Passed on 22 May, 2025

4. Google Ads

If you want to reach new audiences online, then advertising with Google Ads might be right for you. In this lesson, you’ll learn how Google Ads works and how it can help you grow your reach – all within your budget.

✅ Learning objectivesBy the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:Understand what Google Ads is and identify where adverts can appear.Learn how Google Ads works and the steps to set up an ad campaign.Discover tools and strategies to manage and improve Google Ads campaigns.Explore how Google Ads uses AI to improve ad performance and effectiveness.

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:

Understand what Google Ads is and identify where adverts can appear.

Learn how Google Ads works and the steps to set up an ad campaign.

Discover tools and strategies to manage and improve Google Ads campaigns.

Explore how Google Ads uses AI to improve ad performance and effectiveness.

What is Google Ads

Google Ads is an advertising platform that helps businesses reach their audience on Google Search, YouTube, and websites across the internet. It connects businesses with potential customers when they’re actively searching for products or services.

Where your ads can appear

When you advertise with Google Ads, your ads can appear in different places across the web.

Google search sites

Ads can appear on Google-owned platforms such as Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Shopping.

How does Google Ads work?

Google Ads makes it easy to create, set up, and launch an ad campaign.

Setting up an ad campaign

Let’s explore how to set up an ad campaign with Google Ads.

1. Select your campaign goal

Choose a primary conversion goal, like driving sales, generating new leads, or building brand awareness. Google Ads will hone in on the right campaign types to help you reach your goal.

2. Create your ad

Add your campaign assets (keywords, images, logos, videos, and text). Google’s AI will create various ad combinations, initially predicting performance based on available data. Ongoing performance data can then be used to optimise and identify the best-performing combinations to help you achieve your campaign goals.

3. Choose how to bid

Google Ads gives you several ways to bid for your ads, depending on what matters most to you and your business. Most advertisers focus on either clicks, impressions, conversions, or views (for video ads).

4. Choose your audience and budget

Set your target audience in Google Ads, which uses this information to recommend keywords and expand your reach. You’ll also receive budget recommendations that work for you.

5. Set up conversion tracking

Conversion tracking shows what users do after interacting with your ads, like bookings or purchases. A small code on your site tracks these actions and links them to your campaigns, helping you measure success and refine strategies.

Managing and improving your campaigns

After your campaign is live, it’s important to track your progress and make improvements. By focusing on performance, relevance, and testing, you can get better results and reach your goals.

Steps to improve your campaign

Managing your campaigns involves checking performance, making your ads more relevant, focusing on goals, and testing new ideas. These steps will help you improve over time.

Track performance

Start by checking key metrics like clicks, CTR (click-through-rate), and conversions. These show how well your ads are working. Over time, you’ll notice trends that can guide improvements. If you want even more details, connect Google Analytics to see how users interact with your site.

Improve ad relevance

Regularly review how well your ads connect with your audience – weekly or monthly, depending on campaign size. If some ads aren’t performing well, refine your keywords or adjust targeting to reach the right people.

Optimise

Make sure your campaign is aligned with your goals. Set up conversion tracking to measure success and choose the right bidding strategy. For example, use Maximise Conversions to focus on bookings or Maximise Clicks for more traffic.

Experiment and test

A/B testing is a method where you compare two versions of an ad to see which performs better. For example, test different headlines or images to learn what resonates most with your audience. Use these insights to refine and improve your ads.

AI-powered tools in Google Ads

Google Ads uses AI to streamline campaign management and improve effectiveness. This includes automating tasks like bidding, targeting, and ad placement, making it easier to optimise campaigns and achieve better results.

Smarter campaigns

Google Ads uses AI to improve campaign performance in lots of ways. Here are three key examples:

Smart Bidding

Smart Bidding uses AI to automatically adjust your bids to get better results. It uses data like location and device to predict which users are most likely to convert, helping you save time and allocate your budget more effectively.

Responsive search ads

Create an ad that adapts to show more relevant messages to your customers. Enter multiple headlines and descriptions, and Google Ads tests combinations to find what works best. This helps match customer search terms more closely, potentially boosting campaign performance.

Performance Max campaigns

Performance Max is an AI-driven campaign type in Google Ads that optimises ads across all Google platforms, like Search, YouTube, and Display. It uses machine learning to show your ads to the right audience, helping maximise conversions and reach your goals efficiently.

Check your knowledge

It's time for you to check and reflect on what you've learned so far.You must complete the knowledge check to move to the next lesson.

You must complete the knowledge check to move to the next lesson.

You must complete the knowledge check to move to the next lesson.

Question 1 of 1

Match the benefit to the correct Google Ads feature.

Conversion tracking

correct

Google Display Network (GDN)

correct

Smart Bidding

correct

Submit

Submit

Yes.You matched each benefit to the right Google Ads feature. Conversion tracking links key actions to your campaigns, the Display Network shows visual ads across websites and apps, and Smart Bidding optimises bids for better results.

Lesson complete

Great job!You’ve been introduced to the world ofGoogle Marketing Toolsand completed the module!Head over toPaid marketing channelsmodule for a refresher on how marketing tools work together. Otherwise, explore the other modules to revisit key strategies or deepen your understanding.

You’ve been introduced to the world ofGoogle Marketing Toolsand completed the module!Head over toPaid marketing channelsmodule for a refresher on how marketing tools work together. Otherwise, explore the other modules to revisit key strategies or deepen your understanding.

Head over toPaid marketing channelsmodule for a refresher on how marketing tools work together. Otherwise, explore the other modules to revisit key strategies or deepen your understanding.

Head over toPaid marketing channelsmodule for a refresher on how marketing tools work together. Otherwise, explore the other modules to revisit key strategies or deepen your understanding.

1Google Ads Help:Display Network: Definition

1Google Ads Help:

Display Network: Definition

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