PIPELINEGuide
Google Ads: process, approach, and what we need from you
The process for Google Ads from the first question to live operation — including what you need to provide to make it work.
A Google Ads project runs in 4 steps: from “Goals and Measurement” to “Ongoing Operation”, 1 to 2 weeks total until launch. Each step ends with a clear approval before the next one begins.
01 — Process
The steps in detail
Goals and Measurement
First you measure, then you run ads. Without measurement, every optimization is guesswork.
Setup
Structure, search terms, ads, exclusions, budgets.
Launch Phase
The first weeks with close monitoring: exclude what doesn't fit.
Ongoing operation
Monthly reporting and adjustment, with reports you can understand even without expertise.
02 — Participation
What we need from you
- A contact person who can make decisions — not just forward them.
- Access to the affected systems, in time and not on launch day.
- Real examples from daily business — the messier, the more useful for testing.
- Two to four hours for coordination, distributed over the project duration.
- An answer to the question of what success means. Without it, nothing can be assessed afterward.
03 — Scope
What's included
- Account structure by services and regions instead of one catch-all campaign
- Search term research including the terms that should be excluded
- Ad copy that matches the landing page — otherwise the click gets expensive
- Measurement through to the inquiry, with call and form tracking
- Regional targeting by service area, not by state
- Monthly reporting with cost per inquiry, not just per click
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
How quickly will we see results?
First clicks on the same day, reliable insights after three to four weeks. Before that, the numbers are too small to draw conclusions from.
What are the most common budget drains?
Missing exclusions — search queries with “free”, “DIY”, “jobs”, or place names outside your service area. And ads that lead to the homepage instead of a relevant page.
What happens to the budget on weekends or holidays?
That can be controlled — for some industries (trades, B2B), it makes sense to pause ads there because hardly anyone searches with purchase intent at those times. For others (hospitality, leisure), that's exactly the most important time.
Can't we do this ourselves?
In principle, yes. The point where it breaks down is measurement: without proper tracking of inquiries, the automation optimizes for clicks, and then it gets expensive. If you set it up correctly once, you can continue much of it yourself.
Is it worth it alongside SEO?
Both together usually make sense: ads work immediately and can be turned off, SEO works slowly and persists. If you need inquiries today, start with ads; if you want to be more independent in two years, invest in content in parallel.
What's the difference from social media advertising?
Google Ads reaches people actively searching for something — purchase intent is usually already there. Social media advertising generates interest among people who haven't searched for it yet. Both have their place, depending on the goal.
How much budget do we need?
That depends entirely on the cost per click in your industry — which differs by multiples between a regional service and a competitive field like insurance or law. We estimate this before launch based on real, current click prices for your search terms, not rough empirical values, and then give you a specific range.
05 — Decision
How to move forward
The most affordable next step is a conversation, not a quote. Twenty minutes is usually enough to clarify whether a project makes sense, what scope it involves, and whether we're the right fit.
If we're not, we'll say so. An honest no costs less than a project you abandon after three months — for both sides.
Next step
Send us a few sentences about your project.
We read every inquiry ourselves and respond personally. No sales team, no callback form into the void.