Google ads for Dropshipping in 2024: A beginner's guide

Promotion and advertising

Author:

Alexandra

January 10, 2024

Contents

The biggest challenge facing dropshippers is capturing the attention of potential customers. With so much competition, every online store is in a race to get as many clicks as possible. So how do you stand out from the crowd? Well, there are a variety of strategies you can adapt, one of which is Google ads for dropshipping.

However, people often wonder whether it's possible to advertise dropshipping on Google. And if so, is it worth it? In this guide, we'll answer all these questions and more. So stay with us until the end, so you don't miss a thing.

Is it possible to use Google ads for dropshipping?

The question of whether Google allows dropshipping is becoming increasingly confusing. In this respect, here's what the platform considers a violation of its terms of use: "Promoting products that are not in stock". So you can use Google Ads for your dropshipping store if you have the budget and, above all, if you can avoid having your account suspended.

How Google ads works for dropshipping

Google Ads is a perfect choice if you don't know how to sell dropshipping with Facebook advertising. However, it's important to understand how the tool works before you get started. Take note of the following points:

Bid: the maximum amount you're willing to pay per click on your ad is called the bid. So, before using Google ads for dropshipping on Shopify, for example, you need to determine your bid. To this end, you can choose between the following three bidding options, depending on your daily budget:

CPC (cost per click)
CPM (Cost per thousand impressions)
The CPE (Cost per commitment)

Cost per click: also known as CPC, this is the actual amount you pay when a potential customer clicks on your ad. Note that you don't always pay the maximum amount.

Quality level: the quality level indicates the relevance of your keywords to your landing page and ad. The higher the quality score, the higher your ranking. It's also worth noting that the highest quality ads can be the cheapest.

Ad ranking: this is information about your ad, such as when it will be displayed on Google. Quality level and other factors determine ranking. In fact, the calculation of ad rankings is based on quantity and quality level. It's easier to achieve your goals when users keep acting on your ad.

How do I get started with Google Ads Dropshipping?

If you're thinking of using Google Ads for your dropshipping store, here are a few steps to get you started:

Step 1: Create a Google Ads account

To get started with Google Ads, the first step is to create a Google Ads account. If you don't already have an account, then follow the steps below:

Go to the Google Ads homepage (ads.google.com).
Click on the"Start" or"Register" button to create a new account.
Fill in the requested information, such as your e-mail address and company name.
Accept the terms of use and privacy policy.
Click on"Register" to create your account.

Step 2: Set up your Google Ads account

Once you've created your account, you'll need to set it up properly before you can start using Google ads for dropshipping. Here's how:

Log in to your Google Ads account with the credentials you've created.
Access your account settings by clicking on the gear icon in the top right-hand corner.
Select"Account settings" from the drop-down menu.
In the"Billing" section, add the payment information required for your account.
In the"Communication preferences" section, check the notification options and choose the ones that suit you best.
Explore other account settings to tailor your experience to your needs.

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Step 3: Define your advertising objectives

To create your first ads, it's important to define your advertising objectives. This will help you plan your campaigns and measure their success. Here are some examples of common Google ads objectives for dropshipping:

Increase sales of specific products.
Generate traffic to your website.
Increase brand awareness.
Increase subscribers to your mailing list.

Identify your specific goals and keep them in mind throughout the ad creation process. This will help you decide later whether to continue investing in Google ads or facebook ads for dropshipping.

Step 4: Perform keyword research

Keywords play an essential role in Google advertising campaigns. Therefore, conduct keyword research relevant to your dropshipping niche. Here's how:

Use the Google Ads keyword planning tool to find keywords related to your product or niche.
Look for keywords that are popular and relevant to your target audience.
Evaluate the competition and search volume for each keyword to choose the most appropriate ones.

If you don't yet know how to carry out effective keyword research, we recommend this comprehensive guide on"Best practices in good keyword research".

