What are Google Ads?

Google Ads is Google's paid advertising platform that lets businesses show ads across Google Search, YouTube, Maps, and a wide network of partner websites. It’s one of the fastest ways to reach potential customers at the exact moment they’re searching for your products or services.

 Ever searched for something like “plumber near me” or “buy shoes online”? Chances are, the very first results you saw were Google Ads.

Where do Google Ads appear?

Ads appear in several places:

• Search results: At the top and bottom of Google Search pages, marked as "Sponsored"
• Google Display Network: A collection of partner websites where banner or video ads can appear
• YouTube, Gmail, and Google Maps: Ads can show as videos, promoted listings, or banners

Why use Google Ads?

Google is the world’s most-used search engine. Advertising on Google gives you access to an enormous audience. Some of the key benefits:

• You only pay when someone clicks on your ad (Pay-Per-Click or PPC)
• You control your daily budget
• You can target locally or nationally
• You get immediate visibility

Whether you run a local bakery or a nationwide service, Google Ads can deliver measurable results.

What’s the Google Display Network?

The Google Display Network (GDN) consists of millions of websites that display ads. These ads can be:

• Text
• Image
• Video
• Interactive rich media

The GDN helps you reach people while they’re browsing online – not just when they’re searching.

How does Google choose which ads to show?

Google runs an auction every time someone searches. Whether or not your ad appears depends on:

• Your bid amount (how much you're willing to pay per click)
• The Quality Score of your ad (based on relevance, landing page experience, and click-through rate)

The better your ad quality, the more likely it is to appear – and often at a lower cost.

What is CPC (Cost-Per-Click)?

CPC is the amount you pay when someone clicks on your ad. It varies depending on how competitive a keyword is. For example:

• "Buy shoes online" has a higher CPC than
• "Affordable cobbler in Springfield"

You set a daily budget and Google makes sure you never overspend.

What is a Quality Score?

Quality Score is a 1–10 rating Google gives your ad. It’s based on:

• Ad relevance
• Landing page experience
• Historical click-through rates (CTR)

A higher Quality Score means:

• Lower CPC
• Better ad placement

Why you might not see your ads

Not seeing your ad? Don’t worry – that doesn’t mean it’s not running. Google may limit how often you see your own ad due to:

• Your daily budget being used up
• Google's personalization (e.g., not showing you the same ad repeatedly if you never click it)
• Targeting settings like location or device

How to find the right keywords

Use tools like the Google Keyword Planner to:

• Discover relevant keywords
• See search volumes
• Estimate CPC

Choose keywords your target audience would type when searching for your product or service. Focus on relevance and intent.

What is a landing page?

A landing page is the webpage users are sent to after clicking your ad. It should:

• Match the ad’s message
• Be focused on one goal (buy, sign up, book, etc.)
• Be fast and mobile-friendly

Tip: Don’t just send users to your homepage. Use a page that directly supports the ad offer.

Google Ads with rankingCoach

Managing campaigns can be overwhelming, but rankingCoach 360 makes it easy:

• Set your budget and select keywords
• Generate optimized ads based on your business and competitors
• Choose between local or national targeting
• Add call and link extensions

Your dashboard will show:

• Clicks, impressions, and keyword performance
• CPC and search volume
• Monthly reports on traffic and budget usag
  

With everything automated and easy to manage, you’ll spend less time on setup and more time growing your business.