It is not uncommon for businesses to allocate a significant amount of their marketing budget for Google Ads. However, success isn't a function of the budget allocated alone; it's a combination of several factors. One of the questions that have long plagued small businesses is, "should we outsource our Google Ads?". Let's explore these 4 factors to help you make an informed decision.

1. In-depth knowledge

It's easy to set up Google Ads. But because of this, competition is stiff. So, like any tool, you'll need to know how to use it well and to your advantage. Unless you are a marketing agency, chances are you do not possess a bag of tricks or in-depth knowledge to outmanoeuvre the competition.

2. Success with data

A paramount principle in ensuring Google Ads success is data, but tracking, analysing and calibrating your Google Ads campaign accordingly can be time-consuming. Again, unless you are a marketing agency, you're better off focusing on closing the deal. Data is empowering but only if you use it, so, engage the experts and tap their experience.

3. Set up for success

As a small business, your primary focus will be the marketing, sales and delivery of your product or service. Together, they should take up the bulk of your time. Of course, you will have to factor in accounts and perhaps human resource management too, but isn't managing Google Ads a marketing function? No! The creation of products or services, customer engagement and campaigns should be the focus of your marketing endeavours. You should consider outsourcing marketing operations where feasible.

4. Time management

Timeliness is the little known secret of business success. When you are at the right time and place, success is a high probability. When an opportunity comes along, the last place you want to be is analysing your ad traffic and making changes. Time and tide await no man, even in digital marketing.

Hungry for Google Ads success? We serve up one the best Google Ads strategy. To learn more about our approach to digital marketing Canberra-wide, connect here.

Sometimes, a little urgency can push a prospect across the line. There are many reasons they delay making a purchase. Amongst others, they may be spoilt for choice or lacking clarity in the problem they are attempting to resolve. As a result, they may be sitting on their decision. A gentle nudge helps. One of the ways in which this can be done is by creating and communicating urgency. This can be embedded in your Google Ad copy. It's a widely used tactic in AdWords Canberra businesses use. But ensuring your ad doesn't come across as pushy or salesy is important. It can be done with style and substance. In this post, you'll find useful tips you can apply.

1. Datelines

It's an acceptable practice to set sales datelines. The fact is that people recognise, as a business, that you need to move on from one line to the next. By setting datelines, you're giving prospects a window of opportunity to make a purchase on favourable terms as long as the need exists.

2. Choice of words plays a part

"Be the first to use it", "Get immediate access", "Installation fee waived" - they lend urgency to your copy. More importantly, it embeds a benefit to prospects should they make the purchase soon. Urgency should never be to the seller's advantage only.

3. Personalise the offer

Today, marketing personalisation plays a big part in driving success. Do not ignore it when communicating urgency. Tailoring an offer to prospects' interests using their digital footprint can move them along the sales cycle faster. In addition, it can work well for prospects who abandon their sales carts.

4. Use numbers

Numbers are like morse codes; they communicate an idea very quickly. For example, "4 out of 5 customers prefer to use this system!". If your prospects value their customers, this message may compel them to act. They risk losing 4 of their customers if they do not switch to using your services.

Whether a billboard or website design, the desired impact is similar. They have to engage the target audience. With the average attention span of humans at only 8.25s, a good design is critical. So, what's the link between a Google AdWords campaign and your website design?

A good campaign drives traffic to your website. Once there, your website's 'job' is to convert that traffic into at least enquirers, if not customers. However, poor user experience may lead to visitors leaving your website prematurely. For example, Google has reported over 7 in 10 will leave a website if it isn't mobile-friendly.

How to design a user experience to drive growth, traffic and engagement?

1. Develop customer intimacy

Know your customers well. Make it a point to understand their needs, motivators and online behaviour early in the design phase. This depth of understanding can be applied in your Google AdWords campaign too.

2. Buyer's journey

You've got a very short window to nurture engagement. When prospects see what they're looking for in the first instance, there is a chance they'll hang around a while longer. Both your website and Google AdWords must reflect where prospects are in the buyer's journey when they go online.