Step 5: Create your first ads

Now that you've defined your objectives and identified your keywords, it's time to create your first ads. Here are the basic steps to creating an effective ad:

In your Google Ads account, click on"Ads" in the navigation menu.
Click on the"+ Ad" button to create a new ad.
Choose the type of ad you'd like to create (text, image, video, etc.).
Fill in the requested information, such as title, description and destination URL.
Use relevant keywords in your ad to reach your target audience.
Opt for attractive visuals and a convincing call to action.

Step 6: Define your budget and bids

Budget and bid management are crucial to a successful advertising campaign. Follow these steps to define your budget and bids:

Access your Google Ads account and click on"Campaigns" in the navigation menu.
Select the campaign to which you wish to add a budget and bids.
Click on the"Settings" tab to access the budget and bidding options.
Set a daily budget for your campaign.
Choose between manual or automatic auctions, depending on your preferences.

Step 7: Track and optimize your campaigns

Once your ads are up and running, it's essential to monitor their performance and optimize them regularly. Here are a few key points to bear in mind:

Analyze key metrics such as clicks, impressions, conversion rate and return on investment (ROI).
Identify the best-performing ads and the most profitable keywords.
Make regular adjustments to improve your ads and optimize your budget.

Experiment with different ad formats, ad copy and bidding strategies to find out what works best for your business. By following these steps, you'll be able to get started with Google ads for dropshipping and create effective ads to promote your products.

5 different types of Google ads

It's important to know the different types of Google Ads to understand what works best for your business. So here are 5 different types of Google Ads:

1. Shopping ads

Shopping ads allow you to target potential customers who are still in the consideration phase of their buying journey. The main difference between shopping ads and search ads is that the former doesn't allow you to target specific keywords. Instead, it simply uses product data from your Google Merchant Center to find out where ads would be most appropriate.

2. Search results

If you're thinking of choosing between Google ads or facebook ads for dropshipping, you need to consider these types of ads. In fact, these are ads that appear directly in search results once potential customers have entered the search query. They can increase your visibility even if you don't score well organically in SEO rankings.

3. Video Announcements

YouTube is one of the world's fastest-growing video-sharing platforms. And with video ads, you can now maximize your reach by placing ads before, between and at the end of different videos. What's more, video ads can be a powerful tool if you know where to place them and can get your message across in the first few seconds.

4. Display Network

Graphic ads have nothing to do with search queries. Instead, they are shown to your target audience in the form of images. They can be very useful in helping you increase brand awareness.

5. Universal applications

This one may not be specifically useful for dropshippers, but Google also lets you market your app via its Universal Apps campaign. With over 2 million Android apps worldwide, this can certainly be useful for increasing your reach.

Google ads for dropshipping: advantages and disadvantages

In this section, we explain the advantages and disadvantages of Google Ads. We invite you to read on:

Advantages of Google Ads

Targeted marketing: Google Ads provisions allow you to target specific customers based on demographics and interests. This approach can be more cost-effective and more likely to generate higher conversions.
Multiple advertising platforms: the Google Display Network allows your ads to be displayed on multiple platforms. This increases your chances of reaching new customers and remarketing to those who know your brand.
Flexible budget options: Google Ads' pay-per-click and bidding approaches let you advertise within your budget. You can also adjust your bids as your business grows.
Automated ads : once you've provided the details of your advertising campaign, you can choose to run automated ads.

Disadvantages of Google Ads

Tricky for beginners: if you're a beginner, all the advertising options provided by Google Ads can be overwhelming. Add to this the complexity of bidding and everything becomes even more difficult.
Bidding wars: while you're choosing how much you want to spend on keywords, it can get pretty competitive. In the end, you may simply have to stretch your budget to make your ads successful.
Google Ads requires constant effort: you need to keep your keywords up to date, and your landing page needs to remain well organized and active. If you abandon these factors, your Google Ads may not perform very well.

Finally, in this detailed guide "Google ads vs facebook ads for dropshipping" we've compared the two platforms to help you make the best decision for your dropshipping business.

