SETUP GOOGLE ADS – QUICK STEP-BY-STEP TO RUN YOUR FIRST CAMPAIGN.

After exploring various tutorials and testing different approaches, I have put together this quick guide step-by-step to help you setup Google Ads and run your first campaign. This guide is perfect for beginners who want to start running ‘Google Ads Search Campaign’ like a pro. It contains straight up step-by-step instructions without confusing terms, along with some important tips. Follow these steps, and your first Google Ads Search Campaign will be live in no time.

SET UP AND RUN GOOGLE ADS: THE STEPS

1. Create Google Ads account.
2. Create campaign.
3. Select campaign objective.
4. Conversion goals.
5. Bidding & network.
6. Locations & languages.
7. Broad match keywords.
8. Keyword and assets generation.
9. Keywords.
10. Ads assets.
11. Ads headlines.
12. Ads description.
13. Ads sitelinks.
14. Ads callouts.
15. Ads promotions.
16. Ads calls.
17. Ads structured snippets.
18. Ads budgets.

STEP #1: SETUP GOOGLE ADS ACCOUNT.

If you’re new to Google Ads and do not have an account before, follow this step.

  • Search for ‘Google Ads’ in Google search.
  •  Login and fill up details needed and next.
  • Then, ‘Skip’ until you see ‘Set up and account only’ and select this option to quickly set up your account.

If you already have a Google Ads account, login. as usual.

STEP #2: CREATE GOOGLE ADS CAMPAIGN.

Top left corner select (+) icon and select ‘Campaign’ to start create a campaign to house your ads.

Pro tip: You can setup Google Ads Campaign to house few different ad sets with different settings such as different group of keywords.

STEP #3: SELECT CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVE.

Select ‘Create a campaign without guidance’.

Select ‘Search’. Must select ‘Search campaign type!

STEP #4: CONVERSION GOALS.

Conversion goals for campaign performance optimization is to tell Google what to keep track out of your ads. Follow this guide to set up conversion buttons > WhatsApp.

Select ‘Website visits’ and paste in your website domain (https://yourwebsite.com).

Go next!

STEP #5: BIDDING AND NETWORK.

Now, you need to set your bidding objective. Select ‘conversion’ for this set up.

Deselect both network options even though it says recommended. Test your ads purely on Google Search Ads alone first.

STEP #6: LOCATIONS AND LANGUAGES.

Type in locations that you want your ads to target. Always remember to target locations you service or deliver.

Select your ads language. Preferably one language for one ads set.

Pro tip: Multiracial country like Malaysia, recommend to create different ‘ads set’ for another languages in your Google Ads campaign. Better personalization and easier to monitor.

STEP #7: BROAD MATCH KEYWORDS.

Select ‘On: Use broad match keywords for your entire campaign. Best to test out your keywords with broad matches at the start of your campaign.

Click ‘More settings’ to expand more options. Set as per your preferences.

  • Ad rotation: Default.
  • Start and end dates: Start date and end date of your campaign. Don’t touch to run your campaign continuously.
  • Ad schedule: Set what time and days you want your ads to be shown.
  • Campaign URL options: Default.
  • Brands: We are not going deep here.

STEP #8: KEYWORD AND ASSETS GENERATION.

IF you do not have any idea of potential keywords, try out this function by putting in your website domain and generate.

Pro tip: always go to Google and search for your keywords to see how your competitors are setting up their Google ads as reference.

STEP #9: KEYWORDS.

After you used the previous function ‘Keyword and asset generation’, this section will auto populate with keywords ideas by Google AI.

Else, input your own keywords. Follow this guide on how to use Google Keyword Planner and do keyword research.

Pro tip: Suggest to begin with 5 – 7 keywords and do not stuff keywords for all products in one ads. Will be a burden when you set your ads headlines, descriptions etc.

STEP #10: ADS ASSETS.

Let’s start setting up your ads assets.

  • Final URL: Your website domain.
  • Display path: Can skip.
  • Headlines: Maximum 30 characters and 15 headlines.
  • Long headlines: For longer headlines input.
  • Descriptions: Maximum 90 characters and 4 descriptions.
  • Sitelinks: Use sitelinks to expand your ads.
  • Callouts: Expanding your descriptions with fixed information.
  • Promotions: Add in your promotions in your ads.
  • Calls: Must input your contact number.
  • Structured snippets: Use snippets to expand your ads.

Enter your domain name in ‘Final URL’ (https://yourwebsite.com).

STEP #11: ADS HEADLINES.

Arrange your headlines properly because,

  • Google Ads will mix and match 2 headlines of yours to become 1 headline.
  • limited to 30 characters.
  • headlines need to contain your keywords for better ad strength.

Example: Proton X50 (headline 1) + highest rebate RM7000 (headline 2)

You can use the ‘pin’ feature to fix your headline 1 and headline 2 to prevent your headline being messed up.

STEP #12: ADS DESCRIPTION.

Arrange your descriptions properly because Google will mix and match them like headlines too.

Example: Looking for the best Honda offer? I’m Jasmine from Honda Puchong. (description 1) + Get rebate up to RM7000 in all Honda models with lowest interest rate. (description 2)

You can also use ‘pin’ feature to fix your description 1 and description 2.

STEP #14: ADS CALLOUTS.

Callout gives spaces for you to add additional information you want to include at the end of your Google Ads. You can add  information about your business/product/ service.

  • fast delivery.
  • lowest interest rate.
  • highest rebate.
  • door-to-door service.
  • test drive.

You can use callouts to expand your Google ads too.

STEP #15: ADS PROMOTIONS.

Promotions can display your promotions right at your Google Ads. Enough space to input your promotion to impact your customers that sees your ads.

  • Occasion: Select suitable occasion or none.
  • Language: Select language.
  • Currency: Select currency.
  • Promotion type: Monetary discount or percentage off.
  • Item: Product name.
  • Final URL: also input your website domain.

STEP #16: ADS CALLS.

Never leave out your contact number for customers to contact you.

STEP #17: ADS STRUCTURED SNIPPETS.

One last feature to help enrich your Google Ads. When you use ‘callouts’ for your business/service/products features, ‘structured snippets’ can be used to display your products at the end of description.

Example: Proton X50, Proton X70, Proton Saga, Honda Civic.

STEP #18: ADS BUDGET.

The final part is your Google ads budget. You see Google will recommend multiple budget levels but you can always try to ‘Set customer budget’. Nothing wrong with that.

Pro tip: the more keywords you include in your ads, chances are you will need a higher daily budget. 

Setting up and running your first Google Ads is the beginning. Your next path is optimizing by monitoring your ads. You wouldn’t want to not spend or over spend. When your ads are not spending then you will need to study keywords you included in the ads.