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With the launch of Google Adwords Express not so long ago; it was dubbed as “the easiest way to advertise on Google”. It was a simple concept; everything is managed automatically and ensures your ads are only being shown to those that are looking for exactly what you have to offer. So if you’re a Wine Store in Wolverhampton, and someone from the area is searching for wine – you will undoubtedly be displayed in their results.

But what else is there to know? Here is our round-out of Adwords Express and everything you need to know about this infamous advertising alliance. 

Google Adwords Express

“What’s the difference between regular Adwords and Adwords Express?”

The interest in Adwords Express has steadily been on the rise month after month – but what is the difference between the two?

Google Adwords is of course the long-standing establishing player in the digital marketing world; the original in PPC marketing. Invest your time and money (and ideally a professional company to run it for you!) to research/find your keywords, set bids, big management, etc.

However, should you find yourself with little budget and littler time; Adwords Express might just be the thing for you. Google will manage bids, keywords and more automatically for you, saving you all sorts from every angle.

“Okay, so i’ll give it a go…but what are the Pros/Cons of Adwords Express?”

As with everything, there are Pros and Cons of every search marketing method, so we’ve rounded up a few for you to weigh up the options.

Pros:

  • Easy to Use: The set up process for Adwords Express is one of the simplest around – with 4 easy steps that takes around 5-10 minutes to complete. Et voilà! Within minutes of setting up Adwords Express your adverts will be live for everyone to see. The complicated elements of regular Google Adwords has been removed; and calculated by GEA automatically using their own models and algorithms.
  • Targeting: Google will automatically target your adverts based on your geographical location, relieving you of the pressure of worrying about segmenting by country/region manually. Google will also target your ads based on the categories you specify – another fantastic time saver letting Google do the work so you don’t have to.
  • Fully Automated: Manual processes of GA are long gone with GEA – keyword analysis, bid changes and monitoring, and targeting (as mentioned above) is all completely automated and ensures ads are displayed relevantly to your market.

Cons:

  • Easy to Use: Of course, for running your own ‘basic’ campaign, GAE is indeed easy to get your head around. However; pay-per-click in its very nature is complex – which is one of the elements that contributes so wonderfully to its ultimate success and efficiency. Whilst Google have provided a ‘simple’ solution, users can get lost in their recommended budgets and costs can multiply based on little or no ‘real’ information or research at all.
  • Targeting: Whilst the automated targeting is maybe a good jumping off point into PPC, however there are a few flaws to this as an ongoing long term option. Firstly – how do you define your reach as a local business? If you run a specialist business and one of a kind (Chimney sweeps for example – limited numbers covering large areas) how far is your ‘geographical target’? If you run a music shop – how will GAE define the difference between a ‘bass’ (instrument) and a ‘bass’ (fish) query? In old-school Adwords, you have the flexibility to ensure you don’t show for unwanted or inefficient terms, as well as mapping out your exact area of reach.
  • Automation: As mentioned above, the option of ‘bid automation’ can soon allow costs to spiral – with pricing fixed on a ‘Google Recommendation’ (which lets face it – is in their interest to be higher!) rather than indepth research. The element of GAE being ‘time-saving’ is basing your business on ‘assumptions based on a bot. Categories might let key demographics and customers fall through the cracks as niché products and services are not accommodated.

“So, is Google Adwords Express right for me and my business?”

There are of course some great benefits to using Adwords Express; and as a foot in the door towards becoming a PPC Enthusiast, it definitely is a great foot forward. If you need a campaign in your area that is quick with little time to invest, it is most certainly the way to go.

However, for a longer and more stable approach, old-school Adwords most definitely gets our vote. Quality is always a winner in our books, and with the research and time injected into a traditional PPC campaign you are undoubtedly guaranteed that. In our minds; no-one knows your business better than you – especially not a ‘bot’. So make sure the fate of your digital marketing lays in only your (or an expert/professional’s) hands.

For further information and details on PPC Campaign Management, check out our website for details.

 

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