Everything You Need to Know About Advertising on Google

Thinking about how do I advertise my business on Google? Read this blog to run ads like a pro.  

In today’s fiercely competitive digital ecosystem, marketing your business online can feel like shouting into a void. You are posting on Instagram, updating your website, sending out emails, but still the phone isn’t ringing, and your site traffic is crawling. 

If all this sounds like a made-up scenario, wait, it’s not. In fact, according to a HubSpot report, over 63% of businesses struggle to generate traffic and leads, and in a world where attention spans are shorter than ever, getting your business seen in the right place at the right time is everything. That’s where Google Ads steps in!

However, unless you know how to advertise your business on Google, your ad spend will keep draining your ad wallet. Wondering how do I advertise on Google? Don’t worry, if you are feeling a little lost or just trying to make sense of CPCs, ROAS, and bidding strategies, you are in the right place. Let’s break it down, shall we? 

How Do I Advertise My Business on Google for Free?

This might sound unreal, but believe me when I say this: “You don’t always need a paid campaign to get your business on Google!” Especially if you are in the eCommerce space, there are free ways to get your products in front of potential buyers, without spending a dime. 

Use Google’s Free Product Listings

Google offers free listings via the Google Merchant Center under a program called Surfaces Across Google. This allows your products to appear in:

• The Google Shopping Tab
• Google Search (in select formats)

These are some listings that don’t require you to run ads or place bids. 

How to Set It Up?

To start showing your products for free:

1. Create a Google Merchant Center account.
2. Upload your product data feed (details like title, image, price, category, etc.)
3. Opt into Surfaces Across Google within Merchant Center
4. Make sure your product landing pages are accessible and mobile-friendly!

That’s it! Your products can now appear for relevant search queries across Google properties, without spending a single ad dollar. 

Explore Grant Opportunities

One of the most valuable programs offered by Google is the Google Ad Grants program. This initiative is designed to support nonprofit organizations by providing up to 10,000 USD per month in free Google Ads credit. Yes, that’s real ad money you can use to promote your mission and reach more people online.

Key details of the Google Ad Grants include:

• Only eligible nonprofits can apply
• You can use the grant to run text ads on Google Search
• You must comply with Google’s ad policies and maintain good performance
• It’s a recurring monthly grant, not a one-time fund

Learn more here: Google Ad Grants Official Page

Most business owners are so focused on running day-to-day operations that they miss out on these opportunities. But taking just 30-60 minutes to explore available grants or register your business for free listings can result in thousands of rupees, or even dollars, in savings or support.

Now, let’s talk about the paid advertising on Google, shall we?

What is Google Advertising or Google Ads?

Google Ads is Google’s online advertising platform that lets you display your ads on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs), YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps, and millions of partner websites via the Google Display Network. Also, while advertising on Google, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad; hence, the term Pay-Per-Click or PPC is also used. 

Read this blog to know more about what is PPC in digital marketing and how to use it. 

Types of Google Ads

Here’s a quick breakdown of the different types of paid search advertising campaigns, or Google Ads, that you can run:

Ad Type	Where It Shows	Best For
Search Ads	Google Search results	High-intent customers
Display Ads	Websites, apps, Gmail	Brand awareness, retargeting
Shopping Ads	Google Shopping tab, search results	E-commerce and product-based sales
Video Ads (YouTube)	YouTube videos and the homepage	Brand storytelling, reach
Performance Max	All of the above, optimized by AI	Businesses wanting automation
App Ads	Google Play, YouTube, Search, and more	App downloads

Why Advertise on Google?

Still wondering if Google PPC is worth the investment? Here are some hard-hitting numbers:

• Google processes over 5 trillion searches per year, which means around 13.7 billion searches per day. (Demand Sage)
• 65% of small-to-midsize businesses run Google Ads. (HubSpot)
• Businesses make an average of $2 for every $1 spent on Google Ads (Google Economic Impact Report).

So, your customers are searching. The question is: Will they find you, or your competitor? 

How Do Google Ads Work?

At its very core, Google advertising runs on an auction system. Here’s how it works:

• You choose keywords you want to show up for (e.g., “best vegan bakery in Chicago)
• You set a bid, which presents how much you are willing to pay per click. 
• Google ranks ads based on your bid, your ad quality, and your landing page experience. 
• The winning ads appear in the top spots on the results page. 

