Marketing With Google Ads

Following. Would love to find something other than social media to market with.

I recently started using Google and Bing ads to market my personal website. In a couple of weeks I haven't sold anything, but I do have new subscribers. With Google ads, I've gotten about 20K impressions and 321 clicks. The ratio of clicks to impressions may not seem impressive, and I don't know what the average amount is, but even with the impressions people looking for music and art are seeing my name. I'm getting more and more clicks every day. A couple of weeks ago, I got 3 clicks in one day. Today, so far, I got 81. The amount charged per click changes. The way this is worked out is confusing. Google offered me $100 after I spend $50. They don't take any money up front. You can set up automatic charge, or they can bill you when you reach a preset amount. With Bing, I had to pay up front, but I decided the amount. They also offered me $100 after the first 50. You set the daily amount you're willing to pay. I can stop the ad whenever I want. Rich and Rick, it's definitely worth a try!

Rick,

You mean like FB,IG an Twitter? You're ALL over FB and IG, last thing I check before beddy-by is FB and IG and I see YOU there every night! Good for you! HAS it helped with views or sales that you can tell? I was uploading a couple of my car images every day on IG and really not much happened....

Jodi,

Will look at Google to start. All I really want are MORE EYES on my stuff and then the images will sell themselves. Might bother you later after I play with Google and have any questions you might be able to answer...

Rich

Rich, I'll be .happy to help all I can!. I'm learning as I go along, and it's not really hard once you get started. You really only pay when you get eyes on your stuff, so you have nothing to lose.

I used Google Ads a long time ago, Spent money. Worst investment I ever made. Zip. Nada. Zero.

As a result, they have me on their spam list and I get those $150 coupon emails all the time. I have them configured to go straight into the trash where they belong. JMO.

Edit: Google is obviously highly popular. As a result, Google Ad participants compete with all types - from sole proprietors to billion-dollar corporations. Do you have the resources to compete, Rich?
At minimum, I would strongly encourage anybody participating in Google Ads to very carefully track investments and returns to reveal a bottom-line cost effectiveness. I would do so externally, with a speadsheet NOT with their analytical tools.

Dan,

My goal is to get more "eyeballs" on my stuff, which indirectly might increase sales. Is there a better way to do this? I was using IG every night, but didn't seem to increase "visitors"....

Jodi, Thank you so much!

Rich

Make more art. Expand your subject matter. Quality in quantity and variety is most important of all. And it will only cost you time and effort.

Was using it. Certainly boosted traffic, but almost all of the traffic bounced out once it hit the landing page. Felt very fishy. I don't think I made a single sale using Google ads, or Facebook ads to be honest. I tried a variety of audience targeting options as well. Nothing seemed to work

Have you created a Google business page?

business.google.com

Susan,

Expand my subject matter???? LOL! I'm doing the exact opposite! At LEAST with cars, I've got a good edge on many here, and with increased volume and types of cars, should be able to get more attention! My goal is to surpass the Kween of Kars, Jill Reger, who has 14,333 CAR images! Should be able to beat that number probably next year....Like JC shared with us, this is my "Abilene"......

Jason,

Good input. Do NOT have a Google page? How or what is that?

Rich

Rich, it's a basic business page for Google to show people if they're searching for a store like yours.

Not sure if this link will work, but it looks something like this: Example

You can create one at business.google.com. It's been a while, but they run a verification by physically mailing you a code that you have to enter into the page to verify your business. You can add products, and other relevant business info as well.

My experience with Google and Facebook ads has been negative. The quality of traffic from Facebook is terrible -- people looking, not buying. Google is expensive, the traffic is better, but I have never broken even. I made a few sales, but never enough to cover my costs. I lost money.

It is a tough game.

Jason,

Yeah, after you suggested it, I opened a Google Business page. Not sure what the next step is, they seem they NEED to mail me a postcard to verify??? How do you fill out the page with your images? Do I need to wait for the postcard?

Chet,

Has anything worked?

Rich

There is so much scamming online, Google goes back to snail mail to verify that you are who you say you are. You can't do anything until they get the verification back from you. The business page is like a profile. When I completed mine, Google refused to go with it, saying a profile I had with Amazon was different. If you never had any dealings with Google, it is a real awakening into the 21 Century and AI. I make money with Google with a site I own, so they do pay publishers on time. But dealing with Google is not easy.

You may find your experience is different.

Rick, I got the google verification about a month ago. I just have an image or two and a link to here.
Apparently I came up in 50 searches ( I imagine art or artist for my city) and I got one click.

I used them and got burnt. "READ YOUR CONTRACT"
I got billed after I cancelled because the cancel auto keep billing for cancellation.
Ok the I disputed the charge and blocked the CC card and lost
They pay real dirty!!!!!
but they found an old cancelled Amerx card and billed that.
The call center is off shore and would hang up on me, I couldn't understand them.
The keep sending me coupons for $150 dollars no way.
Never got any coversions. just higher exposure.

More bang for the buck. Create a free Google business site. I use it to create buttons for my free ads
and send the link back to FAA/Pixels. All for free

Chet,

Oh BOY! Looks like I'm in for a great experience! Probably NOT my favorite thing to do, deal with illogical social media algorithms.....

James,

Does Google then ONLY "look" at the images you provide? Not the entire site/url?

Louis,

I THINK I'm creating a Google Business site, just need the POSTCARD!!! to get sent and then I guess I can get started. So your advice is NO Google ads?

Rich

Following - because I am interested in Google AdWords feedback/info...

Rick,
"Does Google then ONLY "look" at the images you provide? Not the entire site/url?"
I set up as a local business, online (local Pod site and FAA/Pixels as my international Pod site). People find me locally on Instagram, I figured they could find me on Google. I now show up in local searches. Still working on it.
As for images, I put one local image tha leads to my local Pod, the other leads to Pixels.

I used to use Google+ to do the same thing. Now I need to take a better look at Google Business that others have mentioned.
First objective reached, locals find me on Google if they look.

James,

Yes, will be looking into this Google Business page as soon as I can get it turned on. Not really concerned about the local market, sell a few things to the car owners when I give them my card or the 4x6" print of their car.



I'm more interested in showing up in any Google searches on the first page. I am slowly getting there with my car stuff, I think just by the numbers of cars that I've uploaded. I'm chasing Jill Reger, who is the Kween Of Kars, with 14,000+ images and VERY GOOD!

Rich