Minelli's Marketing Blog

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become embedded into everyday life. AI is used for everything from displaying the best Google Search ads to creating works of art with a few phrases in DALL·E 2 . Individuals are exploring the continuously evolving AI through different means. The first level of responding to AI is adapting. The adaptation level requires developing habits and awareness through research. In Todd Kelsey’s Surfing the Tsunami , the author explores how to adapt to AI. After developing some interest in AI, individuals can start taking an active approach at the adapt level. Developing habits, such as setting aside time to research AI, is an active approach. To build a habit of researching, individuals can set reminders on a Google calendar or their phone to read an article or book about AI. Adapting to AI requires a habit of researching. Developing an awareness of AI helps individuals understand the importance of AI. Kelsey suggests investing time in reading the news. With AI...

Google Ads certifications are a gold star for advertisers. Google offers a variety of certifications to individuals that demonstrate skills in Google Ads. A few certifications that individuals can earn are Google Ads Search, Display, and Video certifications. Individuals must prove their ability with Google Ads before gaining the benefits of the certifications. To gain a Google Ads certification, individuals must prove their proficiency with Google Ads. According to Google Ads Help in “ About Google Ads Certifications ”, individuals need to create a Skillshop account to access Google Ads certifications. Skillshop provides learning material and an assessment. Individuals with a passing score of 80% or higher on the assessment will become certified. Keep in mind that certifications are valid for one year. To maintain certification status, an individual must retake the assessment and pass. Passing a Google Ads assessment provides meaningful benefits.    Google Ads certifications ...

Google Ads offer a variety of ad extensions to add additional information to an ad. The ad extensions an advertiser chooses are based on goals. A few goal-specific ad extensions are location, call, app, and price assets. With numerous ad extension options, advertisers can be overwhelmed. In “Google Ads Tutorials: Ads & Extensions” , Google Ads identify callouts, sitelinks, and structured snippet ad extensions that can be universally used for all marketing objectives. Callout ad extensions can increase the performance of an ad. In Introduction to Search Engine Marketing and Adwords: A Guide for Absolute Beginners , Todd Kelsey describes the beneficial ad extensions. Callout extensions add value propositions or unique qualities of the business to an ad. A callout can include phrases such as low prices or free shipping. For example, L.L. Bean lists a return policy in their callout extension. Callout extensions provide users with unique business information. Text ads can include siteli...

A Google text ad is a window into your business. An ad shows what is being offered. Ad extensions allow advertisers to incorporate additional information into an ad. Using ad extensions provides benefits such as increased visibility, cost, and better-qualified leads. Ad extensions increase ad visibility. In “The 10 Best Google Ad Extensions You Should Be Using”, Neil Patel discusses the benefits of ad extensions. Ad extensions have the potential of expanding ad space on a search page. In the example below, the Macy’s shoe ad is an average text ad. In comparison, the Shoe Carnival ad takes up more space on the search page. The Shoe Carnival ad used sitelink extensions that expanded the size of the text ad. Ad extensions create larger advertisements. Include relevant ad extensions at no extra cost. According to Google Ads Help's article “About Assets" , an ad with any ad extensions will be charged using cost-per-click (CPC). The advertiser will only pay when an individual click...

  In the past, a search using Google would produce lines of never-ending text. In recent years Google has been incorporating splashes of color into their search pages. Image extensions are one of many ways images have been incorporated into the search engine. Understanding the basics of image extensions and their benefits can help advertisers create better ads. Google Ads are currently offering image extensions and dynamic image extensions for text ads. In “Google Ads Tutorials: How to Set Up Image Extensions” , Google Ads explained image extensions and their benefits. Image extensions for text ads allow advertisers the opportunity to incorporate an image into a text ad. The advertisement includes the standard headline, description, and URL with an image attached. In the example below, a quick search produces a text ad with an image extension. A square image sits in the lower right-hand corner of the text ad. Images can be uploaded, selected from an asset library, stock images, or ...

After entering an inquiry into Google, you have already used a keyword. Keywords are the terms or phrases that users may use to search for a product or service. Selecting the right keyword for a Google ad to appear can prove challenging. Google Ads’ Keyword Planner allows advisers to choose beneficial keywords by identifying new keywords and their search volume. Keyword Planner is a diverse tool that helps advertisers choose keywords for Google Ads. In Todd Kelsey’s Introduction to Search Engine Marketing and Adwords: A Guide for Absolute Beginners , the author discussed the Google Ads’ tool Keyword Planner. The tool helps marketers by generating keywords for Google Ads. An advertiser can enter a few keywords with a link to the website or only a website link to generate a list of keywords. In the example below, a list of keywords was generated using Minelli’s Marketing Blog. The list includes a range of bid prices that indicate the price range historically paid for an ad to appear in a...

Creating a Google Ads campaign doesn’t mean an advertiser’s job is over. An advertiser acts as a supervisor for campaigns by regularly checking data. By monitoring Google Ads campaigns, an advertiser can make informed decisions to improve the campaign. There are two main aspects of a Google Ads campaign that advertisers should consider: timeframe and click-through rate (CTR). A productive habit to develop is setting aside time to monitor existing Google Ads campaigns. In Introduction to Search Engine Marketing and Adwords: A Guide for Absolute Beginners , Todd Kelsey describes how to monitor a Google Ads campaign. To check a Google Ads campaign, an individual must set a timeline. For example, reviewing a campaign over the last week or month. By experimenting with a timeframe, Google Ads users can better identify a holistic view. Including a reminder on your phone to check on a Google Ads campaign can help individuals remember to monitor their campaign regularly. Reviewing two month’s w...

