It’s no secret that Google dominates as the world’s leading search engine. Boasting a commanding 92% global market share, it’s a no-brainer that tapping into Google’s massive user base is key for businesses looking to expand their customer base. The real question is: how can businesses effectively reach these potential customers on Google? How do they position themselves for optimal visibility? That’s what we’ll be exploring today - a compilation of free and paid Google marketing strategies designed to leverage the power of the world’s most popular search engine.

Contents

• Free Google marketing strategies
• Low-cost Google marketing strategies
• Top paid Google marketing strategy

Free Google marketing strategies

Let’s kick things off with some pocket-friendly Google marketing strategies that won’t cost you a dime:

Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile is an invaluable tool for businesses of all sizes, and the best part? It’s completely free! Essentially, Google Business Profiles are customizable free business listings that provide key information about your company. And here’s the kicker - there are tailored solutions designed specifically for different business types.

How to get started

If you haven’t already claimed or set up your Google Business Profile, that should be your first order of business. Once that’s done, make sure to optimize your listing it thoroughly to maximize its visibility in relevant local searches. For restaurants, you can showcase menu highlights, display dining options, accept reservations, and even enable online ordering – all directly from your Google Business Profile page.

If you’re a service, as exemplified by the roofing companies illustrated above, you can easily display your credentials, manage quotes, allow users to book appointments directly from your listing, and much more.

Finally, if you operate a retailer, you have the option to highlight your products and inform customers about the various ways they can shop with you, whether it’s in-store, curbside pickup, delivery, or other methods.

Regardless of your business niche, Google Business Profiles offers a suitable solution. Are your listings due for an update? Find out with our Free Business Listings Grader**!**

Google Analytics/GA4

Another invaluable free Google marketing tool at your disposal is Google Analytics 4, better known in the industry as GA4. By embedding small code snippets into your website pages, GA4 allows you to track user behavior and gain valuable insights into how they interact with your site. I’ll delve into some of these insights below, but suffice it to say that GA4 can be an incredibly powerful tool for businesses that implement it from the get-go and consistently monitor their performance over time. GA4 can even help you assess the effectiveness of your other Google marketing efforts. You can segment users based on whether they arrived at your site through organic search, paid listings, or your Google Business Profile. Furthermore, you can gauge the effectiveness of your site content by analyzing user engagement metrics. Moreover, GA4 enables you to set up Events, Key Events, and Conversions based on specific actions users take on your website, providing a granular view of how these actions are being triggered. This functionality is similar to conversion tracking in Google Ads, but with a greater degree of customization.

How to get started

To spark your enthusiasm for this powerful tool, here’s a brief rundown of some key GA4 reports you can leverage to understand user behavior on your website:

• Realtime: This report provides real-time insights into user activity on your site. It displays the number of active users, their geographical locations, the pages they’re currently viewing, and any events they’ve triggered.
• Engagement: These reports offer deeper insights into user engagement, such as the average time spent on site, the number of pages viewed, specific pages accessed, and events triggered on those pages.
• Acquisition: Curious about how users are finding their way to your website? The acquisition reports provide a breakdown of traffic sources, categorizing them as organic, paid, or other channels. This section also reveals the specific campaigns and keywords that led users to your site.
• Monetization: If you run an e-commerce store or sell products/services on your website, this section allows you to track purchases, revenue generated, and customer retention rates. Free guide » 10 Tangible & Free Ways to Get on the First Page of Google

Low-cost Google marketing strategies

While not entirely free, these strategies are relatively inexpensive and shouldn’t put a huge dent in your marketing budget.

A compelling website

While a Google Business Profile offers valuable real estate on search result pages and ample customization options, it’s inherently limited in scope. You won’t be able to convey everything about your business within the confines of your profile, and you may not be able to address all potential customer questions. That’s where a well-designed compelling website comes in. I’ll keep this section concise, as there are countless approaches to building a website. You can opt for a pre-designed template and simply plug in your information and images, or you can go all out with a fully customized solution. Neither option is inherently superior, but there are a few crucial considerations to bear in mind when setting up your site.

How to get started

Here’s my prioritized list of essential elements for a compelling website in 2024:

• Fast page load time: Nobody wants to wait more than a few seconds for a website to load. In this day and age, it doesn’t matter how visually appealing your website is if it takes forever to load. Invest in a website that loads quickly regardless of the user’s internet connection; otherwise, you risk losing potential customers before they even have a chance to engage with your content.

• Mobile compatible: We live in a mobile-first world, yet many websites still fall short when it comes to providing a seamless mobile experience. Just like slow loading times, a poor mobile experience can be incredibly frustrating for potential customers. Even if it means sacrificing some of the bells and whistles from your desktop version, I guarantee your customers won’t miss them if your site remains functional and informative on mobile devices.

  

• All product/service information included: Don’t skimp on the details. In today’s information-rich world, consumers are more discerning than ever and can easily spot when information is being withheld. Provide comprehensive details about your products or services, even if it means creating dedicated pages for additional information. Include specifications, compatibility guides, customer reviews, and high-quality images. Put yourself in the shoes of a potential customer and provide them with all the information they might need to make an informed decision.

