What is Google Ads (AdWords)?

What is Google AdWords

Here’s an explanation of the question – what is Google AdWords?

Google AdWords, now Google Ads, is an advertising platform by Google. It allows advertisers to show ads on Google’s ad inventories which include – Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs), Search Partners, and Google Display Network (GDN).

Google Ads (AdWords) is an auction-based advertising system where advertisers need to place bids to show their ads on Google. It is also important to note that, unlike any other advertising system, AdWords uses a second price auction system to decide various ad positions and actual costs for ads for different advertisers. It makes AdWords a unique advertising system where ads’ pricing is decided not only by the amount someone bids but by a combination of bids and ads’ quality score.

It’s easy to spot an ad Google Ads on Google SERPs, partner search engines, or on a web page, app etc. from GDN. Some of the examples of ads from Google are given below. Usually, these ads have clear indications like – Ads by Google, Sponsored etc.

 

adwords_youtube_ad_example
adwords_gmail_ad_example
adwords_display_ad_example

adwords_display_ad_example

Does AdWords (Google Ads) Work?

This question is asked very often by the new advertisers or the businesses who have tried Google Ads with no success. So, is there any precise answer to this question? Does Google AdWords really work?

The answer is – Yes, it does. But, not by itself.

What does that mean? Okay, let’s take it this way. Google Ads, or any advertising system online, per se, does not work by itself. It’s like your car. It doesn’t drive by itself. Either you have to know how to drive it well or you hire a driver who does it for you.

How about a self-driving car? Wait, I hear you and will come to that later.

Anything that needs dealing with human needs human intervention to run efficiently. Yes, let’s face it. It’s true. The minds of us humans are very agile, it can defy any set of predefined rules within seconds. For instance, while you are driving smooth humming your favourite tune, somebody can bump into the car out of nowhere. It happens. It happens almost everywhere in the world every day. Even the most sophisticated self-driving cars enhanced by Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Machine Learning Algorithm, Advanced GSP Systems and Sensors cannot guarantee that it will avoid all accidents.

If a machine has to deal with a machine, it’s easy. But if a machine or an automated system with a set of predefined rules and guidelines is to deal with humans, it is sure to reach its limits.

Do I sound like being against automation? No, I am not. Just trying to give you a context.

Coming to Google Ads, understand that it’s an advertising system, an application, a set of the software program which runs on a set of predefined logic. Nothing more than that. So, if you leave your money to it and sit idly hoping it to work by itself, you can imagine what’s going to happen. You can’t blame your car for an accident always, can you?

And the Machine Learning thing…

See, Machine Learning Algorithm depends and feeds on history. In the context of Google Ads, the past performance history of your ad campaigns feeds it. What if the very food that you feed it with is not wholesome? What will happen? It will start the optimization in the wrong direction. And, the changes that you make in your optimization strategies in frustration will only worsen the scenario. Finally, you will join the club saying – Google Ads doesn’t work. Is it the right way to reach that verdict?

So to sum up, Google Ads does work. But it does not work by itself, you have to make it work. And to make that happen you have to know it well. Know it yourself or hire someone who does.

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