Amazon, an online shopping site, has it all right at your fingertips. A plethora of products are offered through Amazon, from streaming movies to buying shoes. With millions of active customers worldwide, Amazon offers Amazon Ads to advertise products. Amazon Ads includes a variety of ad formats based on advertiser's goals. Amazon Ads are versatile. According to “The Basics of Success: Understanding Amazon Ads” , there are a variety of advertisement formats, locations, and payment methods to choose from. Amazon Ads offer Sponsored Products, Video ads, Audio ads, and more. Sponsored Products is a cost-per-click (CPC) method to advertise individual product listings on shopping results or product detail pages. Video ads appear during streamed videos. Out-streamed videos can be viewed outside of video content both on and off Amazon. Audio ads appear on Amazon music across multiple device formats. Before picking an Amazon ad, an advertiser should understand their goals. An advertiser’s...

Text ads are a type of advertisement offered by Google Ads. In a quick Google Search for candles, an individual can find a text ad such as the one below. There are a few parts to a text ad that advertisers must understand to develop a successful text ad. All text ads include a URL, headline, and description. Google Ads has a variety of ads to choose from, including the standard text ad. In Todd Kelsey’s Introduction to Search Engine Marketing and AdWords: A Guide for Absolute Beginners , a text ad has three main components: final URL, headline, and description. The final URL is the final destination or landing page; the ad will take a user after a click. Often the final URL would be a link to a blog, website, or a page from the website. There are three headline fields. A minimum of three headlines must be filled to produce a text ad. Including keywords in a headline can boost an ad’s relevance. In the description fields, an advertising highlights unique value propositions. The descript...

After creating a Google Ads account, advertisers can begin the ad design process. When utilizing Google Ads, there are three basic groupings that advertisers should understand: campaign, ad groups, and ads. The three categories act like nesting dolls. Campaigns, the largest container, holds a variety of ad groups. The ad group, the medium-sized category, houses multiple ads. An advertiser can use each category to their advantage. Before creating an ad, an advertiser makes a campaign. To make a Google Ads campaign, an advertiser should know their business goals. In Todd Kelsey’s Introduction to Search Engine Marketing and AdWords: A Guide for Absolute Beginners , the campaign category identifies campaign type, bids, location, and schedule. A business's goals dictate which campaign type they should use. For example, a business trying to promote an app would benefit from the App campaign type rather than a Local campaign type that is used to promote a location. Advertisers identify th...

Today, people carry a tiny computer in their pockets daily. Computers keep important data, such as location, passwords, and more. Cybercriminal activity and unauthorized accesses haunt computers every second. Cybersecurity has become a necessity. Cybersecurity has seen steady growth and is predicted to continue. Over the last 12 months Google Trends has documented a continual increase in the interest of cybersecurity. The rise of cybersecurity is attributed to multiple factors in Amit D.’s article “Future of the Cybersecurity Job Market 2022” . Cybercrimes have increased exponentially with the emergence of disruptive technologies. Businesses are investing more in cybersecurity. The popularity of cybersecurity leads to a need for employees. Increased awareness of cybersecurity demands a proper workforce. Amit D. further discusses the desire for a larger workforce. There has been a 94% increase in cybersecurity jobs since 2013. Many cybersecurity listings go unfilled due to a lack of a...

During your daily commute, a billboard for Nike appears on the route. Viewing the advertisement probably won’t result in purchasing sneakers from Nike. Billboards and other forms of traditional advertising can be difficult to track return on investment (ROI). Online advertising provides trackable data to improve campaign effectiveness. The metrics in digital advertising provide data and measure the performance of an ad or campaign. According to Todd Kelsey's article “Branding/Impression, Analytics/Clicks'' , there are two main metrics: impressions and clicks. After viewing an advertisement, the ad can make an impression. For example, 5 million people potentially saw a Nike ad on Google and may have formed a positive impression. A positive impression can result in a click and purchase. Out of 5 million impressions, about a thousand people clicked the ad. An impression doesn’t guarantee a click. An advertisement may get multiple impressions before getting a click. Advertisers...

I n a quick Google Search for running shoes, users receive a variety of results on the search engine results page (SERP). In the example below, the advertisements are positioned at the top of the page. These ads were produced using Google Ads, an online advertising program. After the initial inquiry, Google displays the most relevant ads based on the user's search. Individuals can create paid ads using Google Ads to reach potential customers. Ads for businesses can be created using Google Ads. Todd Kelsey describes the basics of Google Ads in an Introduction to Search Engine Marketing and AdWords: A Guide for Absolute Beginners . Google Ads uses cost-per-click advertising (CPC), paying for the number of people that click on the ad. After creating an AdWords account, individuals can create an ad by inputting a headline, description, and link. Google Ads uses bidding methods for ads. Advertisers pick keywords to bid on. Keywords are words or phrases that users may use to search on G...