Shopify & Google Ads: More sales through advertising

Google is by far the largest search engine in the world. When users search for something on the Internet today, there is a high probability that they will start their search with Google.

So it's no wonder that Google also dominates the advertising market. Users constantly encounter advertisements in a wide variety of forms when searching Google.

As an online retailer, you face the challenge of attracting new customers and bringing your products to the people. Google Ads represent an enticing opportunity in this regard. If you land on position 1 of the Google search results with your ads, you have a good chance of making a sale.

In this article, we will show you what is behind Google Ads and how you can use them profitably as a Shopify merchant.

What are Google Ads?

Before we get straight into Shopify Google Ads, we'd like to take a look at what's behind Google Ads and how the online advertising program works.

Google Ads is the name of the advertising system from the Californian tech company Alphabet. The advertising program allows merchants and advertisers to advertise products and services on the search engine and other applications such as YouTube.

Broadly, Google Ads refers to the advertisements on Google. These ads can be customized by any business to address the relevant target audience. But not all advertisements are the same. Advertising on Google is possible in different ways. The company offers various campaign types that can be implemented with Google Ads.

Google Ads Campaign - The Campaign Types

If you want to run Google Ads campaigns, you have a total of seven campaign types at your disposal. In the following, we will take a closer look at these different types.

#1 Search

With a search campaign, text ads are usually placed in the search results. These are classically labeled with the word "ad" and are thus clearly distinguishable from organic search results. Such a campaign can be optimized for search terms that your target group enters in the search bar. This makes it possible to target ads to potential customers. This type of ads is the easiest and most popular way to run Google Ads ads.

#2 Display campaign

A display campaign is an image ad on a website. If a user has been on your website and then continues surfing, these ads can be played as images on other websites. In this way, it is possible to implement so-called retargeting and make potential customers aware of your offer again.

#3 Video campaign

If you're a regular on YouTube, you've probably noticed this form of Google Ads advertising. Often, you'll see small video ads before the actual video begins or in the middle of it. But these video clips can also be played out on websites. Such ad formats are served using video campaign.

#4 Shopping campaign

Shopping ads are product listings on Google. Especially for online merchants, this ads advertising is interesting, because it can be used to promote products particularly well. Such an ad contains accurate information about your products, such as a picture, prices and information about shipping costs and discount promotions. These ads are played out even before the search ads, which shortens the shopping process and is another plus point. Shopify Google Ads can also be played out as Shopping ads.

#5 Campaign for maximum performance

This campaign type is suitable for targeting customers with high revenue potential. This campaign enables automatic playout on all Google channels. Based on the Google algorithm, appropriate ads are played out without much optimization work from your side. However, you have less possibilities to intervene when you advertise on Google in this way.

#6 Demand Gen

A Demand Gen campaign in Google Ads is a specific type of campaign that uses visually appealing ad formats such as image and video ads on platforms like YouTube, Discover and Gmail to target potential customers in the early stages of the buying process and increase awareness of a product. Demand gen campaigns are particularly effective at reaching new audiences and getting them to consider taking a closer look at the offering.

Create Google Ads - Step by step to your first ad

Now that you know the different types of campaigns and what Google Ads are, let's create Google Ads. This requires a few steps, which we have summarized for you below.

Set up Google Ads

To get started with ad creation, you need a Google Ads account, of course. We will show you how to set up such a Google Ads account. Usually, setting up a Google Ads account creates a first campaign with ads.

1. Prerequisite: Google Account

A central prerequisite to be able to place ads on Google at all is a Google account. We assume that you already have one. If not, you can create such an account, for example, via the Google Ads login page under "Get started now" > "Create account".

2. Create a Google Ads account

To create a Google Ads account, you need to visit the sign-in page and sign in with your Google account. After that, you will see the option to create a Google Ads account, which you will select.

Following this, you will be asked to publish your business name. In case you click on "Next", you will create a smart campaign that offers much less setting options.

So make sure to click on the blue highlighted "Advanced settings" link at the very bottom. This will allow you to select different campaign types.

3. Google Ads advanced account - select target

In order to finally be able to set up the Google Ads account, further entries are required. In the subsequent overview, you can select different campaign goals. In most cases, you as an online retailer are concerned with selling products - so the "Sales" option is the right choice.

However, a Google Ads account can also be created without a campaign. This option is a good choice if you are not yet sure about your strategy. In the following, we will assume that you set the campaign goal and proceed.

4. Select campaign type

In this step, you will define the campaign types already mentioned. Google's advertising network can be divided into two parts. On the one hand, there is the search network, which includes classic search campaigns or shopping campaigns. On the other hand, there is the display network, which includes display ads and remarketing campaigns, for example.

