What Do Google Ad Specialists Do?
Before we can get into the meat of our article and take a look at the Google Ads interview questions and answers, let’s get a few basics out of the way for anyone that’s not familiar with what a Google Ads specialist is and what their role consists of.
First things first, however, it’s important to first establish that being a Google Ads specialist is a legit job; so just in case you were wondering if such a role exists or if anyone told you otherwise, we can guaranteee that being a marketer that specialises in the use of the Google Ads platform is a genuine profession.
Secondly, there are many sorts of Google Ads specialist jobs that you can come across, and not all of them having the same set of responsibilities. For example, being a junior or entry-level marketer won’t require the same level of expertise and responsibilities as a manager who needs to lead a team.
However, no matter the position, the basic responsibilities of a Google advertising marketer are pretty much the same, and these would include:
- Managing ad campaigns
- Optimizing ad campaigns
- Testing new strategies and ad copies
- Monitoring paid ad campaign performances
- Compare performance to that of competitors
- Creating new campaigns
- Reporting on campaign performance
Is Being a Google Ad Specialist Hard?
Of course, one of the biggest considerations you need to account for when wondering whether becoming a Google Ads specialist is worth it is whether actually performing the job is hard. Well, we suppose that the answer is both yes, and no.
The job isn’t difficult in the same sense that certain jobs like being a firefighter or a surgeon is difficult, but there are definitely far easier jobs to do since becoming a paid ads specialist requires a lot of hard work in order to actually succeed. This is because not only do you actually need to know how to use various tools (including the advertising platforms themselves), but you also need to have enough expertise in order to be head and shoulders above the rest.
There are plenty of specialists out there, and standing out is imperative if you want to succeed in making money as a Google Ads specialist. This is especially true if you eventually decide to become a Google Ads freelancer, as you would definitely need to stand out in order to get enough contracts.
However, even if the job proves to be particularly difficult, there are many positives to working a Google Ads specialist, including the fact that the average Google Ads specialist salary is around $60,000/year in the US, which is definitely a very respectable salary.
Why Hire a Google Ads Specialist?
If you’re reading to understand what questions you ought to ask a Google Ads specialist that you’re planning on hiring, then you’re probably also wondering why you need to hire one at all.
Well, working with the Google Ads platform is no walk in the park, and it requires many, many months of lessons, training, as well as hands-on experience in order to actually get good enough at the job—let alone becoming an expert in it and making any sort of astounding gains.
Moreover, this isn’t taking into account the actual amount of time you need to dedicate into using the platform, which might detract from the time you would need in order to accomplish other responsibilities. So, it’s definitely a good idea to hire a dedicated marketer if you don’t have the time or expertise to do it yourself.
If, however, you’re planning to set up your own Google Ads agency, then the reason for hiring a Google Ads specialist is obvious: if you want to be a truly successful marketing firm, you need to expand your operations and take on more clients than you yourself can personally handle, which is why you need to hire your own employees.
How Do I Learn to Be a Google Ads Specialist?
There are a number of steps involved in becoming a Google PPC specialist, all of which we’ve explained in our detailed guide on the subject. However, if you want a summary of the process, we’re more than happy to oblige:
- Firstly, you need to learn how to use Google Ads. There are many resources that can help you achieve that goal, which we explain in more detail in our guide on how to learn Google Ads, so we suggest giving that a read to accomplish this step.
- The next step is not entirely necessary, but it often helps in getting a foot in the door of PPC marketing, and that’s getting certified in Google Ads. Different marketers having different opinions on whether the Google Ads certification is worth it or not, but in our opinion, it can provide further knowledge and might even lend you some credibility. If you want to know the full process of how to get Google Ads certified, you should read our post on the subject.
- After learning how to use the platform and/or getting your certification, you’re going to need to apply your skills. You can do this by either working on your own projects, or else by applying for junior roles. It’s important, however, that if you’re applying for an entry-level position, you need to create a basic Google Ads specialist resume, and you can do this by mentioning your certificate as well as any course you would have finished.
Google Ads Specialist Interview Questions and Answers
As you can easily imagine, the number of possible Google Ad interview questions that you can be asked is actually massive. This is due to the fact that the Google Ads platform is actually quite complex and requires a number of years to actually master (and even then, there is still so much more to learn!)
Naturally, we cannot cover every possible interview question on Google Ads, so we’re sticking to what we think are the most fundamental to know, and the most commonly asked ones.
