Written by David Escolano
We all know that Google Adwords is Google’s advertising program where we can create online ads both in its Search and Display Network and reach our target audience. Well, do we know the difference between Google Adwords and Adwords Express?
Let’s say that Adwords Express is roughly speaking the little brother of Google Adwords, that is, Google Adwords is oriented to those companies that have local, national and international clients, while Adwords Express focuses only and exclusively on local businesses.
The management of the ads in Adwords is done autonomously, having absolute control of the campaign, i.e., through Adwords you can, among other actions, create ads, assign a daily budget to the campaign and determine the maximum amount we are willing to spend per click (maximum CPC). On the contrary, the ads that are carried out through Adwords Express are managed automatically, where we will only be able to do the following:
- Create an online advertisement.
- Establish a budget.
- Choose a company category.
- Select search phrases related to our business.
Another difference between Adwords and Adwords Express that I particularly like is that with Adwords Express it is not necessary to have a website to advertise online, simply create an account on Google Plus or Google Maps.
Adwords Express ads are displayed in search results and Google Maps with a blue badge, as shown in the following image.
In terms of geographic targeting, Adwords Express limits its ads to a radius of between 24 and 64 km, while both advertising programs do allow mobile advertising.
Now that the term SOLOMO (Social + Location and Mobile) is in vogue, Adwords Express ads are an option to consider, especially for those small businesses that want to advertise online but don’t have time to manage their online campaigns. It is also an advantage for them to know that they only pay for each click they make on the ads, knowing at all times the cost of the investment.
By way of summary, a comparative table is shown below:
| AdWords Express | AdWords | |
|---|---|---|
| We only pay per click | Yes | Yes |
| Automated management | Yes | No |
| Easy solution for companies without a web site | Yes | No |
| Ads on the Google Search network | Yes | Yes |
| Advertisements on other related websites | Limited (U.S. only) | Yes |
| Mobile ads | Yes | Yes |
| Other advanced ad formats (e.g., video) | No | Yes |
| Ability to target ads geographically | Local (radius 24 to 64 km) | In any location |
Source: Google Adwords Express
In short, Google created Adwords Express to meet the needs of a large mass of small businesses and to expand its line of business.
If you have advertised on Google Adwords and Adwords Express, let us know how it went.
