The Benefits of Using Google Ads for Small Businesses

Last Updated on: 21st March 2024, 05:32 pm

Nowadays, it’s not enough to spread the word that you’ve started a new business. You need online marketing. And when it comes to promoting your business online, nothing works quite as well as Google Ads.

Today, I’ll share the key reasons why you should use Google Ads to grow your small business, based on 15+ years of experience and hundreds of my SMB clients who started with a small budget and scaled their income quickly!

1. Google AdWords Is Unquestionably the Quickest Way to Get New Customers

Let’s look at the most common small business digital marketing options: search engine optimisation, organic or paid social media, and Google Ads. 

SEO will take up to a year to show results. Social media gives you poor organic reach. Social media ads? You won’t be dealing with an audience that knows they need your product.

Ultimately, you’ll spend a lot of time and money just trying to convince people to hear your offer.

On the other hand, Google Ads allows you to start running ads for the keywords your prospects are looking for right now. They’re connected to your industry. You’re not interrupting anyone’s experience with an intrusive ad, as you would on social media. 

All you’re doing is putting your offer in the hands of people looking for it right now.

Google Ads leads to much faster results, allowing you to start getting leads from day #1. 

2. Forget about Convincing Customers! Google Ads for Small Business Puts You in Touch with Purchase-Ready Audiences

Usually, audience targeting online looks at interests and activities. Google Ads is one of the rare few that can gauge intent:

• Is this searcher just looking for information?
• Is this searcher looking for potential solutions?

Based on that, you know who you should be talking to in order to grow your business through Google Ads.

Optimise Your Small Business Google Ads Campaigns for Lead Quality

Plus, if you do your keyword research right (and you can, with proper Google Ads coaching), you can even gauge the quality of each Google AdWords small business lead:

• Is this lead price-sensitive, or are they willing to pay a premium for quality work?
• Is this lead looking for help ASAP?

As a small business owner, you don’t want to help the lead navigate a lengthy sales funnel until they ultimately convert. Instead, you can find the leads ready to purchase and intercept them with your Google Ads campaigns.

For example, if we worked together and you told me your key goal was getting long-term startup accounting customers, we’d first find the right keywords. 

We might target “accountants for startups in [area]” and add budget-wasting queries like “startup accountant costs” to your negative keywords list, so your budget only goes towards profitable keywords. 

It’s cost-effective and saves you plenty of time!

Plus, with additional features like the Google Guaranteed badge, Google Ads is a great choice for service businesses like dental practices.

3. Measuring Your Results (and Optimising for Them) Is Simple

Google Ads benefits for small businesses include knowing how your campaigns are performing and optimising for your goal.

The majority of small business owners I work with start their campaigns with the desire to increase their revenue. You can easily optimise for this with the right bidding strategy, such as focusing on conversions.

With enough data, you’ll even be able to target your ideal cost per acquisition!

Unlike other forms of digital marketing, Google Ads – when done properly by a Google Ads expert – allows you to start from your business goals and configure the campaigns to support them. 

You won’t have to guess if your campaigns are effective – you’ll know.

And while we’re on the subject of that…

You Have Full Control over Your Budget

While I do recommend following Google’s minimum budget guidelines and adjusting them for your industry-average Cost Per Click, your budget is up to you.

Since you’ll know how your campaigns are performing, you can decide how to scale and which bidding strategies you’d like to use.

Even then, you have options: you can optimise your campaigns further or increase your budget.

… and You Only Pay for Performance

Some platforms operate on a Cost Per Mille (cost per thousand views) system. On the other hand, Google Ads only charges you for clicks you get on your ads.

Since you can tailor the target keywords to only reach your best leads (remember: more visitors don’t always equate to more conversions), your ROAS will be higher. 

Plus, Google Partners often get free ad credits they can share with you, so you get more funds to advertise your business.

4. Local SMB? eCommerce Shop? Google Has Options for You!

Of course, Google Ads aren’t just the standard search advertising. They come in a variety of flavours, including:

• Sponsored product listings through Google Shopping ads
• Local Google ads for businesses like plumbers, locksmiths, etc.
• Discovery ads
• Display network ads

… all of which allow you to use the suitable format for your audience. For example, if you were a local mechanic in Bristol, you could use Google Maps ads to appear in front of your audience when they are searching for mechanics along their route.

If you already generate plenty of visitors through organic traffic, you could retarget them with Google Ads. (P.S. This strategy is a favourite of mine; it’s so cost-effective!)

Essentially, not even the sky is the limit with Google Ads for small businesses.

5. You Don’t Need an Advertising Department to Get Started

Finally, Google Ads are simple to start, even if you run the business yourself or with a small team. 

You don’t need full-time hires, a huge design budget for ad creatives, or even a focus group.

Google Ads Success Recipe for Small Businesses

• Learn how to make Google Ads campaigns work for your business (and don’t fall prey to Google automation).
• Do your keyword competition research with SpyFu.
• Package your offer, so it’s more comprehensive than your competitors’ advertised offers.
• Get ready to launch!

As you navigate the world of Google Ads, you’ll soon discover other tricks to reach more interested prospects:

• Bidding on competitors’ brand keywords
• Increasing your Quality Score to reduce your CPC
• Claiming your free advertising credits

And more!

Google Ads has the potential to change your business. 

The only question is: are you ready to take control of your revenue?

Get started immediately! Pick up your copy of my best-selling Google Ads book, where I explain how to launch a successful campaign in 7 rapid steps or get in touch with me for a personalised success plan.