Google Ads: 20 Years in Review

How a Search Engine Became an Advertising Game Changer

It may seem hard to believe now, but there once was a time when Google and Google Ads didn’t dominate search, let alone e-Commerce. Its growth over the last 20 years has made rivals such as Yahoo! (remember them?) and Bing tiny dots in the rear-view mirror. Let’s take a look at what all of this means for your business.

“Let Your Fingers do the Walking”

How many of us are old enough to remember that catchphrase (and the tune that went with it)?

Way back in the day, when you wanted to find a business that sold a product you needed or wanted, you’d take your Yellow Pages out from under your telephone and flip through it until you find what you wanted.

Then computers, the internet, and search engines came along, and suddenly you could type in a search query, and voila! You had millions of hits from businesses all over the globe. Sorting through the results was daunting for consumers and complete chaos for companies trying to attract customers.

Enter Pay-Per-Click advertising.

A Quick History of PPC

As search engines evolved, companies such as Yahoo! and Google began offering more e-Commerce-focused solutions. This included targeted Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, or Google Ads, that allowed businesses to aim their ads using keywords to target at a granular level.

And, as these search engine companies expanded to include other services and platforms (Google acquiring YouTube, for example), businesses could buy ad space, not just on search engine results pages, but in videos and mobile apps as well.

How Your Businesses Can Benefit from PPC Ads

Among advertising and marketing mediums, PPC is the most nimble and effective way to reach consumers and guide them toward the action you want them to take. That can mean anything from getting information from your website or directing them to visit your brick-and-mortar location. You can also send users to an e-Commerce page so they can buy an item with a couple of clicks. If you’re unsure about which kind of campaign is best for you, our PPC experts can help you get started.

Pay-Per-Click ads offer flexibility for cost-conscious marketing departments in companies big and small. Unlike other mediums that quote rates based on where/when your ad is placed, you decide what you’re willing to spend, and Google places your ads based on your set budget. Since you’re not bound by a contract, you can pause ads or adjust your budget at any time.

And, best of all, you won’t pay a dime until someone clicks on your ad.

Furniture stores are a great example of how PPC ads’ flexibility can benefit a business. When the COVID pandemic forced many people to work from home, furniture store owners could take advantage of the agility that PPC ads offer to sell home office furnishings. This opened up a fresh revenue stream for furniture shops during their typically slower post-holiday months.

Fashion is another industry that can use the flexibility of PPC advertising to its advantage. You’ve probably seen how one viral photo can send people scrambling to find the ring or necklace their favorite celebrity or style influencer was wearing in a social media post. In minutes, savvy jewelers can set up an ad campaign that entices shoppers with look-a-like pieces. Jewelers can also upsell by offering free or discounted overnight shipping at a designated price point.

PPC and e-Commerce

Your business is often locked into a seasonal campaign, weeks—or even months—ahead of time with traditional advertising. But with Google Ads, you can quickly pivot your campaign to make it timely and relevant. When COVID lockdowns forced shops to change the way they do business, Google adjusted its ad platform to make services such as Local Inventory and Local campaigns more robust.

These tweaks were designed to boost local e-Commerce stores that offer the option to buy items online and safely pick up their purchases at the store. Google places a “curbside pickup” or “pick up today” badge on ads, giving buyers an easy way to find businesses that provide this option.

Having a team of seasoned professionals with an eye on the latest consumer trends, including contactless delivery and curbside pickup. By using the flexibility of your e-Commerce platform and Google Ads to reach shoppers where they’re at—physically and emotionally—you have the best chance to stand out in the search results and earn conversions.

Use Your (Key) Words

Keywords are the bread and butter of your PPC campaign. Keywords aren’t your target, per se. Rather, they ‘define’ your target by setting parameters such as:

  • An item or service
  • A brand
  • A geographic location
  • Where a shopper is at in their buying process

Keywords not only help you define what your target is, but they can also help you define what it ‘isn’t.’ This is where negative keywords come in. Let’s say our jeweler wants to reach parents looking for a special gift for their graduating seniors, so they create a campaign to offer high-end watches. The jeweler defines the target using keywords that might include the terms, gift, graduation, watch, the city the store is located in, and a brand name, like Rolex.

If you’re selling a traditional heirloom watch, you probably don’t want to target people looking for a deal on an Apple Watch, so you would make Apple a negative keyword. This prevents your ad from showing up in search results for an Apple Watch. And if you don’t want your luxury watch appearing in search results for senior citizens, you would add that phrase to your negative keyword list as well.

When you understand who your target is—and isn’t—your keywords create an effective ad campaign aimed at turning shoppers into buyers.

We Stay on Top of the Latest Trends, So You Don’t Have To

Google Ads have come a long way since the early 2000s. Over the last 20 years, it has evolved to become an incredibly powerful and versatile ad platform that can benefit businesses of all sizes. We understand that some business owners and marketing departments might find getting started overwhelming or need expert advice when the marketplace experiences seismic shifts like COVID-19.

The team at Media Caffeine is always on top of the latest trends and best practices. Give us a call today, and we’ll help you design effective campaigns that maximize your conversion rate without compromising your budget.

Curious how a Google Ads Campaign could help your business? Message us!