New Website, No Visitors? No Problem!
Struggling to attract visitors to your brand new website? You’re not alone. But fear not!
This data-driven guide unlocks the secrets to crafting high-performing Google Ads campaigns specifically designed for new websites. Watch your conversion rates soar as you master lead generation with Google Ads.
Generate Leads Faster with Google Ads
Google Ads is one of the fastest ways to attract targeted visitors to your website and convert them into leads. However, to be successful, you need to execute your campaign strategically. Google has its own set of requirements, and fine-tuning your campaigns and ad groups to reach the right audience requires skill.
Here, we’ll cover everything you need to know to launch a winning Google Ads campaign for your new website:
- Google Ads launch checklist for a new website
- Special considerations for eCommerce businesses
- Troubleshooting: Why am I not getting leads on Google Ads?
- Different Google Ads campaign types for lead generation
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Google Ads Launch Checklist for a New Website
Launching a high-converting Google Ads campaign requires careful preparation. Here are the essential elements to ensure a smooth takeoff:
Keyword & Audience Targeting
The success of your campaign hinges on who sees your ads and what they’re searching for. Conduct thorough keyword research using tools like SEMrush or Google Ads Keyword Planner. Analyze your website analytics, identify keywords your competitors rank for, and even ask your customers what search terms they typically use. Remember, understanding search intent is crucial. A software company targeting the term “OCR” wouldn’t want to show ads to users researching the US government’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Instead, “optical character recognition” or “buy OCR software” would be more relevant keywords with clear buying intent.
Dedicated Landing Pages
In almost all cases, avoid sending users directly to your homepage! Create dedicated landing pages specifically designed for your campaigns. Here are some key landing page tips:
- Clear Call to Action (CTA)
Tell visitors exactly what you want them to do, whether it’s signing up for a free trial, downloading a whitepaper, or requesting a quote. - Conversion-Focused Content
Craft content that compels visitors to take action. Ensure the content aligns with the search intent behind the keywords used to reach that landing page. - No Distractions
Omit navigation menus or links that could lead visitors away from your desired conversion action. - Fast Loading Speed
Google prioritizes page speed when ranking ads. A slow landing page can negatively impact your campaign performance. - Keyword Integration
Include relevant keywords throughout your landing page content, including product titles and descriptions for eCommerce sites. - CTA Match
Ensure the CTA on your landing page matches the language used in your ad. Don’t advertise a “Free Trial” only to lead users to a demo booking form. - Social Proof & Visuals
Showcase testimonials, customer reviews, and high-quality visuals of your product or service to build trust and credibility. - Persuasive Web Design
Utilize persuasive design techniques to guide visitors towards the desired action.
Ad Copy
Craft compelling ad copy that speaks directly to your target audience’s pain points.
- Focus on Benefits
Position your product or service as a solution to their problems. - Specifics are Effective
Use data-driven statements (“40% off”) instead of vague generalities (“lower prices”). - Free Gets Attention
Offer a freebie to grab attention (but ensure it’s relevant to your offering). - Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI)
Leverage DKI to automatically insert relevant keywords into your responsive search ads. This allows Google’s algorithms to optimize your ads for the best possible performance.
Tracking
Measure your campaign’s effectiveness by tracking the right conversions. Don’t get caught up in vanity metrics like page views or button clicks. Track form submissions for lead generation campaigns and purchases for eCommerce sites.
- Direct Tracking with Google Ads
We recommend using Google Tag Manager to establish a direct communication channel between your website and Google Ads. Avoid relying on sending conversions through Google Analytics 4 (GA4) first, as this can lead to missed attribution or incomplete data. - Regular Testing
Regularly test your conversion tracking setup, especially after making website updates. Changes to form IDs, CSS classes, or even button text can disrupt tracking.
Transparency
Google requires an easily accessible contact page on your website. Your website’s contact page should include at least two of the following:
- Contact form
- Customer support email address
- Customer support phone number
- Business physical address
- Privacy Policy
An easily accessible privacy policy linked in your website footer is essential. This policy should ideally outline:- How you use visitor data
- How third-party vendors utilize information
- How visitors can opt out of cookies
- Google Ads Policy Compliance
Google has extensive industry-specific compliance requirements. Certain industries, such as healthcare, politics, alcohol, gambling, and weapons, face stricter controls. Double-check that your campaign adheres to any regulations specific to your niche.