So, let’s get down to it.
General Google Ads Knowledge
This first section deals with Google Ads basic interview questions, or in other words, the very fundamentals of using the platform and understanding the field of paid marketing. These are extremely important to know, and getting these wrong will show your interviewer that you have no clue about Google Ads.
What is PPC marketing?
PPC is short for “pay-per-click”, which is a form of paid advertising; in other words, a form of marketing that requires someone to pay for the acquisition of a new visitor. Pay-per-click works by having marketers pay for every click that a user makes on an ad they might encounter on a search engine or website.
What is Google Ads and how does it work?
Google Ads is the official paid advertising platform offered by Google. Through the platform, marketers and companies pay Google for their ads to be displayed on the results pages of the search engine. Their ads will be displayed whenever a user searches for a keyword that’s relevant to advert.
The whole basis of the Google Ads platform works via a process known as “bidding”. Users decide how much they’re willing to pay for their ad to appear, and the higher the price paid for the ad, the likelier it will appear at the top of the Google results. Importantly, the price is only paid once a user actually clicks on the ad.
What are AdWords?
AdWords is the former name of Google Ads, and the original name of the platform when it was launched in the year 2000. However, in 2018, Google AdWords was renamed to Google Ads.
What are search terms?
Search terms are the queries where a user discovered and clicked on your ad.
Why is PPC such an essential part of online advertising?
Pay-per-click marketing is important for online marketing because it can offer results much, much faster than those obtained via organic search, that is, SEO (search engine optimization). It bypasses the difficulty and necessary long wait that is required from using SEO.
What are the different types of Google Ads campaigns?
Google Ads offers a variety of campaign types, including search, display, video, shopping, and app campaigns. Each campaign type has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the best type for a business will depend on its specific goals and target audience.
What are the key metrics for measuring Google Ads performance?
The key metrics for measuring Google Ads performance include:
- Impressions: The number of times your ad has been displayed.
- Clicks: The number of times someone has clicked on your ad.
- Cost per click (CPC): The average amount you pay for each click.
- Conversion rate: The percentage of people who click on your ad and then take a desired action, such as making a purchase.
- Return on ad spend (ROAS): The amount of revenue you generate for every dollar you spend on advertising.
What is Google Quality Score and how can you improve it?
Google’s Quality Score is a metric that Google uses to determine the quality of your adverts. It’s measured on a scale of 1-10 at the keyword level and a higher score means that your advert is more relevant to users compared to that of other advertisers. Quality Score is a useful diagnostic tool because it can show you where you need to improve.
Quality Score is based on 3 factors:
- Expected click-through rate, or the likelihood of your ad being clicked when shown to users.
- Ad relevance, or how relevant your ad is to the intent behind someone’s search.
- Landing page experience, or how relevant and useful the page users land on after they click on your ad is.
Improving any of these components, such as making your ad more relevant to users, updating your landing page, and even testing different ad texts to try and boost your CTR, is how you can improve your Quality Score.
What factors affect landing page quality?
There are many factors that affect landing page quality, which are:
- Relevance to ad copy and keywords
- Compelling and clear value proposition
- Strong calls to action (CTAs)
- Mobile-friendliness
- Fast loading speed
- Visual appeal and design
- Trustworthiness and security
- A/B testing and regular optimization
- User feedback and analytics
What is Ad Rank?
Ad Rank is the actual ranking of the search ad on the Google results page. Ad rank is determined both by the bid placed on the keywords that trigger it (a.k.a. search terms), as well as the quality score of your ad.
What does CTR (click-through rate) mean and how is it measured?
Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of users that click on your ad in the search results. CTR is calculated by dividing the number of clicks that an ad receives by the number of impressions (that is, the number of times it’s been seen by a searcher on the results page) it receives and multiplying the result by 100.
What is remarketing?
Remarketing, also known as retargeting, is a marketing strategy that allows businesses to show ads to people who have already visited their website or interacted with their brand in some way. This is done by placing a small tracking pixel on the website or using cookies to identify visitors.
What are managed placements?
Managed placements are a type of targeting that allows advertisers to choose specific websites or apps where they want their ads to show. This is more granular than other targeting options, such as targeting by keyword or demographic.
What is the difference between automatic and managed placements?
With automatic placements, Google chooses the websites and apps where your ads will show based on your targeting criteria. With managed placements, you have more control over where your ads are displayed.
