Not convinced that Google Ads (the paid advertisements on Google Search or on other websites, like Gmail or YouTube) would work well for your apartment community?
Here are the top 5 myths about using Google Ads for apartments--with solid myth-busting statistics to provide you with the truth.
Myth #1: Nobody Clicks on Google Ads for Apartments.
Typically, this myth is purely anecdotal. ("I never click on those things!") But the statistics actually prove that (1) a large portion of people cannot tell ads from organic search results in the first place, and (2) people do click on ads when they are looking to buy something, even if they don't click on ads otherwise.
In fact, a recent study proved that almost half of all people (45.5%) cannot identify paid ads that appear directly above the normal, organic search results on Google. And 37.1% of all people cannot identify paid ads, even when they appear on the right-hand sidebar of a Google search page. (Source)
Also, a study by WordStream documented that paid search ads received 64.6% (nearly 2/3!) of all clicks for high commercial intent searches--like a search on Google from someone looking for an apartment to rent. (Source)
Myth #2: I Can't Compete with the Big Companies.
While it is true that you probably can't compete with the big companies spending millions of dollars ever year on Ads for the most competitive keywords on Google (particularly, the keyword phrase "apartments in your city"), but the beauty of Ads is that you can target very specific keyword phrases at a very low cost (such as "your community name in your city").
Businesses (including small businesses) make, on average, $2 in revenue for every $1 they spend on Ads. (Source) Of course, it can be difficult to plan, design, and execute your campaign as cost-effectively as possible, but small businesses from every industry--especially the apartment industry--find enormous success through targeted, cost-effective, intelligent campaigns.
Myth #3: I Don't Need Google Ads Because I Already Rank Highly on Google.
A major study demonstrated that 89% of the clicks you get through Ads cannot be replaced by organic (free) search engine results, even if you rank highly on Google for those same search terms. (Source)
Here's the breakdown:
- If you rank 1st on Google for a keyword phrase (say, for a search for your apartment community by name), 50% of the clicks generated through Ads cannot be replaced through organic search traffic alone.
- If you rank 2nd-4th on Google for a keyword phrase, 82% of the clicks generated through Ads cannot be replaced through organic search traffic alone.
- If you rank 5+, a full 96% of clicks through Ads cannot be replaced through organic search traffic alone. (Source)
When it's all said and done, only 8.9% of all people actually click the #1 ranking organic search result whenever ads appear above the normal search results. (Source)
Myth #4: Anybody Can Setup a Google Ads Campaign.
This is true, but misleading in a critical way. Yes, anyone with a credit card can begin advertising on Google, but there are far too many options, settings, tricks, bells, whistles, and levers in Ads to expect any success at all if you just plug in a credit card and launch your first campaign on the default settings.
Put simply, if your campaigns are underoptimized, your ads will not rank very highly. This is a serious problem, because average click-through rate for ads in the top position is 10x higher than ads that only rank in the side position. Additionally, ads in the top position convert into leads and sales more often than ads in the side position. (Source)
Myth #5: My Target Audience Uses Facebook, So That's Where I Advertise.
Facebook is massively popular for personal activities, but Facebook is largely a disaster for generating new business. The average click-through rate of display ads on Google (0.4%) is almost 10x higher than the click-through rate for a Facebook ad (0.051%). (Source)
But, ads that appear on the Google search results page are clicked an incredible 600x more often than ads on Facebook. (Source)
Conclusion
In conclusion, Google Ads work. Of course, like any other tool, Ads must be used properly for best results.
But the statistics don't lie--Google Ads are an incredibly cost-effective traffic generation source for apartment communities.
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