Special Considerations for eCommerce Businesses
If you operate an eCommerce business, you’ll need to utilize Google Merchant Center in conjunction with Google Ads. Here’s a quick guide to linking your accounts:
- Create a Google Merchant Center account.
- Navigate to the settings icon and select “Linked accounts.”
- Choose “Google Ads” and enter your Google Ads customer ID or select your desired account.
- In Google Ads, navigate to “Setup” -> “Linked accounts” and search for “Google Merchant Center.”
- Locate the account you wish to link and click “Approve” (requires admin privileges).
Google Merchant Center & Product Feed Setup
Google Merchant Center is a valuable tool that centralizes your entire online presence across Google Search, Ads, Maps, Shopping, YouTube, and more. Here are some additional requirements for eCommerce businesses using Merchant Center:
- Refund/Return Policy
A clear refund or return policy page is mandatory, even if you don’t offer refunds or returns. - HTTPS Security
Ensure your checkout process is secure with HTTPS encryption. - Payment Methods
Accept common payment methods like credit and debit cards. - Clear Terms of Purchase
Outline the full terms of purchase for your products or services. - Conversion Value Tracking
Track purchases as conversions within Google Ads to allow Google’s algorithms to optimize for your bottom line. This data enables you to monitor your return on ad spend (ROAS) by comparing revenue to ad spend. - Conversion Value Tracking Setup
Setting up conversion value tracking can be achieved through plugins like GTM4WP (Google Tag Manager for WordPress) or custom coding, depending on your content management system (CMS). Popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce offer easier integration options. Having a grasp of Google Tag Manager will further enhance your conversion value tracking efforts.
Troubleshooting: Why Am I Not Getting Leads on Google Ads?
PPC (pay-per-click) advertising is a complex process with many variables at play. If you’re not generating leads, there could be several contributing factors. Here are some actionable steps to improve your results:
Audit Search Terms & Set Negative Keywords
Review your search terms report to identify irrelevant search queries triggering your ads. Fortunately, you can exclude these terms by adding them as negative keywords.
- Go to the account, campaign, or ad group you wish to analyze in the search terms report.
- In the left-hand sidebar, navigate to “Keywords” and expand the menu.
- Select “Search terms.”
- Check the boxes next to irrelevant search terms and choose “Add as negative keyword.”
- Choose the exclusion level (ad group, campaign, or account-level negative keyword list).
*For Performance Max campaigns, negative keywords can be set at the account level: - Click “View all N campaigns in this view” in the top left corner.
- Select “Settings” followed by “Account settings” in the left sidebar.
- Choose “Negative keywords.”
- Click the blue plus icon to add account-level negative keywords (these will apply to all Search, Shopping, and Performance Max campaigns within the account). Use caution when implementing account-level negative keywords to avoid unintended consequences for other campaigns.
Pause Low-Performing Keywords & Ads
Not all keywords are equally effective. Regularly analyze keyword performance and consider pausing those with high costs and low conversion rates. Competitor brand names or very broad keywords can often lead to unnecessary expense. When you identify a low performer, consider pausing it and testing new headlines and descriptions.
Test Your Responsive Search Ads
Here are some best practices for testing responsive search ads:
- Maintain at least two ads per ad group at all times.
- Track performance differences and allow each ad to run for 30 days or until it receives 2500-5000 impressions.
- Pause the underperforming ad and create a new one to compete against the winner. This ongoing testing process encourages your ads to learn and improve over time.
Consider a Professional PPC Agency or Freelancer: An experienced PPC professional can provide valuable expertise to optimize your campaign performance. Sometimes, a minor adjustment you might overlook can make a significant difference. Factor the cost of professional services into your overall marketing budget.
Cost of Google Ads Leads
The cost of leads generated through Google Ads varies depending on your industry and the desired conversion type. For instance, a local dental practice will likely face lower costs compared to an HR software company operating in a competitive, high-value B2B space. Additionally, acquiring a newsletter signup is significantly easier and less expensive than securing a full eCommerce purchase.
The cost per click (CPC) is influenced by factors like:
- Age
- Location
- Gender
- Level of Education
- What is a Good Number of Leads Per Day?
Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula for the ideal number of leads per day. This metric is highly industry and action-specific. Ultimately, a “good” number of leads translates to the quantity required to achieve your sales goals.
How Much Should I Spend on Google Ads to Be Effective?
