If you search for information on Google Ads (formerly known as Google AdWords) online, you’ll likely see many conflicting opinions. Some people will encourage everyone to use it because it has a great ROI, while others will say it’s a waste of money. There will be articles about how people don’t click on Google Ads, and then articles about how Internet users click on the ads before organic search results. Before you lose your mind reading each side of the story, we decided to set the record straight by debunking the top Google Ads myths.

Myth #1: It Doesn’t Work

This myth is only partly right. It doesn’t work if you don’t know how to use it.

Google Ads isn’t as easy to use as people may believe. Google Ads experts do research and analyze mounds of data to find what works best. If you set up a Google Ads campaign without knowing how to find the right keywords, target audience, write good ad copy, and set up proper tracking, then it likely won’t work the way you want it to.

Let me share a case study with you. We were helping an E-commerce client generate more revenue using Google Ads. In February, when we started, they spent $11,016 on their ad campaign. This generated $48,535. By September, we were able to reduce ad spend by $8,100 and increased revenue to a whopping $87,628. That is an 81% increase in revenue and a decrease of 36% in ad spend.

There’s no question that Google Ads can definitely work, but the key is making sure you know how to create and manage the campaigns properly.

 

Myth #2: Internet Users Don’t Click on Ads

This is untrue. Most people can’t tell the difference between Google Ads and organic search results. And, even if you can tell the difference, if that ad is giving you the information you searched for, you probably don’t care if it’s sponsored or not.

Over the last few years, Google has made changes to the way their ads look on search engine results pages. In 2000, they used a yellow background for the ads. In 2014, they removed the yellow background and just placed a yellow “Ad” icon next to them. In 2017, they changed the yellow icon to green. By the end of 2017, they simply put a green ring around the word Ad.

Moz has found that people are clicking on ads vs organic search results more than they used to. It’s likely because of the changes Google has made to make ads look as much like organic search results as possible.

 

Myth #3: You Can’t Track ROI with Google AdWords

John Wanamaker once said, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.”

Sure, this may have been true for him back in the day, but it doesn’t have to be this way. We now have more data to show how profitable Google Ads can be for marketers.

When campaigns are set up correctly on the AdWords platform, you can see how each ad is performing. From that data, you can make changes to when your ads display, who your ads target, or change the messaging in your ads to improve performance. This can significantly boost results.

Google Ads isn’t a “set it and forget it” type of marketing campaign. The power of it comes from paying attention to the data Google now provides on its platform and then using it to maximize your ROI.

 

Myth #4: Display Ads Don’t Work

Again, this myth is only partially true. The reality is display ads don’t work if you show them to the wrong people. If ads are shown to people who are not interested in a product or service they care about, they won’t be effective.

Display ads DO work if you show them to people who are interested in the ad content. For example, if you’re in the market for a new lawn mower and you see an ad for $100 off a model you were considering, you’re more likely to click on it than if you weren’t interested in buying one. A picture is worth a thousand words, and an effective Display campaign makes use of the value of images in advertising.

 

Myth #5: You Need a Lot of Money for Google Ads

With Google Ads, you pay for the number of clicks your ad gets. If you set up your campaigns correctly, then each click is hopefully from someone who is interested in what you’re promoting. Each click can cost a few cents to a few dollars depending on the keywords you’re bidding for. So, does this mean you CAN spend a lot of money? Yes. Does it mean you HAVE to spend a lot of money? No.

Neil Patel was able to scale his ROI to give him 155 leads for just $343. This was all from carefully selecting the right keywords that targeted the right audience. Careful targeting is one of the secrets behind getting the best ROI – no matter how much money you spend.

So while you do need to invest some budget if you plan to use Google Ads, your budget doesn’t have to be a huge one.

 

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