Getting Started with Google Ads

Getting to page one of Google through organic SEO takes months. Google Ads gets you there today. If you have a budget and need leads now, this is the fastest path to visibility.

Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) is Google’s paid advertising platform. You bid on keywords, and when someone searches for those keywords, your ad appears at the top of the results. You pay when someone clicks. That’s the basic mechanic. Here’s how to make it work.

How Google Ads Works

Google runs an auction every time someone searches. Your ad’s position depends on two things: how much you’re willing to pay per click (your bid) and your Quality Score, which is Google’s rating of how relevant and useful your ad and landing page are to the searcher.

A higher Quality Score means you can pay less per click and still outrank competitors. Google rewards relevance. If your ad matches what the person is searching for, and your landing page delivers on the promise, you win.

What You Need Before You Start

Before you spend a dollar on Google Ads, get these pieces in place:

• A clear goal. Are you generating phone calls? Form submissions? Online purchases? Every campaign needs one specific conversion action you’re optimizing for.
• A landing page that converts. Don’t send ad traffic to your homepage. Build a dedicated landing page that matches the ad’s promise and has a clear call to action. This is where most businesses waste money.
• Conversion tracking. If you can’t measure what happens after someone clicks your ad, you’re flying blind. Set up Google Ads conversion tracking and connect it to Google Analytics so you know exactly which keywords and ads are producing results.

Key Settings That Make or Break Your Campaign

• Keyword match types. Google offers broad match, phrase match, and exact match. Broad match casts a wide net but can waste budget on irrelevant searches. Start with phrase match and exact match for tighter control, then expand as you learn what works.
• Negative keywords. These tell Google what you don’t want to show up for. If you’re a plumber, you might add “jobs” and “salary” as negative keywords so you’re not paying for clicks from people looking for plumbing careers instead of plumbing services.
• Geographic targeting. If you serve the Chattanooga area, target the Chattanooga area. Don’t pay for clicks from people three states away who will never hire you.
• Device targeting. Google Ads lets you adjust bids by device. If most of your leads come from mobile searches (and for local service businesses, they usually do), you can bid higher on mobile to capture that traffic.
• Ad scheduling. Run your ads during the hours your customers are searching and your team can answer the phone. Paying for a midnight click when nobody picks up is wasted spend.

Writing Ads That Get Clicks

You get limited space, so every word counts. Your headline should include the keyword the person searched for. Your description should state what makes you different and include a clear call to action. “Licensed Chattanooga Plumber. Same-Day Service. Call Now for a Free Estimate.” That tells the searcher exactly what they get and what to do next.

Google now uses Responsive Search Ads, where you provide multiple headlines and descriptions and Google tests combinations to find what performs best. Give it variety to work with.

Managing Your Budget

Start with a budget you’re comfortable losing while you learn. $500 to $1,000 per month is a reasonable starting point for most local businesses. Monitor your cost per conversion, not just your cost per click. A $15 click that turns into a $5,000 job is a great investment. A $2 click that never converts is a waste.

Review your search terms report weekly. This shows you the actual searches that triggered your ads. You’ll find irrelevant queries to add as negative keywords and new keyword ideas you hadn’t considered.

When to Get Help

You can set up and manage Google Ads yourself. The platform is designed for self-service. But there’s a learning curve, and mistakes cost real money. If your monthly ad spend is over $1,000, the efficiency gains from professional management usually pay for themselves.

We’ve been managing Google Ads campaigns since 2014. We know what works for local service businesses, and we know how to stretch a budget. If you want someone watching the data daily so you don’t have to, that’s what we do.

Questions? Ready to Get Started?

If you have questions or would like to get started, please give us a call at (423) 708-2780 or visit our website to request a free quote and consultation.