5. Select campaign settings

In the next step, you need to define settings for the campaign such as budget and bidding strategy, define ad groups and create the ads. You'll learn how this works in detail below.

6. Set up billing

Of course, setting up a Google Ads account also involves providing payment information. After all, Google also wants to make money from your Ads advertising. Enter the required information, deposit a payment method and accept the terms of use. With the final click on "Submit" you will get to the campaign overview and have successfully set up a Google Ads account.

Create Google Ads

Once you have set up the Google Ads account, the first step to your Google Ads advertising is complete. Now it's time to create and optimize new Google Ads. How to create Google Ads, you will learn now in a fast forward.

1. Create a new campaign

This step is similar to setting up your Google Ads account. First, you need to set the campaign goal and then select a campaign type.

2. General settings

In these settings, you will store a name for the campaign and select the appropriate ad network.

3. Targeting and audience

To create effective Google Ads, defining the target audience is crucial. In these settings, you can make regional and language distinctions, for example.

4. Budget and bid

In order to create Google Ads, a budget is necessary. You store this daily budget in the "Budget" tab. Under "Bid" you can choose which focus you want to pursue and what the campaign should be optimized for. For example, you can choose between conversion and clicks. Since purchases are probably most important to you as a merchant, select "Conversion" in this item. This should be enough to get you started. If you are looking at different bidding strategies, the cost per action (CPA) value is also crucial.

5. Ad groups

If you want to focus on different keywords with search ads, for example, a differentiation into ad groups makes sense. Different groups are then created for different keywords.

6. Create ad

Next, it's a matter of creating the actual Google Ads. Here you deposit the assets such as texts, images and videos.

If you choose search ads, for example, you can now add texts to your ad, which will then be played out in the search ads.

Copy the URL that you want your customers to reach into the corresponding field and assign a display title and a description. These usually need to be short and snappy so that potential customers click on your ad.

On the right side of the window you will also always see a preview of your finished ad.

Google Shopping Ads Shopify - Success with Google Shopping

There are a number of campaign types available to you for effective Google Ads advertising. Besides pure keyword-based search campaigns or even creative video campaigns, Google Shopping Ads are relevant for you as an online retailer.

What is Google Shopping?

Google nowadays makes it easy for merchants to present their products with paid ads in the search engine. Besides that, however, Google also presents relevant results under the "Shopping" tab. These free product listings are generated from the product data feed of your Shopify store.

How do Google Shopping Ads work in Shopify?

Data from your product data feed can be automatically routed through a link to Google Merchant Center, allowing you to activate paid and free ads there. With just a few clicks, your Shopify store is linked to Google Ads and Google Merchant Center, allowing you to list your products in Google Shopping.

This has significant advantages for online merchants

• Free listings in the Shopping tab

• Possibility for paid search ads

• High reach throughout the Google network

• Potential customers can be reached easily

• Little manual effort due to synchronization of Google Ads and Shopify

• Better and easier remarketing

In order to make your products serve as Google Ads ads, you first need to link your Shopify account with Google. To do this, you should first download the Google Channel app on Shopify and connect it to Google Merchant Center. This will automatically sync your products.

By linking your Google Ads account to the Shopify store, you can run Google Ads directly from Shopify and implement conversion tracking. You'll learn how this works in detail in the next chapter.

These steps are necessary for Google Shopping Ads in Shopify:

• Create a free account in Google Merchant Center and link it to your Shopify store.

• Upload the product data feed from Shopify to Google Merchant Center and link your Google Ads account

• Create Google Shopping Ads in Shopify and use your products from the product data feed

Shopify apps for the creation of Google Ads

In addition to the Google & Youtube channel app, the Shopify App Store offers other apps that can help you set up your Google Ads.

AI Ads | Facebook & Google

AI Ads | Facebook & Google is a Shopify app specifically designed to simplify the creation and management of advertising campaigns on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Google Ads. This app uses artificial intelligence to optimize ads so that online merchants can achieve better results with less manual work.

Features and benefits:

• Automated campaign creation

• AI-based optimization

• Cross-platform advertising

• Customizable goals and budgets

• Reports and analytics

• User-friendly

• Time saving

Pricing:

• Ad-Health Checkup: Free installation

• Starter: $250/ month

• Growth $400/ month

Adwisely: Meta Ads, Google Ads

Adwisely: Meta Ads, Google Ads is designed to simplify the creation, management and optimization of advertising campaigns on Facebook (Meta) and Google Ads. This app is aimed at Shopify merchants who want to automate their advertising efforts to promote their products more efficiently and increase sales.