• Interesting images: Use visuals that authentically represent your brand, products, or services. Stock images are ubiquitous and often feel impersonal. While they have their place, strive to use original, high-quality images whenever possible. We carry high-resolution cameras in our pockets these days, so don’t hesitate to capture your own images if professional photography isn’t feasible. They may not be as polished, but you’ll be surprised at how much more effectively realistic and relatable images can resonate with potential customers.

• Clear calls to action: Ultimately, you want website visitors to generate business. This is where clear calls to action come into play. Ensure that there are clear next steps for potential customers at every stage of their journey on your website. Include phone numbers on all pages if you want to encourage phone inquiries. Add forms to capture leads and generate inquiries. Implement a scheduling tool if you’re open to letting customers book appointments directly. Capitalize on the positive user experience you’ve cultivated through the previous steps and guide potential customers towards conversion.

Speaking of clear calls to action… Free guide download » The 42 Best Call to Action Phrases Ever (& Why They Work)

Search engine optimization

Beyond the content on your website, it’s essential to implement at least the fundamental principles of search engine optimization. SEO, or SEO, is the practice of optimizing your website to enhance its visibility and ranking in search engine results pages, or be more visible on Google. This can be achieved through a combination of technical, on-site, and off-site optimization techniques. Given that organic search traffic is free, SEO is an attractive strategy for businesses of all sizes. There are countless resources available to guide your SEO efforts, but it’s also a highly competitive landscape. You can either take the DIY approach and immerse yourself in the world of SEO, or you can enlist the help of an agency to handle it for you.

How to get started

Here’s a breakdown of key SEO areas to focus on:

• Technical SEO: Ensure that your website is easily crawlable and indexable by search engines. There are numerous technical considerations to keep in mind, so a quick Google search for “technical SEO best practices” will yield a plethora of resources outlining the latest recommendations.
• On-site SEO: This encompasses the content on your website. We’ve already touched upon the importance of compelling website content, and this goes hand in hand with on-site SEO. Ensure that your content covers relevant topics, is original, up-to-date, accurate, and ideally, better than your competitors. Additionally, incorporate proper formatting elements like title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags to make your content easily digestible for both search engines and users alike.
• Off-site SEO: While seemingly less direct, off-site SEO tactics can significantly impact your website’s authority and visibility. These tactics include building high-quality listings management, cultivating positive ratings and reviews, engaging in public relations efforts, actively participating in relevant online communities or content and social media marketing, and more. The overarching goal is to establish your business as a trustworthy authority within your industry by forging connections with other reputable entities, thereby boosting your website’s relevance and visibility.

Paid Google marketing strategies

This section focuses on a single, yet arguably the most impactful, paid Google marketing strategy for acquiring new customers.

Google Ads

To complement your organic marketing efforts, consider leveraging paid advertising through Google Ads. Similar to SEO, Google Ads offers a wide array of advertising options, including Search Ads, where you bid on specific keywords to display your ads when users search for those terms, and the Display Network, which allows you to showcase your ads on relevant websites across the internet. Again, nexus-security boasts a wealth of resources on these topics if you’re eager to delve deeper, or you can always outsource your Google Ads management to an experienced agency.

How to get started

Here are some key considerations when evaluating or launching your Google Ads campaigns:

• Have realistic expectations: Numerous tools are available to help you estimate the cost and performance of Google Ads based on your specific business type and industry. Utilize these tools to gain a clear understanding of what constitutes a realistic and attainable outcome for your campaigns.
• Set aside enough budget: A common pitfall for businesses new to Google Ads is failing to allocate a sufficient budget for effective testing. They allocate what they perceive as a reasonable budget, run a limited test without spending enough to generate meaningful results, and then dismiss the platform as ineffective. Don’t fall into this trap. You’ll have wasted your budget and written off a powerful platform that has proven successful for countless businesses. The required budget varies depending on factors such as your products/services and target market, but leverage the research you conducted in the first step to determine a realistic budget before diving in.
• Use conversion tracking: Google Ads provides robust performance tracking capabilities directly within the platform. By adding a few snippets of code to your website, you can track crucial metrics and gain insights into the effectiveness of your campaigns. If you’re going to invest your hard-earned money in Google Ads, it’s well worth the minimal effort required to set up conversion tracking. This will provide you with valuable data to assess your return on investment and optimize your campaigns accordingly.
• Understand the fundamentals: Unlike organic marketing or managing your Google Business Profile, Google Ads requires a financial investment. It’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of Google Ads before launching your campaigns to avoid unnecessary spending. I recommend gaining a solid understanding of key concepts such as keyword match types, advertising networks (including search partners), crafting compelling ad copy, bidding strategies, and budget controls. What results can you expect from Google Ads? Download our latest Google Ads Benchmarks to find out!

Make your Google marketing strategy a huge success

Given its unparalleled reach and influence, Google presents an exceptional opportunity for businesses to connect with their target audience and attract new customers. This overview of various Google marketing strategies has hopefully provided you with a clearer understanding of the possibilities at your fingertips and equipped you with the knowledge to embark on your Google marketing journey. Here are the top Google marketing strategies to try:

1. Google Business Profile
2. Google Analytics/GA4
3. A compelling website
4. Search engine optimization
5. Google Ads