In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses in New Zealand. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through Google Search campaigns. These campaigns allow you to display your ads to potential customers right when they're searching for products or services like yours. If you're looking to enhance your visibility and drive targeted traffic to your website, this guide will walk you through the essential steps on how to set up a Google Search campaign successfully.
Understanding Google Search Campaigns
Before diving into the setup process, it's important to understand what a Google Search campaign is. This type of campaign displays text-based ads on Google’s search results page when users input relevant search queries. The ads appear at the top or bottom of the search results, giving businesses the opportunity to reach consumers actively looking for their products or services.
Why Choose Google Search Campaigns?
Google Search campaigns offer numerous benefits, including:
- Targeted Audience Reach: You can reach potential customers at the exact moment they show interest in your offerings.
- Cost Control: With a pay-per-click (PPC) model, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, making it a cost-effective option.
- Measurable Results: Google Ads provides detailed analytics to track your campaign's performance and make data-driven decisions.
Now that you understand the advantages, let’s dive into the step-by-step process of setting up your Google Search campaign.
Step 1: Create a Google Ads Account
The first step in setting up a Google Search campaign is to create a Google Ads account. Here's how to do it:
- Visit the Google Ads website.
- Click on the “Start Now” button.
- Sign in with your Google account or create a new account.
- Follow the prompts to set up your account, including entering your business information and billing details.
Step 2: Define Your Campaign Goals
Before creating your campaign, it’s essential to define your goals. What do you want to achieve with your Google Search campaign? Common goals include:
- Increasing website traffic
- Generating leads
- Boosting online sales
- Enhancing brand awareness
Clearly defining your goals will help you make strategic decisions throughout the campaign setup process.
Step 3: Choose Your Campaign Settings
Once your account is set up and goals are defined, you can start creating your campaign. Here are the key settings you need to consider:
- Campaign Type: Select “Search” as your campaign type.
- Campaign Name: Choose a descriptive name for your campaign to easily identify it later.
- Network Settings: Decide whether you want your ads to appear on Google Search, Google Search Partners, or both. It’s usually best to focus just on Google Search.
Step 4: Set Your Budget and Bidding Strategy
Determining your budget and bidding strategy is crucial for managing your campaign effectively.
- Daily Budget: Set a daily budget that aligns with your overall marketing budget. Carry out keyword research to understand cost per click ranges and set an appropriate budget - this can vary from industry to industry.
Bidding Strategy: Choose a bidding strategy that fits your objectives. For example:
- Maximise Clicks: Automatically sets bids to get the most clicks within your budget. If your account has 0 or under 15 conversions in the last 30 days, we recommend using this.
- Maximise Conversions: Automatically sets bids to get the most conversions within your budget. If your account has over 15 conversions in the last 30 days, we recommend using this
- Target CPA: Sets bids to achieve a specific cost per acquisition.
- Target ROAS - ecommerce: The average conversion value (revenue) you'd like to get for each dollar you spend on ads.
Step 5: Target Your Audience
To ensure your ads reach the right people, you need to set up targeting options:
- Location Targeting: Since you’re focusing on the New Zealand market, set your location targeting to New Zealand. You can even specify regions or cities within the country.
- Location Targeting Setting: Make sure you select ‘Presence: People in or regularly in your included locations’.
- Language Targeting: Choose the language your customers speak, which is typically English for New Zealand.
Step 6: Create Ad Groups and Keywords
Ad groups are essential for organising your campaign. Each ad group should focus on a specific product or service. Here’s how to set them up:
- Create Ad Groups: Name your ad groups based on your products or services. For example, if you sell shoes, you might create separate ad groups for “running shoes” and “formal shoes.”
- Keyword Research: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to find relevant keywords for your ad groups. Focus on keywords with high search volume and low competition.
- Add Keywords: Enter your selected keywords into the ad group. Use different match types (broad match, phrase match, exact match) to control how closely the search query must match your keywords.
Step 7: Write Compelling Ad Copy
Creating effective ad copy is crucial for attracting clicks. Here are some tips for writing compelling ads:
- Headline 1: Write a catchy headline that is relevant to your main keywords.
Hot tip: Pin this in position 1 so it always shows to the user first. This will drop your ad quality but don’t worry it will improve your customer experience!
- Other Headlines: Use a mix of USPs, call to actions, your brand name to give the user as much information as possible before they click. We recommend you capitalise your headlines (e.g. shop online now -> Shop Online Now).
- Description: Write a clear and concise description that highlights the benefits of your product or service. Include a strong call to action (CTA), such as 'Shop Now', 'Get a Free Quote' or 'Free Shipping on Orders Over $50'.
- Display URL: Ensure your display URL is relevant and reflects the content of your landing page. Make sure the URL paths are relevant.
Step 8: Set Up Ad Extensions
Ad extensions can enhance your ads by providing additional information. Consider adding the following extensions:
- Sitelink Extensions: Add links to specific pages on your website, such as product categories or promotions.
- Callout Extensions: Highlight special offers or features, such as free shipping or 24/7 customer support.
- Structured Snippet Extensions: Provide more context about your offerings, such as product categories or services.
- Location Extension: Highlights your Google My Business listing and can pull through reviews.
- Call Extension: Highlights the business phone number and can encourage calls.
- Image Extension: Use relevant images to provide the user with more information.
To make it easier, we recommend adding these after you have published the campaign.
Hot tip: Add appropriate extensions at 'Account' level so when you create future campaigns, the extensions will automatically apply.
Step 9: Review and Launch Your Campaign
Before launching your campaign, take the time to review all the settings and ad copy. Ensure everything aligns with your goals and that there are no typos or errors. Once you’re satisfied, click the “Publish” button to launch your campaign!
Step 10: Monitor and Optimise Your Campaign
After launching your Google Search campaign, it’s essential to monitor its performance regularly. Use Google Ads reporting tools to track key metrics such as clicks, impressions, CTR, and conversions. Based on the data, below are some adjustments you can make to optimise your campaign:
- Adjusting Bids: Increase bids on high-performing keywords and decrease bids on underperforming ones.
- Testing Ad Copy: Conduct A/B testing on ad copy to see what resonates best with your audience.
- Refining Keywords: Remove low-performing keywords and add new ones based on emerging trends.
- Add negative keywords: Analyse the search term reports and identify search terms that are irrelevant to your business. Add these as negative keywords to prevent your ad from showing!
- Test new bid strategies once you have enough data.
- Scale the top-performing campaigns by monitoring the Search Lost IS (budget) column and identify what campaigns have more room for budget.
Setting up a Google Search campaign can significantly enhance your online visibility and attract potential customers to your business in New Zealand. By following these ten steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful campaign that meets your marketing goals.
If you need expert assistance in setting up or optimising your Google Search campaigns, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional agency like Bump Digital. Our team of experts is here to guide you through the process and help you achieve your business objectives. Contact us today to get started!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Ready to bump up your growth?
Get in touch.
