Solved: Need Guidance on Setting Up Google Ads for New Business

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out about getting started with Google Ads for your new lead-based business. It's completely understandable that you'd want to take this on yourselves right now, especially with budget constraints, and it's smart to recognise how crucial getting the campaigns set up correctly is from the start. It sounds like Google was a powerhouse for your previous company, so it makes sense to focus there again.

Let's break down how you can get started to drive those estimate appointment leads.

We'll need to look at traffic quality and your website...

For a business like yours that's focused on getting in-home estimates scheduled, you absolutely want to reach people who are actively searching for your service right when they need it. This is where Google Search Ads comes in. Instead of trying to interrupt people on social media, you're placing your offer directly in front of someone who is typing keywords into Google that signal intent to book your type of service.

Depending on your specific business type and location, you might also be eligible for Google Local Service Ads. These appear at the very top of Google search results and show verified, screened businesses. Users can often call or message you directly through these ads, and you typically only pay for qualified leads (calls or messages related to your services). It's worth checking if this is an option for you.

Getting the right people to click your ad is only half the battle, though. Once they hit your website, what happens? Your website needs to be set up to convert these visitors into leads. Since your goal is to get them to fill out a form for an estimate appointment, that form and the journey to it need to be crystal clear and compelling on your landing page.

Some things to consider:

• Is your website loading quickly? Slow sites lose visitors.
• Is it easy to find the form or call to action? It should be prominent.
• Is the copy on your landing page persuasive? Does it clearly explain the benefits of your service and why someone should book an estimate?
• Is the form simple to fill out? Only ask for necessary information to start.

A poor website or form process will kill your conversion rate, meaning you'll pay for clicks but get very few leads, driving your cost per lead sky high. Getting this right is foundational.

I'd say you need to give it more time...

Setting up your campaign involves a few key steps:

Keyword Research: This is where you identify the specific terms people use when searching for your service. Think like your ideal customer. What would they type into Google? Use Google's Keyword Planner (a free tool) to find relevant keywords, see search volumes, and estimate costs. Start with specific terms like "your service + your area" or "specific problem your service solves". Avoid overly broad terms initially.

Ad Copywriting: Your ads need to grab attention and convince someone to click. Highlight your unique selling points (e.g., fast service, experienced team, free estimates). Include a clear call to action, like "Get a Free Estimate" or "Book Your Appointment." Make sure the ad copy is highly relevant to the keywords you're targeting.

Campaign Structure: Organise your keywords and ads into tightly themed ad groups. This helps ensure that when someone searches a specific term, they see a highly relevant ad leading to a relevant page on your website. For example, you might have separate ad groups for different services you offer (e.g., "Electrical Repair" vs "New Outlet Installation").

Conversion Tracking: This is NON-NEGOTIABLE for a lead generation campaign. You MUST set up tracking to tell Google Ads when someone successfully submits your estimate form. This allows Google's algorithms to learn who is most likely to convert and optimise your campaigns to find more people like them. Without conversion tracking, you're flying blind.

Budgeting: Start with a realistic daily budget. The costs per click vary greatly by industry and location, but for lead generation in competitive service areas, you could be looking at £20-£60 per lead, potentially more. A starting budget of £1000-£2000 per month is often a good baseline to get enough data to see what's working, but this depends entirely on your local market and how many leads you need to keep busy. You'll need to monitor performance closely.

Monitoring and Optimisation: Google Ads isn't a "set it and forget it" platform. You need to regularly check your search terms report (to see the actual queries people searched before clicking), ad performance, keyword performance, and conversion data. Pause keywords that aren't converting, add negative keywords to block irrelevant searches, test different ad copy, and refine your targeting.

Here's a quick overview of the core actions:

Starting out can feel daunting, but by focusing on getting the right structure, targeting people with high intent, and ensuring your website is ready to convert them, you'll be on the right track. Conversion tracking is likely the most critical piece to get right technically.

Given that your previous company relied heavily on this and you're navigating it for the first time without a marketing background, it's a steep learning curve. While you're aiming to manage it yourselves initially, understanding the nuances of bidding strategies, quality score, and ongoing optimisation takes time and experience. Sometimes, even a short period of expert guidance or setup assistance can save you a lot of wasted ad spend and accelerate your learning.

If, as you dive deeper, you find yourselves feeling stuck or wanting to ensure you're not making costly mistakes, we're always happy to offer a free consultation to review your setup or plan and point you in the right direction. No pressure either way, just wanted to mention it as an option if needed.

Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh