Google Ads for eCommerce: Everything You Need to Know

Article overview

At this moment, Google Ads is the most effective form of PPC (pay per click) advertising in the world. We've been trained to turn to Google for every question we have, and Google is much more than just a search engine. It's also YouTube, email, applications (such as Google Calendar), Google Maps, and Android. Google collects information about all of us and can, therefore, predict intent. This means that Google can place your ad in front of someone willing to buy your product (sometimes even before the user knows they want to buy).

Why Choose Google Ads for eCommerce?

67% of high-intent commercial keyword searches result in a click on a paid ad. Therefore, when someone is looking to make a purchase, two out of three searches on Google result in a click on an ad. This statistic tells us that when people are in the information-gathering phase of the buying process, they turn to organic search results. But when they're ready to buy, customers click on ads.

First and foremost, it's essential to determine if Google Ads is right for your business. Usually, the answer is yes. But there's an important aspect to consider. It takes time to build, launch, and optimize campaigns and, ultimately, see results. 

If you've decided that Google Ads is suitable for your business, we'll now present some of the most effective ways to leverage the platform, as well as some necessary preparations before starting your Google Ads promotion. 

eCommerce Business Planning

You shouldn't start building a Google Ads campaign until you check the following elements:

• Reasonable monthly expenses
• Adequate time expectations
• High-quality website
• Sufficient margins to support a traffic campaign
• Unique selling proposition
• No one-off products
• Completed customer avatars and assets
• Robust database
• Average order values that support paid traffic

Offer Optimization

Who is your customer? Can you describe your product to a stranger? Before spending money on online advertising, make sure you can define the following:

• Your target audience - your customer avatar
• How your product makes customers feel
• What elements make your brand stand out among competitors

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) for the Site

Building an online store is not so difficult, but building one that converts is an entirely different matter. Here are some of the best CRO practices to ensure your site is ready to generate sales:

• Resolve website issues and errors
• Optimize site speed
• Ensure mobile device compatibility
• Optimize the conversion rate 
• Check site quality and user experience

Product Page Optimization

Product pages are the most crucial pages on your site. In most cases, such a page is the landing page for those accessing the site, where they will form their first impression. So, let's make sure your product pages are ready for campaigns:

Checklist for Product Page Optimization:

• Product name and subtitle - ensure the product name is clear, descriptive, and intuitive enough for Google to identify the product and send relevant traffic.
• Product descriptions - include correct keywords that Google understands and specifications (size, material, weight, features, etc).
• Media (photos and videos) - custom images are always better than stock photos, especially images that highlight a lifestyle.
• Site navigation - ensure navigation is clear, easy, and accessible so that users don't get "lost" on the site.
• Reviews - people buy from businesses they trust. Therefore, it's recommended to incorporate reviews on your site.
• Clear call to action (CTA) - if you don't tell people what you want them to do, they won't do it on their own initiative.

Recommended Campaigns for eCommerce

Now that we've covered the prerequisites for starting advertising on Google Ads, let's delve into the main types of recommended campaigns for eCommerce. 

Performance Max (PMax) Campaigns

Currently, PMax is the most powerful eCommerce tool in the history of digital marketing. Below, we'll compare this new campaign type with standard Shopping campaigns.

Standard Shopping Campaigns vs. Performance Max: What's the Difference? 

You might wonder what the difference is between Standard Shopping Campaigns and Performance Max campaigns within Google Ads.

Here is a brief overview of how standard Google Shopping Ads campaigns work:

• You (the business owner) send the product feed (a list of all products on your site) to Google using a Merchant Center account.
• You set your budget.
• Google uses the feed to create "shopping placement ads" that appear on relevant search results pages. These ads include a product photo and related information.

However, Performance Max campaigns are a giant leap ahead of standard Shopping campaigns. With Performance Max:

• You send the product feed to Google via a Merchant Center account.
• You create a campaign and set its budget.
• Google extracts information about your products to create placement ads that appear when a buyer searches for a relevant product. 
• It uses algorithmic targeting to display ads to very specific users.
• It leverages all Google channels for advertising: search, display, YouTube, GSP, shopping, etc.

Search Campaigns

Search campaigns are an efficient method of online promotion, allowing your ads to appear in Google search results when potential customers search for similar products or services. Using relevant keywords, your ads can capture users' attention, convincing them to visit your site. The main types of campaigns are:

• Brand Protect
• Dynamic Search Ads

Remarketing Campaigns

Remarketing campaigns bring visitors back to your site. They also contribute to the success of other campaigns. If done well, they can reduce the cost of each lead, sometimes by half. Remarketing campaigns:

• Re-engage interested visitors
• Build brand authority 
• Increase visibility
• Improve the sales cycle
• Boost conversions
• Relatively inexpensive

Campaign Optimization

After your campaigns are built, the in-depth work begins: optimization. Optimization takes time and is crucial for the success of campaigns. That being said, improper optimization (changing things too frequently) can be equally harmful. 

In the first part of this guide, you established that Google Ads is suitable for your business. Now it's time to review your objectives and document them.

• What is your target CPA?
• What ROAS are you aiming for? 
• What are your key KPIs?

The Complete Google Ads for eCommerce Guide

Our comprehensive guide provides you with all the necessary information to prepare your website and start advertising on Google Ads. It offers theoretical and practical examples, visually illustrated, making the configuration process as easy as possible. 
Fill out the form here and you'll receive the complete Google Ads for eCommerce guide via email.

About Optimized

Our team consists of experts in Performance Marketing, especially in eCommerce. Every day, we gather information and strive to learn more about our clients and their needs. We operate on the principle of anticipating results and the growth of a business, for their success and ours. Together.