3. Map their journey into your brand

With technology today, just about every format and design can be done from the comfort of your mobile device or desktop. And they are pretty intuitive too, requiring hardly any knowledge of web design. But remember, the website is for your target audience. Map the journey of exploration they are likely to take. You may not get it 100% right, but rest assured it will be close enough.

4. Test

It's a small investment to make relative to the potential return. After all, you've got to make sure it works. Test your website design like you would your Google AdWords campaign. You'll gain invaluable insights into their web search behaviour.

To gain attention, let alone conversion is challenging. However, good user experience and targeted Google AdWords campaign can lead to success. Connect here to learn how you can make work well together.

Today, you can create a landing page in minutes. Unfortunately, speed alone isn't enough. Though necessary, on its own it can't drive conversion. In this post, we will share the five fundamentals of a landing page to serve that can help you drive your Google AdWords campaign further.

1. The target audience

Your landing page is a communication piece. Hence, it has to speak to the right target audience to convince and convert. Without a laser focus, it may speak to everyone but is listened to by no one. Nothing can be more frustrating than to have clicks or impressions but zero inquiry. Be clear of the target audience when you conceptualise your landing page.

2. K.I.S.S

In other words, keep it simple and succinct! Every content and visual must guide the target audience towards the call-to-action you want them to take. Clutter is an effective landing page's greatest enemy. It distracts and confuses the reader. A landing page should excite and interest them.

3. Use visuals to maximise the impact

A picture paints a thousand words. Humans are visual creatures. We are drawn to them. Visuals trigger interest to read or learn more. It also facilitates memorability. Finally, visuals enhance the aesthetic appeal of the landing page. In IoT, the average consumer is bombarded by thousands of landing pages. What will make yours stand out?

4. Testimonials sell

Today, people tend to believe the reviews and recommendations of others more than claims made by brands in their ads. The connected consumer has a multitude of sources to learn of a brand's or product's effectiveness. In the digital age, word-of-mouth marketing has grown more powerful than ever. Use it to your advantage in creating a growth-centric landing page.

5. Clarity

Keep your copy succinct, not just short. Make sure it is digestible and easily understood. Fortunately, there are many tools to help you achieve this. They can help you proofread, edit and even make suggestions.

Your landing page is the gateway to your target audience. Ensuring it is optimised to this end is critical. Speak to us to learn how you can achieve this.

 This data should not be surprising: we read only 28% of the text on a web page. Outside of the digital arena, research by 3M reported that presenters using visual aids are 43% more effective in delivering their points across. Prior to running your next Google AdWords campaign, think about integrating visuals in your communication. In this post, we will discuss the various types of visual elements you can consider.

1. Emotional cues of colours

Colours are used not only for aesthetic reasons. They can evoke emotional responses in consumers and complement the use of text to deliver a message. Blue, for example, communicates trustworthiness. One of the world's leading cloud-based accounting software, XERO, paints its digital presence in primarily blue colours.

2. Real people

A 2006 study published by Georgetown University Medical Center revealed that the human brain is wired to recognize and remember faces. So it makes sense to have images of real people in your digital marketing Canberra campaign to create impact and aid memorability. Images of real people will also make your marketing more personable and will subconsciously communicate feelings of empathy. The impact multiplies when real people are shown using your product or service.

3. Visualizing data and information

When data and information are visualized, they are more digestible and are easier to understand and remember. Be they complex or simple facts, with the help of visuals - images or sketches - they are likely to hit home faster and more succinctly. If the big idea behind the message is relevant, it can trigger interest and purchase intent.

4. Use videos

You can easily create a video with excellent sound and picture quality from anywhere, anytime - thanks to the latest smartphone technology. Videos are the ultimate visual aid to drive engagement, which explains their rising popularity amongst marketers.

A picture paints a thousand words. After all, humans are visual creatures. Well used, visuals can make the winning difference to your digital marketing strategy. To learn more about the application of visuals, connect with us here.