Features and benefits:

• Cross-platform integration

• Dynamic retargeting ads

• User-friendly dashboard

• Campaign optimization

• Time saving

• Increased conversions

Pricing:

• Starter: $99/ month

• Standard: $249/ month

Zocket: Facebook & Google Ads

Zocket: Facebook & Google Ads helps small and medium-sized businesses get started with digital advertising. This app allows Shopify merchants to easily create, manage and optimize advertising campaigns on Facebook and Google Ads without the need for in-depth knowledge of online marketing.

Features and benefits:

• User-friendly interface

• Automatic targeting

• Cross-platform advertising

• Real-time analyses

• Templates

• Centralized management

Pricing:

• Free: Free installation

• Starter: $29/ month

• Growth: $99/ month

Conversion Google Ads - Tracking in Shopify

Using Shopify Google Ads is only one side of the coin. Advertising your products gives you a great reach. But whether or not a purchase is made in the end is of even greater importance. The good thing: You have the option of Google Ads tracking in Shopify. This gives you an overview at any time of which ad is responsible for which action (so-called conversion).

Shopify Google Ads Tracking - What is it?

Shopify Google Ads tracking allows you to track conversions through Google Adwords. Through such tracking, you can see which conversion came through which ad. Thus, you can analyze the behavior of buyers and optimize your Google Ads, turn off ads that don't work or set up new ads.

What is a good conversion rate for Google Ads?

As the conversion rate is strongly influenced by various factors, there is no universal standard. However, many companies can consider a conversion rate of 2% to 5% as a rough guide. Nevertheless, it is important to focus on continuous optimization to increase the conversion rate over time and get the best possible ROI from your Google Ads campaigns.

Track Conversion Google Ads in Shopify - Setup

Your Shopify account can be integrated with Google Ads or Google Analytics free of charge. This will allow you to easily track conversions like "sales" or "page views". To integrate a Google Ads tracking in Shopify, you have two ways.

App "Google & YouTube"

Probably the easiest way to incorporate tracking is via the "Google & YouTube" app, which you can download from the Shopify app store. This allows you to embed conversion tracking automatically.

All you need to do is download the app and then confirm your email address and Google account details. In your Shopify backend, click on "Google Sales Channel" and make sure that the email address stored matches the one you used to create your Google Ads account.

Then check in Shopify under "Google Ads Account" whether the correct Google account is stored. If all the data is correct, you have linked your accounts and different conversions are automatically created in Google Ads.

Manually embed Shopify Google Ads tag.

If you prefer to integrate tracking manually, you can do so by creating a Google Ads Conversion and integrating the Google Ads Conversion Tag into Shopify.

1. Creating a Google Ads Conversion for Shopify

To create a conversion, click the plus sign in your Google Ads account under "Tools and Settings" > "Conversions" to create an action. Select "Website" in the type of conversion.

Define the actual action for your store by filling in the given fields.

2. Setting up the Google Ads tag for Shopify

After the conversion is created, you then need to set up the conversion tag. To do this, select "Insert tag yourself." You will get the "General website tag". This can be used to add visitors to the remarketing list. You will also get the "Event snippet" that captures the action. Now copy these two code snippets into the Shopify account to connect both programs.

3. Integrating the Google Ads conversion tag in Shopify.

In your Shopify backend, click on "Settings" > "Checkout" > "Order Processing" to include the Shopify Google Ads tag. In the "Checkout" sub-item, you will now include the two code snippets from Google Ads.

You can simply copy and paste the snippet for the "General Website Tag". You need to modify the "Event snippet" for Shopify again as follows.

{% if first_time_accessed %}

<script>

gtag('event', 'conversion', {.

'send_to': 'ENTER YOUR GOOGLE ADS ID CODE HERE',

'value': {{ total_price | money_without_currency | remove: "," }},

'currency': '{{ store.currency }}',

'transaction_id': '{{ order.order_number }}'

});

</script>

{% endif %}

In the 'send_to' code element, replace the 'ENTER YOUR GOOGLE ADS ID CODE HERE' with the information from the Google Ads "event snippet". Then save the changes and the integration of the Shopify Google Ads tag is complete.

Shopify Google Ads checklist

The Google universe is huge and the different advertising options alone offer you as an online retailer the chance to present your products. The advertising market on Google is complex with different tools and campaigns. We have summarized the most important things for you once again in our Shopify Google Ads Checklist.

1.Create Google account

2. Create Google Ads account

3. Optional: Sign in to the Google Merchant Center for Google Shopping use

4. Link Google Ads and Shopify - Set up Google Ads tracking Shopify

5. Create Google Ads

1. Select campaign target

2. Set campaign type

3. Set target group, budget, bid

4. Create ad groups

5. Deposit assets (texts, images, videos etc.) and create individual ads

6. Optimize Shopify Google Ads