Are Google Ads Worth It for Your Business? (pros & cons)

Here are some of the general pros and cons of Google Ads.

Pros

• Intent. Because you’re targeting keywords with Google Ads, you can get in front of people when their intent to buy is highest. Not to mention the fact that 89% of buyer journeys begin with a search engine.
• Fast results. While SEO is essential for any business, it can take several weeks or even months to gain traction on the SERP. Paid search ads, on the other hand, appear immediately.
• Exposure. Not only do search ads appear at the top of the SERP, but also, search engines are the top channels used by consumers when conducting online brand research and Google is, by far, the most widely used search engine among consumers. It captures 92% of the search engine market share.
• Measurability. As is the case with most forms of digital marketing, the Google Ads platform provides quantifiable results so you can get a clear read on which ads, offers, keywords, and landing pages are performing best.
• Multiple formats. While we typically associate search ads with Google Ads, there are lots of other formats to work with, and each channel plays a different ad role.
• ROI. The nature of the Google ads auction says that you pay the lowest possible price for a click on your ad. This is because the formula for your cost per click factors in the maximum bid of the ad that appears below yours, plus one cent. And, of course, you’re only paying when someone clicks on your ad.

Cons

• Low costs are not guaranteed.  Paying the lowest possible price for a click on your ad doesn’t necessitate a low price. You’re paying the lowest price relative to your competitors, and some keywords can be pretty expensive. Plus, it’s no secret the more people that use Google ads, the more competitive and expensive it becomes.
• How much you pay for your campaigns depends on a number of factors—one of the main ones being how effective you are at optimizing your ads. Properly managing a Google Ads account involves structure the account properly, doing your keyword research, and constantly monitoring and adjusting as the data accumulates.
• Automation doesn’t mean hands-free. Yes, there may be a lot of machine learning going on Google’s end, but you still need to know how to work with automation and with the new information it provides.

Factors that impact the cost of Google Ads

here is the quick rundown;

• Consumers have different buying behaviors based on the product or service they’re seeking, each industry has a different set of average click-through rates and conversion rates, which results in different cost per click and cost per lead profiles.

• Customer lifecycle.  Similarly, customer lifecycles vary by industry as well. Some buyer journeys are one day, some are several months, or even years.
• Economic trends. Whether it’s inflation, a pandemic, a supply shortage, or something else, these trends cause consumer behavior shifts which impact your Google Ads results.
• Other channels. Other channels like SEO and social media can improve your brand awareness and indirectly impact the effectiveness of your Google Ads.
• Account management. Those who perform regular audits, keep their ads and landing pages relevant, stay on top of platform updates, and continually test and make data-driven optimizations are the ones who see success.