Debunking Google Ads Myths
Google Ads graced us with it’s presence in 2000 and over two decades later is many businesses main revenue stream. But along the way there has been chatter about the platform with some myths circulating and spinning out of control.
In our latest blog, we discuss some of these Google Ads myths and hopefully, debunk them for you all!
Myth 1 – no one even clicks on Google Ads
If this myth were true, then Google would be the most unsuccessful giant media company in the world, right? Spoiler alert: it’s not! In 2022, they raked in over a whopping £226 billion in ad revenue. So clearly, somebody’s clicking those ads!
But where did this myth come from? Some people avoid ads like the plague and they will never click on them, this might’ve become massively exaggerated over time and led some people to believe that no one clicks ads.
On the flip side, there are the ad-clicking enthusiasts. These users are like bargain-hunting bloodhounds, searching for the perfect product. They’ve got the moolah and are ready to spend it.
It works both ways, there are people that avoid ads and those that click on them but overall it’s not true that no one clicks ads. A lot of people do.
Myth 2 – Google Ads is too expensive for small businesses
It’s an age old myth that Google Ads is an exclusive club for big companies with deep pockets. It’s not true. Google Ads accounts can be structured in ways beneficial to smaller businesses and campaigns can be run efficiently to work on smaller budgets. That is the beauty of it!
You can set budgets to whatever you want and have a level of control over your campaign spend and cost per click. Don’t believe the naysayers. With the right budget and strategy, even the smallest of businesses can find success on Google Ads. We work with tons of businesses that use Google Ads to scale incrementally and grow their businesses.
Myth 3 – I don’t sell online so Google Ads isn’t for me
Just because you don’t sell online doesn’t mean that Google Ads isn’t for you. Google Ads isn’t just for e-commerce aficionados; it’s a versatile marketing tool for all kinds of businesses – even the brick-and-mortar variety!
There are features in Google Ads suited towards lead generation and towards local businesses like physical shops or services. Google Ads can also be great for brand awareness which works for businesses of all sizes and varieties.
Myth 4 – Rivals on the market will maliciously click on my ads
Some advertisers are paranoid that competitors will maliciously click on their ads, driving up their cost and negatively impacting performance metrics.
Google’s vigilant Click Fraud Detection System is built to identify any fishy clicks by monitoring for unusual patterns and devious click behaviour. This system then refunds your Google Ads account for those malicious clicks.
Competitors might be looking for ways to beat you but rest assured that Google is constantly monitoring and improving its click fraud detection system.
Myth 5 – I don’t need to optimise my landing page for Google Ads
Google can get interested potential customers to your website but there’s no guarantee that they will convert. Much like any other traffic source you need to make the conversion process as easy as you can so they don’t go somewhere else.
Optimising your landing page isn’t just about making it pretty, either. A fine-tuned landing page can improve your Quality Score, which is Google’s way of grading your ad’s relevance and usefulness. A better Quality Score can lead to lower costs per click and better ad positions.
Seed are experts in User Experience and Conversion Rate Optimisation and we love working with clients to improve their website and improve their conversion rates.
Myth 6 – Google Ads is a fast win
While it’s true that Google Ads can work its magic faster than some other marketing channels, expecting instantaneous results is a mistake and sets you up for disappointment.
During the first weeks or months of your campaigns, your results can change drastically and are influenced by so many different factors it’s impossible to say when it will bear fruits. Google Ads is a constant iterative process that needs improvements and optimisations as you go.
Myth 7 – Google Ads impacts SEO
Google ads and SEO are separate. Running Google Ads won’t improve or impair your rankings and neither will cancelling your ad account. Perhaps the only change you’ll see is that if you are running ad activity and improving your brand awareness you’ll see more searches for your brand. An omni-channel marketing approach is the strategy we adopt and therefore all should work together.
Myth 8 – Being in position 1 is more profitable
Perhaps being in position 1 will improve your CTR but there’s no guarantee that it would impact profitability. It could potentially hurt profitability however as you’ll be spending more per click to reach that number 1 position.
Myth 9 – I can create ads and leave them
You can definitely try but there are so many things to keep an eye on when running Google Ads to keep them from wasting money. There’s also no way to scale an account without keeping an eye on what your current activity is doing. It is really important to continually optimise your campaigns and make minor changes so that you can test, measure learn what works!
Myth 10 – Google has automated everything why do I need you
Google definitely has a lot of automation options but they can’t always be trusted to run everything for you. There’s still a lot of actions that need to be managed and optimised manually. Manual changes give you more control and help you run ads more efficiently.
