What is Paid Search Advertising? Paid search advertising with Google Ads is among the most effective channels in modern marketing. However, you can only reap the rewards when you understand what you are doing.

1. What is Paid Search
Advertising?
Paid search advertising with Google
Ads is among the most effective
channels in modern marketing.
www.ppcexpo.com

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Paid Search Advertising: What You Need to Know About Google
Search Campaigns
Paid search advertising with Google Ads is among the most effective channels in modern marketing.
However, you can only reap the rewards when you understand what you are doing.
In this guide, we’ll answer common questions about the Google Search Network helping you get familiar
so you know what’s best for your business.
Here’s a quick rundown of the areas we’ll discuss:
• What is a PPC search campaign?
• What is the Search Network in PPC (pay-per-click) advertising?
• Where can Search Network ads appear?

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• Types of Ads on the Search Network.
• Who are Google search partners?
• How does Google determine which ads to display?
• How Google Ad auctions work.
• How Google decides Ad Rank.
• When to use the PPC Search Network.
• Benefits of Search campaigns.
• Why is paid search advertising so popular now?
• How to target voice search in search campaigns.
Let’s dive in to learn more about paid search advertising with Google.
Paid Search Advertising: What You Need to Know About Google
Search Campaigns

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What is a PPC Search Campaign?
A PPC search campaign is a concerted effort of paid search advertising, whereby a business pays an
advertising platform to promote their brand, products, and services.
As it’s PPC, advertisers pay for the clicks their ads receive, and they earn ROI from the resulting web
traffic their ads generate.
For example, if you run a PPC search campaign with Google Ads, your ads could appear on the first page
of Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) whenever people enter keyword searches that are
related to your products and services.
After people click your ads, they will be directed to your website, where they may go on to make a
purchase.

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What is the Search Network in PPC Advertising?
The Google Search Network is a group of search-related websites on which your Google Ads may appear.
You can view such text-based ads in the SERPs whenever you perform a search for related products or
services. They have a green “Ad” tag next to the URL.
These Google Search ads display because they target a specific keyword, which acts as a trigger.
Whenever a user search query matches an ad’s keyword, the ad may appear in the SERPs.
As paid search advertising on the Search Network operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis, advertisers will
pay whenever a user clicks their ad.

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Where Can Search Network Ads Appear?
When a user search query triggers an ad, the ad may appear above, beside, or below the organic search
results.
This is the case for Google and its Search Partners, including Google Play, Google Shopping, Google
Images, and Google Maps.
3 Types of Ads on the Search Network
1. Text Ads
2. Dynamic Search Ads
3. Call-only Ads

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Where Can Search Network Ads Appear?
1. Text Ads
Text ads may be shown in Google SERPs, and across the entire Google Search Network, on any Search
Partner websites.
Studies indicate that the typical CTR of text ads is about four to five times as high as any other type of
advertisement. Text ads have also proven to increase Quality Score.
If you’re using text ads, remember to create a compelling ad copy that is relevant and engaging for your
target audience.

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Where Can Search Network Ads Appear?
2. Dynamic Search Ads
Dynamic Search Ads are an ad format that automatically targets relevant user search queries based on
the content on your website.
DSAs will trigger when users enter keywords related to yours (and your site’s content). You can configure
these ads to focus on a specific category or page.
You also set the budget, bids, and targets, giving Google Ads all the crucial information it needs to create
these smart ads, which usually result in increased performance and ROI.
Learn More: Best Practices of Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs)

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Where Can Search Network Ads Appear?
3. Call-only Ads
In a mobile-first age, call-only ads are a fantastic way to engage a wider audience. You can use paid
search advertising to show call-only ads on mobile devices, encouraging viewers to ring your business.
By displaying your phone number and a click-to-call button, you offer users an easy method of contacting
your business, without the need for a strong call-to-action (CTA) in the ad copy.

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Who are Google’s Search Partners?
Google search partners are select websites that partner with Google to display paid ads. These search
partners effectively extend the potential reach for your ads, as they may display on hundreds of other
websites, in addition to other Google-owned sites, like YouTube.
New advertisers with a limited budget may wish to disable the option for Google Search partners
because it can have a higher cost per conversion.
Another thing to note is that your Quality Score will not be affected by the clickthrough rate (CTR) for any
ad on Search Partner sites.

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How Google Determines Which Ads to Display
When somebody uses Google to search for something, the platform will check the Google Ads advertiser
pool to determine if there will be an auction.
If several advertisers are bidding for keywords relevant to the user’s search query, Google will trigger an
auction.
When you get involved with paid search advertising, you will learn more about keyword bidding and
auctions. Let’s give you a quick overview of how it works.

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How Do Google Ads Auctions Work?
You set your maximum cost-per-click bid (max. CPC), which defines the maximum amount you are
prepared to pay for a keyword so that it will trigger your ad on a user query. Google Ads considers all
keyword bids that are relevant to user search queries, as well as your Quality Score and ad relevance.
Whenever a user enters search queries, Google uses these factors to determine the best ads to display in
the SERPs.
Before you get into bidding, think about the following:
• Google’s Expected Clickthrough Rate (CTR)
• Historical Google Ads Performance
• The Quality and Relevance of your Keywords
• The Quality and Relevance of your Landing Page
• The Quality and Relevance of your Ad Text

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How Google Decides Ad Rank
After entering your ad into an auction, Google will study two vital factors to determine Ad Rank:
• Your Max. CPC bid
• Your Quality Score
Ad Rank = CPC X Quality Score.
So, with the above formula in mind, you can either increase your max. CPC bid, or else improve your
Quality Score.
If you’re watching your PPC budget, then the latter option may be best. It’s never a bad idea to work on
your Quality Score, as higher quality ads will inevitably lead to better results.

