How to set up Google Ads for a small business: a step-by-step checklist

Before the first euro: goal and tracking

Decide what counts as success: a sent enquiry form, a call, a booking or a purchase. Set up conversion tracking for exactly that action and test it with a real submission. Without it, Google optimises for clicks, not customers.

In the EU, Google requires consent mode for personalised measurement and advertising. Your consent banner must pass the visitor's choice to the Google tags; check this before launch, not after the first invoice.

A campaign structure you can still read

Start with Search campaigns: they show ads to people who are actively searching. Create one campaign per service or location and group keywords by theme, so each ad matches the search. Automated campaign types such as Performance Max need reliable conversion data that a new account does not have yet.

Keep it small. Two or three focused campaigns with enough budget learn faster than ten campaigns with a few euros each.

Keywords and exclusions

Begin with phrase and exact match for searches that show buying intent, such as the service plus your town. Add negative keywords from day one and review the search terms report every week. Typical exclusions:

• ›free, DIY, tutorial
• ›jobs, salary, training
• ›used or cheap, if you do not compete on price
• ›competitor or brand names you do not want to pay for

Location, schedule and ad assets

For local services, choose the location option for people in or regularly in your area. The default can also include people who only show interest in the area, for example from another country. Run ads only at times when someone can answer the phone or the chat.

Write ads that repeat the search term, state a concrete offer and name the next step. Add assets: a call button, your location, sitelinks to relevant service pages and short benefit lines.

Landing page and the first two weeks

Send each ad group to the page that answers that search, not to the home page. The page needs the offer, a price range or starting price, proof and a short form that is visible on a phone.

In the first two weeks, change little and observe: search terms, cost per conversion and which ads get clicked. Then remove what does not work and move budget to what does.

Example: a local campaign for a restaurant

A restaurant that wants more bookings for weekday lunch and company events runs one campaign for events in a small radius, with keywords such as “company dinner” plus district, a booking or enquiry as the conversion and ads only during office hours, when companies plan events. A separate small budget covers searches for the restaurant's own name, so portals do not take it.