Investing in cost-effective Google Ads marketing may seem hard, though it doesn’t have to be. The process can feel intimidating. But once you get into one type of ad format, it makes more sense to make the others.

The good news is that SEM is easy to set up and manage. Since you’re investing, it’s also important to make sure you’re doing it right. Here are some dos and don’ts for Google Ads marketing for small businesses.

DO: Set Up Conversion Goals

The best way to track the success of your SEM campaign is by setting up outreach goals. This will help you determine how effective your ads are at driving traffic. It also helps you assess if your ads are getting clicks from the right audiences.

Don’t: Overdo Keywords

A common mistake is to use too many keywords in an attempt to catch as many searches as possible. This can cause your ads to show up for unrelated searches, wasting money on clicks that won’t convert into customers. Strategically diversifying your keywords can help you avoid this pitfall.

DO: Set Your Budget

The most important thing you can do is set a budget for each campaign. You can allocate for each ad group, too, but don’t get too granular. You should have a minimum limit per day per keyword or ad group. Eventually, it might be time to increase your budget or change your strategy.

Don’t: Restrict Your Google Ads Prospects

Even a highly specialized Google Ads agency can offer more areas of service. They can have a team of experts who can help you with anything from website design to email marketing. They can even manage your PPC campaigns for you.

DO: Track Everything

Google makes it easy to track your ad performance. With analytic tools, the agency can see how many people clicked on your ads and then made a purchase. You can also see how much traffic each ad is sending to your website when deciding which ones to keep.

Don’t: Neglect Negative Keywords

Negative keywords are the words that prevent your ads from showing. They help avoid wasting money on irrelevant clicks. They’re just as important as positive keywords, but many advertisers neglect them.

Conclusion

Small businesses can accrue a lot of benefits from participating in the SEM space. Not only can it be a very cost-effective way to generate leads, but it’s also a great means of adding depth to their online presence.