Google search ads setup

Set-up in order

1. 01

   Tracking

   Conversions and consent.

   Output: Tested conversion actions

2. 02

   Structure

   Campaigns by service or area.

   Output: Campaign plan

3. 03

   Keywords

   Intent-led, tightly grouped.

   Output: Ad groups

4. 04

   Ads and pages

   Responsive ads, matching pages.

   Output: Ads ready

5. 05

   Settings

   Locations, schedule, budget, bids.

   Output: Launch-ready campaign

Tracking first

Decide what counts as a conversion: a form submission, a booking, a purchase, a call. Set each up and test it with a real action. Google describes consent mode as a way to communicate users' cookie consent status to Google, and ICO guidance says non-essential tracking on UK sites needs consent. Agree with your web developer how tags and consent work together before launch.

Campaigns and ad groups

Separate campaigns let you control budgets for different services, areas or margins. Within each, ad groups gather keywords with the same meaning, so the ads can speak directly to them. A plumbing business might have one campaign for emergency repairs and another for bathroom fitting, with ad groups for specific jobs inside each.

A starting negative list

Responsive search ads

Google's help says responsive search ads need at least 3 headlines, up to 15, and at least 2 descriptions, up to 4, which it combines in different ways. Write headlines that include the service, the benefit, what makes you different and a clear next step. Make sure every combination still reads sensibly, and avoid claims you cannot support.

Example: a new campaign for a solicitor

Launch checklist

Landing pages

Send each ad group to the most relevant page, not the homepage. Google's guidance on landing pages is to give people what they are looking for. Check pages load quickly on phones, repeat the promise of the ad and make the next step obvious.

Settings and budget

Set locations to where you serve customers, and check whether you want people in the area or people interested in it. Choose a schedule if enquiries can only be handled at certain times. Start with a modest budget and a simple bid strategy until conversions build up.

The first weeks

Check the search terms report within days and add negatives for anything irrelevant. Avoid large changes before enough data arrives.

Choosing match types at launch

Google's help explains that broad match is entered as the plain keyword, phrase match in quotes and exact match in square brackets. A new campaign with limited budget is often easier to control with phrase and exact match, while broad match can find new searches if negatives and conversion tracking are strong. Whatever you choose, read the search terms report early to see what the match types are actually matching.

Phone calls

If many customers phone rather than fill in forms, plan how calls from ads will be counted before launch, so phone-led results are not missing from reports and bidding.