What are some common Google Ads mistakes to avoid?
Some common Google Ads mistakes to avoid include:
- Setting bids that are too low.
- Using broad match keywords without negative keywords.
- Not tracking your results.
- Not making adjustments to your campaigns based on your results.
What is the conversion optimizer in Google?
The conversion optimizer is a bidding strategy that automatically adjusts your bids based on your website conversions. This means that you don’t have to worry about setting bids manually.
Keyword Research and Selection
What are keyword match types?
Keyword match types are how Google determines which ads to show when someone searches for a particular keyword. There are four main match types:
- Broad match: Your ad will show for any search that includes your keyword.
- Phrase match: Your ad will show for searches that include your keyword in a specific order.
- Exact match: Your ad will only show for searches that match your keyword exactly.
- Negative match: Your ad will not show for searches that include your negative keyword.
How do you conduct keyword research for a new campaign?
When selecting keywords, you should consider the following factors:
- Search volume: The number of people who are searching for the keyword each month.
- Competition: The number of other advertisers who are bidding on the keyword.
- Relevance to your target audience.
- Your budget.
How do you use negative keywords to control who sees your ads?
Negative keywords are keywords that you add to your campaigns to prevent your ads from showing for searches that are not relevant to your products or services. This can help to improve your Quality Score and reduce your CPCs.
How do you stay up-to-date on the latest keyword trends?
It is important to stay up-to-date on the latest keyword trends so that you can ensure that your campaigns are targeting the right audience. There are a number of ways to do this, including:
- Monitoring Google Trends.
- Reading industry news and blogs.
- Talking to your target audience.
Campaign Setup and Management
What is campaign management?
Campaign management is the name used to refer to the process of someone managing and creating paid advertising campaigns on the Google Ads platform, or any other platform; this is the same process whether it’s for their own products or the products of a client.
How do you create a new Google Ads campaign?
Creating a new Google Ads campaign involves the following steps:
- Choose a campaign type.
- Set a budget.
- Select your targeting options.
- Create your ads.
- Set your bids.
- Optimize your campaign settings.
What are some important settings to consider when creating a campaign?
Some important settings to consider when creating a campaign include:
- Bidding strategy: The way you want to bid on keywords.
- Ad scheduling: When you want your ads to show.
- Device targeting: The devices on which you want your ads to show.
- Remarketing: The ability to show ads to people who have visited your website.
How do you set a budget for your campaign?
The amount you spend on your Google Ads campaigns will depend on your budget and your goals. It is important to set a budget that is both affordable and realistic for your business. You should also set a daily budget and a monthly budget.
How do you target your ads to a specific audience?
Google Ads allows you to target your ads to a specific audience based on a variety of factors, including:
- Demographics: Age, gender, location, interests, and education.
- Behavior: Website visits, purchase history, and app usage.
- Intent: Search terms, website engagement, and remarketing lists.
How do you track and measure your campaign performance?
Google Ads provides a variety of reports that you can use to track and measure your campaign performance. These reports will give you insights into your impressions, clicks, conversions, and ROI.
Ad Creation and Optimization
What are Google ad extensions?
Ad extensions are additional elements that can be added to your ads to make them more informative and engaging. Some common extensions include:
- Sitelinks: Display links to key pages on your website.
- Callouts: Highlight specific features or benefits of your products or services.
- Structured snippets: Provide additional information about your business, such as business hours, location, and contact information.
What is ad rotation?
Ad rotation is the way that Google decides which ad variation to show for a particular search query. There are two main types of ad rotation:
- Optimize for clicks: Google will show the ad variation that is most likely to get clicked.
- Optimize for conversions: Google will show the ad variation that is most likely to lead to conversions.
What is automated bidding strategy?
An automated bidding strategy allows Google to choose the bidding strategy that is most likely to achieve your goals, such as clicks or conversions. This can save you time and money, as you don’t have to set bids manually.
What are the key elements of a successful Google Ads ad?
A successful Google Ads ad should be:
- Compelling: Grab attention and entice clicks.
- Relevant: Align with keywords and target audience.
- Action-oriented: Clearly state the desired action.
- Mobile-friendly: Optimized for small screens.
How would you improve ad position?
There are a few things you can do to improve your ad position:
- Use relevant keywords and ad copy.
- Have a high Quality Score.
