Google search advertising
How do Google Ads work for local businesses?
Learn how search ads, keywords, landing pages, and conversion tracking work together. Use the guide to review an account and ask better questions about your ad spending.
Where should your ads send people?
- 01A relevant search
- 02A specific ad
- 03A useful landing page
Google Ads basics
What you need to know
Start with what the tool does, when to use it, and the first thing to check.
- 01Plain answer
- Google Ads puts your business in front of searchers faster, but it only works when keywords, location, landing pages, budget, and tracking are all telling the same story.
- 02Best for
- Local businesses that know what jobs they want, can answer quickly, and can track calls or forms back to campaigns.
- 03First move
- Review search terms, conversion tracking, location settings, landing pages, and negative keywords before you spend another dollar.
How do Google search ads work?
Google Ads is paid placement in Google Search and other Google networks. For local service businesses, the most useful version is usually search ads that show when people look for services like kitchen remodeler, emergency locksmith, basement finishing, or tax planning for contractors.
- Campaigns organize the goal and budget.
- Ad groups organize related keywords and ads.
- Keywords tell Google what searches you want to show for.
- Search terms show what people actually typed.
- Conversions tell you whether the ad produced a lead action.
When might Google Ads help a local business?
Ads can bring lead volume faster than SEO, but they won't fix a weak offer, a confusing website, or a sales process that lets good leads rot in voicemail.
- They can help a new service get visibility while SEO is still building.
- They can support high-margin services or seasonal demand.
- They can reveal what searches people use before they buy.
- They need tested tracking so you can connect spending to recorded inquiries.
What do Google Ads reports tell you?
- Spend, clicks, impressions, click-through rate, and cost per click.
- Search terms that triggered ads.
- Which ads and keywords drove tracked conversions.
- Which locations, devices, and times performed better or worse.
- Quality signals that affect cost and visibility.
What should you check in a Google Ads account?
- 01
Open Google Ads and choose the right account.
- 02
Check Campaigns and confirm each campaign has a clear purpose.
- 03
Open Search terms and look for junk searches that shouldn't be spending money.
- 04
Check Locations to make sure ads aren't showing outside your real service area.
- 05
Check Conversions and confirm calls, forms, and bookings are being tracked correctly.
- 06
Click through the final URL. If the landing page doesn't answer the search, fix the page before blaming the ad.
Why can Google Ads waste money?
- Running ads before the landing page is ready.
- Letting Google auto-apply suggestions without understanding the tradeoffs.
- Counting every call as a good lead.
- Ignoring negative keywords.
- Setting the budget based on what feels comfortable instead of what the math needs.
How do you review ads that bring the wrong leads?
- Clean up search terms and negative keywords.
- Send ads to service-specific landing pages.
- Track forms, phone clicks, calls, and booked consultations.
- Separate high-value services into focused campaigns.
- Review lead quality, not just lead count.
How do you tell whether paid leads became customers?
Paid clicks, reported conversions, accepted inquiries, and won work are separate stages. Choose a business outcome, understand the conversion definition, and review actual lead quality before judging spend. Attribution and consent can leave gaps. This educational guide doesn't add ads management to DewBwah's services.
Screenshot checklist
What should you screenshot before asking for help?
A good screenshot makes the conversation concrete. It shows whether the tool is set up, whether the numbers are useful, and where the next fix should start.
- 01Campaign overview with spend, conversions, and cost per conversion.
- 02Search terms report, not just keyword list.
- 03Location settings and service-area targeting.
- 04Conversion actions used by the campaign.
- 05Landing pages tied to each ad group.
- 06Negative keyword list for junk searches.
Example problems
What problems might you find?
Each example shows a problem, what it might mean, and what to check.
Ads send visitors to an unrelated homepage
- What happens
- A remodeler paid for bathroom searches, but every click went to the homepage.
- What it means
- The ad matched the search. The page didn't. Buyers had to hunt for the answer, so they left.
- The move
- Send service-specific searches to service-specific landing pages with proof, process, and a clear next step.
Search terms attract the wrong customers
- What happens
- The account got clicks, but search terms were full of DIY, cheap, job seeker, and unrelated searches.
- What it means
- Google spent the budget where it could, not where it should.
- The move
- Clean up match types, add negatives, tighten location, and judge the campaign by qualified leads instead of clicks.
Tasks to work through
What can you check yourself?
Work through these checks in order.
- 01
Read the search terms report every week when a campaign is new.
- 02
Track calls and forms before judging performance.
- 03
Send buyers to a page that matches the service they searched.
- 04
Use negative keywords aggressively. Cheap clicks are still expensive when they're trash.
- 05
Compare ad cost to booked jobs, not just leads.
Related guides
Related Google and website guides
Ads need landing pages, tracking, and lead-quality checks or they turn into expensive noise.
Are the leads right for your business?
- 01Service fit
- 02Lead quality
- 03Your response
When should a tracking tag run?
- 01Visitor action↓
- 02Trigger + consent↓
- 03Measurement tag
What should a service page explain?
- 01Explain the service
- 02Show relevant evidence
- 03Make the next step clear
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