Google Ads is the "hottest" channel: you appear in front of people searching for your product right now. It's also where new businesses lose the most money in the first weeks. Here's how to run the first month so you get data, not just an invoice from Google.
Before launch: three must-dos
- Conversions. Set up goals in Google Ads and GA4: lead, call, purchase. Without them the algorithm doesn't know what a "good" click is.
- Landing page. One offer, a clear price or "from", a form and contacts above the fold. Sending ads to a homepage with ten services is an expensive mistake.
- Test budget. Budget for at least 50–100 clicks per ad group, otherwise your conclusions will be random.
Week 1. A narrow start
Start with a search campaign on the most commercial queries: service name + city, or "buy", "price", "order". Use phrase and exact match. Add negatives right away: "free", "jobs", "DIY", "download" and anything that isn't about buying.
Week 2. Clean the search terms
Open the Search Terms report to see which phrases actually triggered your ads. Anything irrelevant goes into negatives. This is the most underrated task: one cleanup can save a noticeable share of the budget.
Week 3. Ads and assets
- Add 2–3 responsive search ads with different benefits.
- Turn on assets: callouts, sitelinks, call, prices.
- Pause low-CTR ads and duplicate the best ones with a new headline.
Week 4. Decisions based on numbers
Calculate cost per lead for each ad group and compare it with what you can afford to pay for a customer. Scale groups within your target; pause the rest or rework the offer. Switch on automated bidding (Maximize Conversions, target CPA) once you have at least a few dozen conversions.
When to add Performance Max and YouTube
PMax and video campaigns scale what already works, but they're a poor first test: they spend broadly and offer little transparency. Add them in month two or three, once search brings leads at a known price.
What to check every week
- Cost per lead (CPL) and lead-to-sale conversion.
- Search terms — new junk phrases.
- Impression share: are your best campaigns limited by budget?
More on the metrics in CPL, CPA, ROMI: how to tell if ads pay off. If you'd like to launch Google Ads with a team that manages ads every day, see our Google Ads service, management from $300 a month.