- Use ad extensions.
- Target your ads to the right audience.
- Bid more for keywords that are important to you.
How do you write compelling ad copy that converts?
Writing compelling ad copy that converts requires:
- A strong headline: Capture attention and convey value.
- Benefit-driven copy: Highlight the benefits to the user.
- Strong calls to action: Encourage clicks and conversions.
- Varied ad variations: Test different approaches to find the best performing.
How do you use ad extensions to enhance your ads?
Ad extensions are additional elements that can be added to your ads to make them more informative and engaging. Some common ad extensions include:
- Sitelinks: Display links to key pages on your website.
- Callouts: Highlight specific features or benefits of your products or services.
- Structured snippets: Provide additional information about your business, such as business hours, location, and contact information.
How do you test different ad variations to improve performance?
A/B testing is a method of testing different versions of an ad to see which one performs better. This can help you to identify the most effective ad copy and landing page elements.
How to increase conversion rates?
There are a few things you can do to increase your conversion rates:
- Create a compelling landing page that is relevant to your ads.
- Use strong calls to action.
- Optimize your website for mobile devices.
- Use remarketing to reach people who have already visited your website.
- Track your conversions and make adjustments to your campaigns as needed.
How do you organize ad groups?
Ad groups should be organized based on your target audience and product or service offerings. For example, you might have an ad group for each product category or for each customer segment.
Reporting and Analysis
What are some key reports that you use to track Google Ads performance?
Some key Google Ads reports include:
- Search Performance: Shows how your ads are performing for specific keywords.
- Campaign Performance: Provides an overview of your campaign’s performance across all keywords.
- Conversion Tracking: Tracks conversions and ROI.
How do you analyze data from Google Ads to identify trends and opportunities?
Analyzing data from Google Ads can help you to identify trends and opportunities, such as:
- Which keywords are generating the most clicks and conversions.
- When your ads are performing best.
- What devices are your target audience using.
- Which ad extensions are the most effective.
How do you use data to make informed decisions about your campaigns?
Data from Google Ads can be used to make informed decisions about your campaigns, such as:
- Adjusting bids for specific keywords or ad groups.
- Optimizing landing pages for better conversions.
- Targeting different audiences based on their demographics, interests, and behaviors.
How do you communicate Google Ads results to stakeholders?
Effectively communicating Google Ads results to stakeholders is important for building trust and demonstrating the value of your work. You can do this by:
- Providing clear and concise reports that highlight key metrics.
- Using visuals, such as charts and graphs, to make data more engaging.
- Focusing on the impact of Google Ads on your business’s goals, such as increased sales or improved brand awareness.
Additional Questions
What is your experience with Google Analytics and how do you use it to improve your Google Ads campaigns?
Google Analytics is a valuable tool for tracking website traffic and user behavior. You can use this data to improve your Google Ads campaigns by:
- Identifying your website’s most popular pages and keywords.
- Understanding your target audience’s demographics, interests, and behaviors.
- Tracking the effectiveness of your landing pages.
What is your experience with conversion tracking and how do you use it to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns?
Conversion tracking is a method of tracking conversions, which are actions that visitors take on your website that you value, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. You can use conversion tracking to measure the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns and to optimize your bids for better results.
What is your understanding of the Google Ads auction process?
The Google Ads auction process is the way that Google determines which ads to show for a particular search query. The auction considers a number of factors, including the keyword relevance, bid amount, Quality Score, and ad extensions. By understanding the auction process, you can make informed decisions about your bids and other campaign settings.
What are some of the latest trends in Google Ads that you are excited about?
The Google Ads platform is constantly evolving, with new features and tools being added all the time. Some of the latest trends in Google Ads include:
- Expanded targeting options: Google Ads now offers more granular targeting options, allowing you to reach your target audience more effectively.
- Enhanced machine learning: Google is using machine learning to improve the performance of Google Ads campaigns, such as automatically optimizing bids and ad placements.
- Mobile-first approach: Google is placing a greater emphasis on mobile advertising, with a focus on creating ads that are optimized for smartphones and tablets.
By staying up-to-date on these trends, you can ensure that your Google Ads campaigns are using the latest technology to achieve your goals.
What is the Google Ad API?
The Google Ad API is a set of tools that allow you to programmatically manage your Google Ads campaigns. This can be helpful if you need to automate tasks, such as setting bids or creating ads.