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How Google Decides Ad Rank
Here are three aspects you can focus on to improve the quality of your ads:
Expected Clickthrough Rate (eCTR) – The eCTR value is a projection based on historical click data and
impression data, which is adjusted for other factors like ad position, the use of extensions, and ad
formats.
Ad Relevance – How relevant your paid search advertising is to whatever people are actively searching
for on Google Search network.
Landing page quality – How clear, concise, and easy-to-navigate your landing page is for users.

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When to Use the PPC Search Network
With paid search advertising, you can choose to advertise your products and services on either the
Display Network or the Search Network.
The Search Network is best if:
• It’s your first time advertising with Google Ads.
• It’s essential to reach people in the consideration phase of the customer journey.
• You have a small PPC campaign budget.
The Search Network offers advertisers a higher chance of driving direct conversions, which makes it
easier to measure performance data for your PPC campaign.

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5 Benefits of Search Campaigns
So, why should you carry out paid search advertising on the Google Search Network?
Here are five good reasons to get on board:
1. Measurable Results
With Google Ads, you can track and measure performance data across all your campaigns. Vital metrics
like clicks, costs, and conversions are easy to monitor, which makes it simple to find flaws and
opportunities for improvement in every campaign.

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5 Benefits of Search Campaigns
2. Brand Recognition
Over time, paid search advertising helps establish brand awareness in your target market. More
prospective customers will become aware of your brand and what you offer. While they might not buy
anything from you immediately, over time, that brand recognition will nurture trust, helping move them
closer to a sale.
3. Intent-based Targeting
You’ll have greater success with remarketing and conversions if you focus on user intent throughout your
advertising campaigns. The Search Network is set up to enable advertisers to reach their audience with
timely offers, tailored to their specific needs.

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5 Benefits of Search Campaigns
4. Flexibility
In Google Search Campaigns, you have the flexibility and control to customize your keywords, ad copy,
creative, extensions, and more.
5. Budget-friendly Marketing
Small businesses may not have the financial resources of large corporations, but that doesn’t mean they
cannot succeed with paid search advertising.
When you devise a smart strategy and take the time to measure and test, you can generate an impressive
ROI from a modest budget.

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Why is Paid Search Advertising So Popular Now?
With the benefits above, it’s perhaps no surprise that paid search advertising is undergoing a boom in
popularity. Here are a few more reasons that explain why many businesses are using search campaigns
on Google Ads now:
You Meet Your Audience on their Mission
One of the most significant benefits of running search ads is that you get to engage customers while they
are searching for solutions. They’re already in the market for products or services, and your paid ads offer
them an option worth considering.
When you optimize your campaigns, ad copy, and offer, you can present the best possible solution, which
increases the chances of success.

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Why is Paid Search Advertising So Popular Now?
It Helps Filter Out Unqualified Traffic
You can use the negative keywords feature in Google Ads to create a list of search terms that only
attracts irrelevant clicks. By using these as filters, you can increase the quality of your traffic, only
displaying your ads to qualified users who are interested in what you have to offer.
It Gives You an Edge on the Competition
Let’s say you and your competitor target the same keywords in your respective paid search advertising
campaigns. While that may be a battle that comes down to budget and bids, you can use intelligent
optimization to outrank your rivals, especially on branded keywords.

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Why is Paid Search Advertising So Popular Now?
It Helps You Control Your Costs
Google Ads offers advertisers a lot of control over what they spend on advertising. You can increase or
decrease individual keyword bids in several ways, based on factors like:
• Device
• Time of day
• Days of the Week
• Geography
• Campaign Performance

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How to Target Voice Search in Search Campaigns
You can perform voice searches on a smart device, such as your phone or an Alexa-enabled speaker. The
device will respond in turn, verbally answering your query.
This innovation and the growth of voice-enabled technology is already making a significant impact on
marketing. Businesses that publish content and use paid search advertising can gain a lot by targeting
users who prefer voice search.
Here are a few tips to help you maximize your engagement with these users:
Focus on long-tail keywords – Voice search is changing search engine optimization (SEO), as users tend
to use longer, more precise sentences and questions than with text-based searching. Long-tail phrases
will also help you get in the featured snippets at the top of Google searches.

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How to Target Voice Search in Search Campaigns
Use questions in your ad copy – Often, voice searches are framed as direct questions. By including
questions keywords in your copy as broad modified keywords, you can get a lot of traffic.
Create separate ad groups – All your keywords that target voice search users should have their own
group. You can write relevant ad copy that relates to these queries.
Location extensions – If you target keywords with “near me”, or any phrases that indicate location-
specific searches, it’s a good idea to enable location extensions on your ad groups.

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How to Target Voice Search in Search Campaigns
Refine negative keyword list – Remove question terms from your negative keywords list, such as:
• how to
• can I
• where do I
• when does
This will ensure you don’t lose out on qualified traffic.
Search campaigns work well with voice search queries, so you can dramatically improve your fortunes
with some savvy bidding and campaign optimization.
Learn More: Voice Search Optimization: How to Prepare For the Revolution

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Wrap Up
So, with all the doubts and fears you may have about paid search advertising, you can see there are
strategies and solutions for it all.
Use the tips in this article to tackle your specific situation. With time and effort — and some smart
decision-making — you can use the Google Search network to grow your business.

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