Item: Google Ad Manager
Rating: 10
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

One of the services we provide is PPC (pay per click). We utilize Google Ad Manager to run our clients' Google Ads (Search, Shopping, Display, [&] YouTube). I utilize the platform on a daily basis as well as keep up to date with the everlasting platform changes, upgrades, and betas. Google Ad Manager is our primary focus when it comes to PPC as a whole on search.

Pros and Cons

Hyper targeting - I love how we can target, analyze, and then hyper target [advertisements] to our audiences to be able to hyper target the audiences that convert best. [Audiences besides] Google understands them, but also demographics, locations, search terms, and more.
Advanced reporting - Without Google's seemingly endless ways to read and break down reports, we would not be able to best make decisions to maximize ROI.
Strong conversion algorithm updates - The algorithm has become impressively strong for 'maximized conversions' and 'smart' campaigns. [That's] coming from someone who hated these portions of the algorithm until about 2019 where the updates (and continued updates) have worked incredibly well for these algorithms' purpose.

Bumper Machine - While this is still in beta, there is a lot of room for improvement for the machine to pick proper clips. I'm sure that will come in time though.
Inclusion of a Home Page Button - This is a simple request, truly, but one that bothers me everyday. I have a campaign home button, but it's not accessible unless you go back to the beginning of the platform. If the 'home' button was static, I'd be able to go to my preferred view with one click instead of having to loop around, as there isn't a trustworthy 'back button' option either.
Display - This is a big one. I have a love/hate relationship with display campaigns and algorithms. I have seen where they can perform [strongly] but also be massive budget bleeds with little ROI. It's not very industry specific either so I'm hoping to gain more consistency and trust with the future of the display algorithm.

Return on Investment

I have clients that attribute the majority of their revenue to paid advertisement (Google being the primary of the paid).
Because of the expense, it's important not to go into running ads with a budget that is too low. Otherwise you will not see the conversions you'd be hoping for and it would be a poorly made investment. It's vital to allocate a healthy budget from the beginning. Make sure to do proper analysis in order to forecast a healthy budget.
Along with budget, you need time. Don't expect overnight results from day 1. These campaigns work off of algorithms that need to learn. Be patient, and if managed properly, you should see the workable data that matters to you after the first month. If you get scared too soon and pull out of advertising in a couple weeks, then don't [start using it]. You really want to be ready to run ads with the same rules of investment of any platform; only invest what you're comfortable with losing. Too many times, people make this mistake and panic too soon before letting the campaigns do their work; [you need to learn how to use GoogleAds and see how the campaigns will] grow in order to increase ROI (coupled with daily maintenance for the proper changes to be made for targeting after analysis).

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft Advertising (formerly Bing Ads)

Google Ads is [completely different from] Bing. I mostly advertise on Google and prefer it over Bing tenfold.

Key Insights

Do you think Google Ad Manager delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Google Ad Manager's feature set?

Yes

Did Google Ad Manager live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Google Ad Manager go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Google Ad Manager again?

Yes

Support Rating

I could say a lot about this topic. As an agency, we get a new [representative] to talk to almost every quarter to go over select accounts and the campaigns within. Most of the time, these [educated representatives], don't provide any new feedback, or I just simply [disagree] with their approach. This is not all the time however. I have learned a lot from a rare few, [individuals] that have given me new strategies and access to betas early on. The other side of support, is the [overseas support platform]. [It] is usually not very helpful, but you can [emphasize] issues and they can research [them]. The Google Tag Implementation team is pristine though. When you need them, you need to set an appointment, which is usually 2 weeks out; they are so over-my-head intelligent, I've never had a bad experience with them and whenever I needed them for a fix, they solved it [within] the first call.

Usability

As a certified Google Ads expert, I can use the platform like Gordon Ramsay can use the kitchen. For those that are not experienced, it can be quite an overwhelming experience. Not that that's a bad thing. You want this to be a powerful platform. Google offers a beginner's platform/view but I don't recommend going that route as you have less control and therefore will have a lower ROI. You want to use the experience platform and if you're not comfortable with it, do yourself a favor and invest in a professional to do it for you. That investment should pay for itself every month if you hire right.

Likelihood to Recommend

If you're looking to get into digital advertising, 99% of the time Google Ads is where you want to be. For the simple reason that you can target the search term (as compared to social [media] where you [can] target the type of person, behavior and interests). Google is [generally more] expensive, but if you do the proper research with the keyword planner, you can get a good idea of what your bids will cost; [you] should have a good view of [what] the campaign(s) will convert within the first month.

Google Ad Manager: The most powerful way to PPC!

Overall Satisfaction with Google Ad Manager