are the words and phrases people type into Google when they're searching

Here is how to make sure you are using them correctly:

Keywords in action

• Keywords just doesn't mean a single word, use "long-tail keywords" (i.e. Local Digital Marketing services near Janesville instead of Digital Marketing services)

• Think of how you search for things. The language you use when searching is going to similar to everyone else.

• Add negative keywords to block irrelevant searches (i.e. if you are a landscaper but don't do any tree services, add trees as a negative keyword.

• Utilize AI to help build your campaign. Prompting ChatGPT or another AI model with your business and what all you offer can help you setup and create an outline for your campaign.

3. Link Your Ads to Strong Landing Pages

Getting someone to click is only half of a win. Where you are sending the user matters the most.

If your landing page for the ad isn't set up with a contact form or isn't relevant to what the ad is showing, people are going to leave.

Here are a few things you can do to make sure you are getting conversions:

• Check page load times: Make sure the landing page doesn't have large image or video files embeded. This will slow down the page.

• Page has a clear CTA and form to fill out or clear number or email to call

• Page matches what the ad is saying.

4. Monitor your Campaign and Evolve

The best part of all Digital Marketing is the analytics and data you collect. With Google Ads, you can see which ads get clicks and which lead to the most conversions.

Make sure to check your reports regularly and ask yourself:

• Which keywords are generating the most clicks

• What the time-on-page for when people click the ad.

• Which ad leads to the most conversions.

Making adjustments is key to running a successful campaign.

One thing you may learn when monitoring your campaign is that your industry is very competitive and you may not have the budget to compete for clicks. Try and find what makes your business stand out and focus solely on that for your campaign, instead of all the services you offer.

Now its Time to Give it a Try!

Running Google Ads doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. With the right setup and a little patience, it can be one of the smartest ways to bring in new business and track real results.

Remember, it’s not about spending the most, it’s about spending smart.

Feeling overwhelmed? That’s where we come in. At Honeybee, we specialize in helping local businesses make the most of their ad dollars through smart targeting, keyword strategy, and ongoing optimization. 🐝

Reach out to our team today! We’d love to help your business get seen (and clicked) online.