The best tools for Google Ads

Google Ads alone is already an excellent advertising platform. But the following tools make it even easier to take full advantage of its benefits:

1. Google AdWords

Google Adwords works exceptionally well with Google Ads. It has powerful features, including the Adwords editor. With the keyword planner, you can plan and execute your marketing strategy.

2. Clever eCommerce

Clever eCommerce is another popular tool that can help you automate your Google Ad campaigns. With this tool, you can use Google ads for dropshipping in just a few clicks to reach your target audience.

3. SEMrush

SEMrush can help you analyze a wide range of data related to your PPC campaigns, and also allows you to calculate CPC. What's more, it's one of the most powerful tools for keyword planning and research.

Why is Google suspending Dropshipping?

Google has launched a series of bans and suspended many dropshipping stores. But this doesn't mean that Google ads can no longer be used for dropshipping. You just have to be smart about it.

One of the main reasons Google bans dropshipping stores is due to lack of originality. A ton of poor-quality copy-and-paste dropshipping stores have started popping up recently. As a result, Google's algorithm has learned to recognize these stores and ban them based on the potential experience they can offer their customers.

How to avoid the suspension of your Dropshipping store?

If you're about to launch your dropshipping store, or if your previous store has been suspended, here are a few tips to help you:

Improving product quality

Novice dropshippers often sell products without any quality control. As a result, customers receive poor-quality products, which in turn gives Google shopping a bad name.
Good product quality is the bare minimum that any online store should offer. So if you want to avoid having your store suspended, concentrate more on quality products.

Shipping time

Occasional late deliveries don't pose a major problem. However, if they become regular, that's when the problem begins. Many dropshippers use offshore suppliers, which means that customers have to wait a long time to receive their products. Indeed, your top priority should be to choose a supplier who is located in the same country where you do business. In this article, you can find out how to find the best Dropshipping supplier for your products.

Maintaining originality

The majority of dropshipping stores lack originality. Store owners are looking to make a quick buck in order to copy and paste the same product descriptions, product images and other text onto their site.
Do none of this and try to create a unique identity for your store. Write in your own brand voice and also avoid using stock images, as they can also be searched in reverse.

Make your site attractive

An attractive dropshipping site has always been a great way to stand out from the competition. However, it can help you avoid being banned, as Google can also ban a site based on its visual appeal. To do this, make sure your site's logo is of high quality. The same goes for any other graphics you use.
However, this doesn't mean you should opt for something fancy. Simply prioritize the user experience and make your company look presentable. This also includes correcting any English mistakes.

Providing good customer service

If your customers are often dissatisfied after talking to your site's customer service, do something about it. Many dropshippers don't focus on customer service, and this is another major reason for store suspensions.

Create legal pages

Creating legal pages can also help you avoid store suspensions. Be sure to focus particularly on the returns and refunds page, as this determines your sincerity towards customers.

Don't import fake reviews

Fake reviews or reviews imported from sites like Alibaba should also be avoided. Any kind of feedback manipulation, in general, can put your store at risk.

Conclusion

Google Ads is undoubtedly one of the best ways to market your dropshipping business. However, with the increasing number of account suspensions, this method comes with its own set of risks. But you can counter this by offering high-quality products and finding a reliable supplier. That's where Minea comes in. With this tool, you can find top-quality products from reputable suppliers, so that quality problems are the least of your worries.

Frequently asked questions

Is dropshipping allowed on Google?

Dropshipping on Google Ads is not allowed, as it involves promoting products you don't have in stock. However, some dropshipping stores still enjoy success by going "under the radar" by offering high-quality services.

Which advertising platform is better for dropshipping: Facebook or Google Ads?

Choosing the right advertising platform for your dropshipping business depends entirely on your needs and goals as an entrepreneur. Simply put, Google Ads offers a broader reach, while Facebook Ads allows for more precise targeting.

Do Google ads work for Shopify?

Google Ads allow Shopify sellers to increase their visibility across multiple channels. Here's one of the most relevant Google ads for online merchants: search ads. These allow you to reach buyers who are actively searching for your competitors or relevant products.