Similar to the cost of leads, there’s no minimum spend threshold for Google Ads. However, budgets below $500 can make it challenging to generate enough impressions for Google’s machine learning algorithms to optimize effectively. While smaller budgets might still yield some leads for new businesses, a successful campaign typically requires a more substantial investment.
Your budget should consider:
- Industry Competitiveness
- Keyword Traffic Volume
- Google’s Top of Page Bid Estimate
All these metrics are readily available within Google Ads Keyword Planner and can be used to estimate your expected cost per conversion and Google Ads lead volume.
Focus on Quality Score to Spend Less
Just like many aspects of life, quality often trumps quantity in PPC advertising. Quality Score is a Google metric that assesses the quality of your ad relative to your competitors. A high Quality Score signifies that your ad and landing page are relevant and valuable to users who click on them.
Here’s how a high Quality Score benefits you:
- Lower Cost-per-Click (CPC)
A better Quality Score translates to a lower CPC because Google prioritizes showing relevant and useful ads to users. Conversely, irrelevant or unhelpful ads discourage users from clicking on sponsored ads in the future, leading to higher CPCs for those advertisers. - How to Find Your Quality Score
- Navigate to the “Keywords” section menu and select “Search keywords.”
- Click the columns icon in the upper right-hand corner.
- Select “Quality Score” under “Modify columns for keywords.”
- Choose “Quality Score,” “Exp. CTR,” “Landing page exp.,” and “Ad relevance.” Click “Apply” and “Save the column set.”
This will display your overall Quality Score alongside individual ratings for the three components that comprise it, providing valuable insights into areas for improvement.
Types of Google Ads Campaigns for Lead Generation
The vast Google online empire offers a diverse range of advertising opportunities. Here’s a breakdown of some campaign types commonly used for lead generation:
Search Network Campaigns
These are the sponsored text ads displayed at the top of Google search results. The top result will always be a paid ad, but it will be clearly labeled as “Sponsored.”
Display Network Campaigns
These are the visual display ads showcased on various websites across the internet. Display campaigns are generally more suited to brand awareness efforts rather than direct conversions. We typically don’t recommend them for our clients.
Performance Max Campaigns
This is Google’s newest campaign type, designed to deliver optimized ads across all Google channels, including YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and more. Consider Performance Max campaigns for new websites.
Performance Max Shopping Campaigns
Specifically designed for eCommerce businesses, these campaigns serve shopping ads optimized for online sales. For most new eCommerce websites launching Google Ads, we recommend Performance Max Shopping over a standard Shopping campaign.
Video Campaigns
These ads are displayed on YouTube before videos play and during ad card moments.
While all these campaign types have their applications, Search Network or Performance Max campaigns are typically the most recommended for our clients when it comes to lead generation.
FAQs
What is a good ROI on Google Ads?
ROI (Return on Investment) varies depending on your industry and business goals. However, a positive ROI that generates a profit is always a good indicator. Track key metrics like customer lifetime value (CLTV) to measure the total revenue a customer generates over their relationship with your company. A positive CLTV allows you to evaluate if your Google Ads campaign is profitable even if the initial conversion cost appears high.
What are some common Google Ads mistakes to avoid?
Here are some common pitfalls to steer clear of:
- Poor Keyword Targeting
Irrelevant keywords will attract the wrong audience and waste your budget. - Weak Landing Pages
Landing pages must be conversion-focused and optimized for the keywords and ad copy used. - Limited Ad Testing
Regular testing of ad variations is crucial for campaign optimization. - Neglecting Mobile Optimization
With the vast majority of searches now conducted on mobile devices, responsive ad copy and mobile-friendly landing pages are essential. - Ignoring Quality Score
Always strive for a high Quality Score to benefit from lower CPCs. - Unrealistic Budgets
While setting a modest budget is understandable for a new website, allocating too little can hamper campaign performance.
How can I learn more about Google Ads?
Google offers a wealth of free resources to help you master Google Ads:
- Google Ads Help Center
- Google Skillshop
Free online courses covering various digital marketing topics
Conclusion
Launching a successful Google Ads campaign for your new website requires planning, strategic execution, ongoing optimization, and a grasp of Google’s complex ecosystem. However, with dedication and a results-oriented approach, Google Ads can become a powerful tool for generating high-quality leads and achieving your business goals.
Ready to Launch Your Google Ads Campaign?
The team at TIKI2 specializes in helping businesses leverage the power of Google Ads. Contact us today for a free consultation and discover how we can propel your lead generation efforts to new heights.