Part of: Digital marketing
Ecommerce PPC management
PPC means paying for visits, usually per click. For an online store the main choices are search ads, Shopping ads and display ads. They do different jobs, and the right mix depends on your products, margins and tracking.
How to choose
A quick comparison of the services in PPC.
| Service | What it is | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | We set up and manage Google Ads search and performance campaigns for Shopify stores. That means a clear account structure, tracking you can trust, regular clean-up of search terms and reporting that compares Google's figures with your store's own. We do not promise a return on ad spend. | Stores that want to reach people already searching for their products, have tracking that records real orders, and can fund a test budget. | Read more about Google Ads |
| Google Shopping | Google Shopping shows your products, with image and price, when people search. Results depend more on the quality of your product data than on clever bidding, so we start by checking and fixing the feed, then manage the campaigns and report on what your store actually sold. | Stores with a clean catalogue, clear product images and prices, and tracking that records real orders, that want products to appear when people search. | Read more about Google Shopping |
| Microsoft Ads | Microsoft Ads shows your search ads on Bing and partner sites, to a smaller audience than Google. We usually build it from your Google Ads account, check what carried over, and report on it separately so you can judge whether it earns its place. | Stores already running Google Ads that want to reach a smaller, separate audience, and whose customers are likely to use Bing or Edge. | Read more about Microsoft Ads |
| Display ads | Display ads are image ads shown across websites and apps. We use them mainly to remind people who have already visited your store, and sometimes to reach new people. We are honest about where display wastes money and how hard its results are to measure. | Stores with enough traffic to remind, creative ready to show and tracking that records real orders. | Read more about Display ads |
What PPC is for
PPC (pay-per-click) puts your products in front of people now, rather than after months of building search visibility. It is a good way to test demand quickly. It also stops the moment you stop paying, which is the main difference from SEO, where the work keeps paying back more slowly. Most stores use both.
Search, Shopping and display
- Search ads appear when someone types a query. They suit stores where people search for what you sell by name or need. See Google Ads.
- Shopping ads show your product image, price and store name. They depend on the quality of your product data more than on clever bidding. See Google Shopping.
- Microsoft Ads works like Google search ads on a smaller audience, and campaigns can often be imported from Google Ads. See Microsoft Ads.
- Display ads show images across websites and apps. They are better at reminding people than at finding new ones, and they are the easiest to waste money on. See display ads.
How to think about budget
Start from your margins. If an average order leaves you a certain amount after costs, that sets what you can afford to pay to win a customer. The platform’s own figures will not tell you that, because they do not know your costs.
Then start small, and increase spend only when results are clear in your store’s own sales records. Doubling a budget on a hunch is how stores lose money.
When not to run ads
Pause before spending if any of these is true:
- your tracking does not match your actual orders. Data and analytics comes first
- most visitors leave the product page or checkout without buying. Conversion rate optimisation will do more for you than extra traffic
- your margins are too thin to cover the cost of a click
- you have no good images, offers or messages to show. Ad creative can help with that
Measurement honesty
Ad platforms report their own results, and they tend to take credit generously. We compare what each platform says with what your store and your analytics recorded. When the numbers disagree, we say so and explain the likely reasons. No platform report is the whole truth, and neither is ours.
We do not promise a return on ad spend. We show you what is realistic for your store, and report honestly on what happened.
Each service in PPC
Google Ads
We set up and manage Google Ads search and performance campaigns for Shopify stores. That means a clear account structure, tracking you can trust, regular clean-up of search terms and reporting that compares Google's figures with your store's own. We do not promise a return on ad spend.
Google Shopping
Google Shopping shows your products, with image and price, when people search. Results depend more on the quality of your product data than on clever bidding, so we start by checking and fixing the feed, then manage the campaigns and report on what your store actually sold.
Microsoft Ads
Microsoft Ads shows your search ads on Bing and partner sites, to a smaller audience than Google. We usually build it from your Google Ads account, check what carried over, and report on it separately so you can judge whether it earns its place.
Display ads
Display ads are image ads shown across websites and apps. We use them mainly to remind people who have already visited your store, and sometimes to reach new people. We are honest about where display wastes money and how hard its results are to measure.
How it works
Every project is different, so timings depend on its size and complexity. You get a realistic timeline in writing before work starts, and we never promise results by a date.
Step 1: Check the basics
We check your tracking, your margins and your product pages, because ads send people to all three.
Step 2: Choose channels
We recommend where to start and what to leave out, with the reasons written down.
Step 3: Launch small
We start with a modest, agreed budget, so you learn what works before spending more.
Step 4: Review and adjust
We review results against your store's own sales figures, then change what the evidence supports.
Questions people ask
Which should I start with: search, Shopping or display ads?
For most stores, Shopping and search ads come first, because they reach people who are already looking for something. Display ads usually work better later, for reminding past visitors. Your products and margins can change that, which is why we look at them first.
How much should I spend on ads?
Enough to learn something, and no more than you can afford to lose while you do. The right figure depends on your margins and average order value. We work it out with you rather than suggesting a round number.
Can you promise a return on ad spend?
No. Results depend on your prices, your products, your competitors and how well the store converts. We can show you what is realistic for your store, and report honestly on what happened.
When should a store not run ads?
When tracking is unreliable, when the product page or checkout loses most visitors, or when margins leave no room for the cost of a click. In those cases the money is better spent on fixing the problem first.
Do I need Microsoft Ads as well as Google Ads?
Not at the start. Microsoft Ads reaches a smaller audience and can be added once Google Ads is working. Whether it is worth it depends on who your customers are.
Who owns the ad accounts?
Your account stays in your name. If you do not have one yet, we set it up in your name and you give us access. That way you keep the history and the data, whoever runs it.
Not sure which to choose?
Get a free, top-level audit of your website for SEO, your ad account for PPC or your analytics account. A subject matter expert at Advent reviews it, and we aim to send it within 5 working days of receiving access.