Search ads that earn clicks
from people who were already looking
Search ads are the easiest channel to waste money on quietly: broad match without negatives, no call tracking, a landing page that does not match the keyword. We have fixed enough of these accounts to build a checklist before we build a single ad group.
Where Search budgets quietly leak
Search accounts lose money in predictable ways. Broad match keywords without a negative list pull in searches that have nothing to do with the offer, and the budget pays for every one of them. Phone-only ads with no call tracking mean half the conversions never get counted. The account then looks worse than it is, and gets cut when it should be scaled. And a landing page that talks about the company instead of answering the exact question in the keyword loses the click it already paid for.
We also see accounts running the same five keywords for years, with no testing of new match types, ad copy or audience signals. Meanwhile competitors with a fresher account structure quietly take the cheaper clicks.
Search rewards structural discipline more than clever copy. A tight account structure with negatives in place from day one beats a looser one with better headlines, almost every time. That is why we build the foundation before testing creative variations.
What we do to your account
- Keyword research by intent. Commercial and transactional keywords first, informational keywords routed to content instead of paid spend where that is the cheaper path to the same lead.
- Negative keywords from day one. A list built from your business, not added after a month of wasted clicks.
- Tracking that counts every lead. Call tracking numbers and form tracking, plus an offline conversion import where possible. That way the platform learns from leads that became real deals, not just form fills.
- Ad copy that competes. Several ad variations per group, tested against what competitors are actually saying, with extensions that use the space Google gives for free.
- Landing page matching. Each keyword group lands on a page that answers that exact question. Where the page does not exist, we write a precise brief for one.
What we need to get started
- Access to the Google Ads account, or let us set one up with your business details.
- A phone number and form we can route through call and form tracking.
- CRM or sales data showing which leads actually became customers, if you want offline conversion import.
- Landing pages we can edit, or a developer we can hand a brief to.
- A monthly budget realistic for your cost per click: we will tell you honestly if your market needs more than you planned.
What shows up in your report
We report cost per lead and cost per qualified lead, not just clicks, because a cheap click that never converts is not cheap. Where your sales team logs outcomes, we close the loop with offline conversions so Google’s own bidding learns from real deals, not form submissions alone.
Monthly reporting shows cost trends by keyword group, so we can move budget away from a group that only produces clicks toward one that produces calls and deals.
We also review search term reports weekly in the first month, since this is where new negative keywords and new opportunity keywords both surface fastest.
What it costs
| Option | Price | What’s included | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch or audit | from $1,000 | Keyword research, negative list, tracking setup, first campaigns live. | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Monthly management | from $1,000 / month | Weekly bid and keyword adjustments, new ad copy tests, monthly cost-per-lead report. | monthly, no lock-in |
| Full control, handover to your team | from $2,000 | Full account build, tracking and a documented playbook handed to your marketer or agency of choice. | 3 to 5 weeks |
More on paid search
This page sits under our Performance marketing work. See also Lead generation for local services, Conversion tracking and capi setup, Landing page testing program for adjacent paid-channel services.
For the automation side of reporting and budget decisions, see ad performance reporting and ad budget allocation. For real numbers behind these benchmarks, read the tattoo studio profit x2 case study and real estate lead routing in Bali case study.
Ready to see what this would look like for your account? Get in touch and we will look at your current setup in the first call.
FAQ
How much does this cost?
Management starts from $1,000 a month, and a launch or audit package starts from $1,000 as well. Cost depends on how many keyword groups and markets you need.
How long until we see results?
Launch takes 1 to 2 weeks for keyword research, negatives and tracking. A reliable read on cost per lead takes 3 to 6 weeks, since Search needs enough volume to separate a real trend from a lucky week.
What ad budget do we need alongside this?
It depends heavily on your cost per click, which varies by vertical from under a dollar to well over fifty. We size the starting budget to your market in the first call and say plainly if it is not yet enough to read results.
What do you need from us?
We need ads account access, and a phone number and form for tracking. Ideally also your CRM data on which leads became customers, so we can feed the platform real outcomes, not just form fills.
How do you report on performance?
Monthly reporting on cost per lead and cost per qualified lead by keyword group, plus call and form tracking so you see real inquiries, not just click counts.