Let’s start off by saying that Google Ads (formerly AdWords) is well suited for lead generation. That is, it is designed to get you leads from possible customers interested in the products or services your company offers.
Going into detail, with Google Ads you can configure specific settings to increase leads, recognized in the system as“conversions.” Some bidding strategies, such as“Maximize conversions,” are expressly geared toward achieving this goal.
But all this is not enough: leads must be of value, and often the contacts acquired are not adequately qualified. Much depends on the strategy employed.
Let us discover together the potential of this tool and understand how to develop an effective strategy to achieve satisfactory results.
Why is Google Ads crucial for lead generation?
As we have already mentioned, Google Ads is particularly powerful for lead generation because of the ability to create ad campaigns with goals and settings specifically geared toward lead acquisition.
Any examples?
- You can set“leads” as the specific marketing objective of the campaign.
- There are several automated bidding strategies for generating leads, such as “Maximize conversions,” “Cost per acquisition target,” or “ROAS target.”
- A form for collecting contact information can be integrated directly into the ad without disrupting the user experience.
- You can activate search campaigns on the Google network that show ads at the very moment the user makes a relevant search. By using the right keywords, you can reach only those users who are extremely interested in your offer and are therefore more likely to provide their data.
These are just some of the main advantages offered by Google Ads to acquire qualified leads. Let’s now move on to examine how to actually implement these strategies, taking into account some important aspects.
Then remember thatpractical experience in the field is crucial. For this very reason, relying on an agency that specializes in Google Ads can be decisive in reducing the wait time for tangible results.
Want to know more about our of agency?
Read here: Google Partner Agency since 2010
How to do lead generation with Google Ads: the basic points
To do lead generation with Google Ads, it is essential to understand that you need to study your target audience, and for this we suggest:
- identify your audience
- Structuring a funnel to reach the user at all stages
- Optimize the landing page for your audience
Then you will need to pay attention to 2 key aspects of campaigns:
1. Identify your target audience
The first step involves precisely identifying your target audience. This includes understanding age, gender, interests, behaviors and other crucial demographics of your potential customers. Google Ads allows you to refine your targeting using this information, ensuring that your ads are shown only to the most relevant users.
2. Structure a funnel to reach the user at various stages
The customer’s path to purchase consists of several stages, from awareness of need to consideration to final decision. Google Ads offers the ability to structure targeted campaigns for each specific stage of the funnel. For example, for the initial awareness stage, you can use display ads to increase your brand awareness.
As the potential customer progresses through the funnel, you can introduce more targeted ads with search network ads, with specific call-to-actions, such as signing up for a webinar or downloading a guide.
To retrieve the user or solicit his or her attention in the final stage of the funnel, you can adopt remarketing techniques to keep in touch with users who have already shown interest in your site.
You can then decide whether to focus on an informed question, where the customer is already informed and has a defined desire, or on latent demand, where the customer may not be immediately inclined to purchase. For conscious demand, for example, direct search campaigns or campaigns that encourage immediate calls might be effective, while for latent demand, you might make use of display, Demand gen, or YouTube campaigns.
3. Optimize the landing page (landing page).
Your landing page is where visitors “land” after clicking on your ad. It is vital that this page is optimized not only for conversion, but also to provide an excellent user experience. Design, messaging, and contact forms should be crafted with your target audience’s specific characteristics in mind.
Want to learn more about this topic?
Find out exactly what a landing page is and what features it must have to perform well!
4. Create impactful ads
Create ads that are eye-catching, but also highly relevant to your audience. An ad that works immediately grabs attention and communicates a clear, direct message. It is important to use punchy headlines, persuasive descriptions, and take advantage of high-quality images or videos to make your ads stand out from the competition.
To further optimize performance, you should create at least two versions of ads with different creative. This approach allows you to test various copy to find out which is most effective in engaging and converting your audience.
In addition, diversifying ad formats is most useful: consider at least using search network adaptive ads, display adaptive ads, and video bumpers. Obviously, each ad type has its own characteristics and logic that may take up more of your time, but this variety will ensure broader coverage and the ability to intercept your target audience in different contexts and stages of the buying funnel.
5. Refine your targeting
To ensure that your Google Ads campaigns reach the right people, it is crucial to continually refine your targeting. What do we recommend you do?
- Test different keywords and keyword combinations to identify those that generate the most conversions
- Google Ads gives you the ability to analyze search term reports (i.e., exactly what the user types into the Google search bar). Then create negative keyword lists and enter terms that are not relevant to your business. This way your ads will no longer trigger for certain searches and you will optimize your investment and traffic to your landing page.
Experiment with various audience segments with A/B testing to see which users are most responsive.
Need to learn more about this aspect?
You may find our guide helpful:
Google Ads targeting methods
Ready to generate more valuable leads for your business?
Are you ready to optimize your Google Ads campaigns? Still not convinced of the possibilities the tool can give you to improve your business?
We give you one last piece of advice: we at Isola di Comunicazione offer a free consultation to explain the potential of Google Ads for your specific business and a free analysis of your campaigns, if you already have them active, to identify improvement actions.
What are you waiting for? Request a consultation for your Google Ads lead generation campaigns now!