Yes, money talks in Google Ads marketing, but so does relevance and ad quality, which is why it’s not always about the highest bidder. 

What People Often Overlook (But They Shouldn’t)

Let’s talk about the good stuff in Google Ads campaigns that often slip under the radar:

1. Google Ads Is Not Just for Big Budgets

Many small businesses assume that Google pay-per-click marketing is too expensive, which isn’t true. You can start with Google AdWorks with as little as $5 to $10 per day and still drive results. The key is to focus on long-tail keywords and geo-targeting.

2. Negative Keywords Save You Money

Do you want to avoid clicks from people who aren’t really your audience? Use negative keywords to block irrelevant traffic. For instance, if you are selling premium leather jackets, you might exclude keywords like “cheap” or “free.”

3. Use Location Targeting Like a Pro

Why waste money showing your ads to people in cities or countries you don’t serve? Google Ads also lets you target or exclude specific zip codes, cities, or even a radius around your store. 

4. Your Ad Copy Isn’t Just Copy- It’s a Sales Pitch

Most people treat Google Ads like a technical setup. But the truth? Your headline and description are mini sales letters, which is why you need to write them with clarity, benefits, and urgency. 

5. Don’t Forget Retargeting

98% of people won’t buy the first time they visit your site. Retargeting lets you gently nudge those visitors back by showing your ads on websites and YouTube later.

Understanding Bidding Strategies

Here are the most common strategies:

• Manual CPC: You control the bids for each keyword.
• Maximize Clicks: Google adjusts bids to get you the most clicks.
• Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): AI tries to meet your desired return.
• Maximize Conversions: Google aims to get as many conversions as possible within your budget.

If you are new, start with Maximize Clicks or Maximize Conversions, and let Google’s algorithm learn from your traffic.

Quality Score: The Secret Most Brands Don’t Know About

Google assigns every keyword a Quality Score from 1 to 10. It’s based on:

• Click-through rate (CTR)
• Ad relevance
• Landing page experience

The higher your score, the less you pay per click. So improving your ad copy and page experience isn’t just for show; it also directly affects your costs.

Ad Performance Tracking with the Right Metrics

Here are some metrics you need to know about to measure the success of your PPC strategy. 

Metric	Why It Matters
CTR (Click-Through Rate)	% of people who clicked your ad
CPC (Cost Per Click)	How much do you pay for each click
Conversion Rate	% of visitors who took action (buy, sign up, etc.)
ROAS	Revenue earned for every $ spent on ads
Quality Score	Google’s rating of your ad relevance & experience

Pro tip: Set up conversion tracking with Google Tag Manager or directly in the website so you can measure real ROI efficiently. 

For more information, feel free to read our blog on the key metrics to improve your ROAS in 2025 and beyond.  

Common Pitfalls in Google Ads

Here are some common pitfalls that brands face in their ad ranking and performance, and tips to dodge them like a pro: 

• Running too many keywords at once: Start small, test, optimize.
• Sending traffic to your homepage: Instead, create dedicated landing pages for each ad group.
• Not checking your search terms report: This tells you what people typed in, which is why it’s a goldmine for insights.
• Giving up too early: Google’s algorithm needs time (and data). So, run campaigns for at least 2 weeks before making big changes.

Tips for a Winning Google Ads Strategy

Here are some Google Ads tips to refine your marketing efforts:

• Use extensions (sitelinks, callouts, price, etc.) to make your ad bigger and more clickable.
• Schedule your ads to run only when your audience is active.
• A/B test your headlines and descriptions.
• Try Performance Max campaigns if you want Google to use AI and find the best placements automatically.
• Always stay consistent with your efforts, and stay up-to-date with what’s working in the industry and what’s not. 

The Verdict: Should You Invest in Google Advertising?

The answer is yes. No matter the size or type of your business, Google Ads offers one of the most targeted, measurable, and flexible advertising platforms available. But here’s the honest truth: It’s an easy way to waste money if you are not careful, so start with the grants if you can. And remember… People aren’t searching for your business. They are searching for a solution. If your ad shows up as that solution, you win.Want to start advertising on Google and don’t know where to begin? Start your journey with a professional PPC agency!