Running Google Ads has plenty of benefits: (almost) guaranteed appearance in the SERPs, the ability to directly target your audience with the messaging you want, and it can be very cost effective.
However, launching a campaign without proper planning can lead to wasted budget and missed opportunities.
Before starting Google Ads, it’s essential to take a step back and ask yourself some important questions to ensure your campaign is set up for success.
Thinking about it? Here are five critical questions every aviation, travel or transport brand should ask before diving into Google Ads.
1. What is my end goal?
If you don’t have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve, it is impossible to know what success will look like to you, and your campaign may lack direction and focus.
Let’s take the example of an aviation technology B2B business. Ask yourself:
- Do I want to increase brand awareness of my business amongst prospects or those interested in the type of technology we offer?
- Am I aiming to drive more website traffic?
- Is my priority to generate instant leads or is it part of a longer sales cycle?
Your business goals will guide your entire ad strategy, from the type of campaigns you create to the keywords you choose and the metrics you track. For example, if your goal is to increase sales, you might focus on conversion-based campaigns. For brand awareness, a wider keyword pool and a more generic information-led landing page might be more effective.
2. Who is my target audience for Google Ads?
The aviation industry is notable niche. There are many segmented audiences that aren’t relevant to the other 99% of the market.
With Google Ads, you have the ability to target specific demographics, locations and interests, but you need to have a clear picture of who your ideal customers are. Ask yourself:
- Who exactly is my product or service for?
- What words or phrases are they likely to be searching for in relation to my technology?
- What problems do they face, and how can my product or service help solve them?
Knowing your audience will help you craft more targeted ads and select the right keywords, ensuring that you reach those most likely to be interested.
3. What is my budget?
Google Ads operates on a bidding system, so having a clear budget is essential to managing your campaigns effectively. You need to decide how much you are willing to spend per day and how much you are willing to pay for each click or conversion. Ask yourself:
- How much am I willing to spend on this campaign overall?
- What is my daily budget for ads?
- Am I comfortable adjusting my bids based on performance?
Setting a budget prevents overspending and helps you monitor your return on investment (ROI). You can always start small, test your ads and then scale up based on what’s working.
4. What keywords should I target?
Keywords are at the heart of any Google Ads campaign. The right keywords ensure that your ads appear in front of the right people at the right time. However, choosing keywords requires research and strategy. Ask yourself:
- What are my potential customers searching for when looking for products or services like mine?
- Have I done keyword research to find high-intent, relevant terms?
- Are there long-tail keywords (several words in length) I should target to reach a more specific audience?
Using tools like Google’s Keyword Planner – or one of the many paid tools available – can help you identify keywords that match your business goals. Additionally, make sure to consider negative keywords – terms you don’t want your ads to show for – so you can avoid irrelevant clicks.
5. What metrics will I use to measure success?
Once your campaign is up and running, you’ll need to track performance to ensure you’re meeting your goals. This is where key performance indicators (KPIs) come in. Defining your success metrics upfront allows you to monitor your campaign’s effectiveness and optimise accordingly. Ask yourself:
- What will I consider a successful campaign?
- Will I measure success by the number of clicks, the click-through rate (CTR), conversions or return on ad spend (ROAS)?
- How will I track my performance—using Google Analytics, conversion tracking or another tool?
Your metrics will depend on your business objectives. For example, if you’re focused on driving sales, you’ll want to closely monitor your conversion rate and cost-per-acquisition (CPA). On the other hand, if brand awareness is the goal, impressions and CTR may be more important.
Plan before you launch
Launching a Google Ads campaign without a clear plan will result in no result. By asking yourself these five questions, you’ll be better prepared to create campaigns that not only reach the right people but also drive real results for your brand.
Get in touch with our digital team to help you create digital campaigns that deliver, or read more about how Google Ads can fit into a wider strategy.
