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You have created a landing page and would like to use it to market your product or service. To increase the chances of a subscription or sale, it is necessary to generate as much traffic as possible to the landing page. One way to get that done is to use ads on Google.
When you start promoting a landing page through Google Ads, it does need to meet some requirements. In this article, I will first give you some more information about Google Ads. Then follow all kinds of tips, tricks and rules for using Google Ads.
After reading this article, you will be able to completely optimize your landing page for promotion! Don't have a landing page yet? Then start your free trial with AdPage now and get started with first landing page right away.
You can also watch a webinar on this topic at the bottom of this article.
Google Ads campaign
Google is the most widely used search engine worldwide. Statistics from Statcounter show that Google's market share in the Netherlands in November 2022 is over 92%. For searches on mobile devices, the market share is even over 97%!
Not surprisingly, then, the world of Search Engine Advertising (SEA) takes place primarily on Google. By using SEA, it is possible, for a fee, to place ads next to the organic search results in the search engines. Research has shown that when you spend $1 on SEA, you get an average of $2 in return. That's worth it, right?
When creating a SEA campaign, you initially determine your keywords. The moment someone searches for these words, your ad will appear at the top of the first search results. The higher your ad appears, the better it is for your results.
A study by SEO Clarity shows that when you manage to rank first on mobile, you achieve an average click-through rate of a whopping 27.7%. On desktop, first position gets you an average CTR of 19.3%.
How does an ad in Google work for you?
When you advertise on Google, your ad appears at the top of the search results, as shown in the image below. Google advertising uses a pay per click (PPC) system. This means that you only pay for your ad when someone clicks on it. Of course, the ad may generate many more clicks than your maximum budget allows. Therefore you can set a maximum budget per day. This prevents you from spending more money than you actually want to.
To run a successful campaign, it is important to do good keyword research beforehand. What does your target audience search for? What keywords do you want to be found on?
A keyword research doesn't have to be complicated. Just look at what happens when you type a topic into Google, a number of interesting search queries will already appear immediately that you might be able to do something more about in your page. You can use this to determine the right keywords for your campaign.
Want to do a little more extensive keyword research? Then you can use software such as SE Ranking. With this software, you'll gain insight into search volume, average cost per click and see who your main competitors are for the keyword in question.
Landing page for Google Ads
Google Ads is a great way to get more traffic to your landing page. However, Google does have all kinds of rules that your landing page must meet. If you violate one or more rules, the worst case scenario could even lead to a suspension of Google Ads. So it is very important that you know exactly what you are doing.
There are two things to consider
1. The user experience on the landing page (through the eyes of Google)
2. Google's rules
Through the eyes of Google
There are several ways to set up a landing page. You have a basic one, but of course you can always expand and change it. Google itself has compiled a short list of their take on a landing page.
Do you want to start advertising on Google? Then it is important to take this into account as much as possible. So it is mainly about the user experience of the landing page. It may be that your ad will not or hardly be displayed if, according to Google, your page does not have a good user experience.
Here are Google's elements for an optimal user experience of a landing page.
1. Relevant, useful and original content
Ensure relevance in your campaign. The content of the landing page should be well aligned with the keywords in your campaign and your ad texts (headlines, descriptions, etc.) So don't stray too much and focus on the service or product you are offering in your campaign.
Google appreciates original content. Look at landing pages in your industry and try to offer something that someone else does not.
2. Transparency and reliability
It is important for Google to show that you are trustworthy and that it is clear who you are. You can strengthen the sense of reliability to begin with by showing contact information on the landing page. So just contact form is not enough, include an address, email address or phone number. This will make you come across as a company "more real.
People want to know exactly what you do as a business owner; this also contributes to trust. Be transparent and clear about your products or services.
On your landing page, do you ask for customer information? For example, a name and e-mail address so you can send an e-book? Then Google thinks it is important that you are clear about why you need this information and what exactly you are going to do with it. So always refer to a Privacy Statement or clearly state what the visitor can expect from you.
3. Ease of Navigation
Ease of navigation has a major impact on the visitor's user experience. Logical too. If people cannot find their way around your landing page, chances are that they will drop out. This is not only annoying for the visitor, but also for you! You want to prevent abandonment at all times, this will lower the conversion rate of your landing page. Even if you do not use the landing page for Google Ads, this is an important point to optimize.
Google's rules
In addition to the landing page user experience, Google Ads also has a general advertising policy. You can find the full ad policy here. I put the most important rules for you below.
1. Banned content
Not all content may be promoted through Google. That may be just as well. Forbidden content is, for example
- Counterfeit articles
- Dangerous products or services (such as weapons and drugs)
- Products or services that promote undesirable behavior
- Inappropriate content (e.g., discriminatory)
2. Prohibited actions
Not only for content, but also for you as a user, there are rules from Google AdWords. For example, you may not, really as a matter of course, misuse the ad network. You have to guard the personal information you collect with your landing page well. Misuse of this information will not be accepted. You must also not mislead your visitors and will have to do what you promise them.
3. Restricted Content
There are topics that are allowed but are legally or culturally sensitive. Consider, for example, promotion of alcohol, gambling, drugs or games. These topics are allowed under certain circumstances. Thus, additional rules apply.
So read up on the rules beforehand and see if your content is one that is subject to additional rules. If so, comply with these rules, an ad via Google Ads is still possible.
4. Editorial and technical requirements
In order to ensure that visitors do not see annoying or awkward information, Google Ads has established several rules regarding editorial and technical requirements. For example, you must not use vague language, but it must be clear what is being offered in terms of product or service.
In addition, it is desirable that everything works well technically. So your page should not take too long to load, and the URL you show should actually be the URL the user is redirected to.
Reasons for rejection by Google Ads
Now you know what a landing page must meet according to Google Ads to provide a good user experience and you know the rules regarding the use of AdWords.
Even if you follow all the rules, it is possible that your ad may still be rejected in Google. Here are some possible reasons for rejection. Check them out and see if you can figure out what went wrong. Then adjust it and republish the campaign.
1. Too much harvested
You may have been a little too eager to harvest personal information from visitors. In itself, this need not be a problem, as long as your landing page has a clear and good website behind it. That way you indicate to Google that it is not just collecting data, but that it is with a purpose.
Thus, if you use a single page as a landing page (i.e., if you cannot click through to your website from that page) it will most likely be rejected by Google.
Actually, you want people to stay on the landing page and you want to give visitors as few options as possible to click through, but when you want to advertise through AdWords, this is a requirement.
2. Gifts
Google is not a fan of giving away free gifts. This is seen as a means of collecting as much data as possible. If you overtly or overly use gifts to persuade people to leave their data, Google may display your ad less or no longer.
Contests belong more on social media, not Google.
3. Security
When you collect personal information from users, you must have a secure environment on your site. That way you can show both users and Google that the information retrieved is in a secure environment.
One way you can do this is with a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). When you use SSL, the data entered on your landing page is no longer accessible to others. Visitors know they can safely leave their data behind. For them, this is made clear by the S after 'http://' (i.e.: https://) and/or the lock in front of the URL.
4. URL match
The URL you use for the landing page must also be the URL shown in the ad. If these URLs do not match, Google will reject the ad anyway.
5. No privacy policy
When you collect data from visitors, you are required to link them to a privacy policy. That way visitors know exactly where they stand when they leave their data with you.
6. Redirect
Still want people to get to another URL via one without matching? You can forget about that.
A redirect allows you to have visitors from one URL end up on the page from the other URL. You might think this is a good way to get around point 4. Unfortunately. Google knows everything and also finds out about the redirects being used.
And? Did you happen to have any of these things on your landing page, or was there something missing? If so, adjust it and republish the campaign.
Google has about a business day to approve an ad, so always be patient.
Webinar
We previously gave an online webinar on this topic. Check back below.