Adwords for Small Businesses

A clear framework for running Google Ads with realistic budgets and measurable outcomes.

When Adwords Makes Sense

Adwords is strongest when you need qualified leads quickly and can track what happens after a click. It works best with focused campaigns and disciplined budget control.

Core Campaign Setup

• Separate campaigns by service category and location.
• Keep ad groups tightly themed around intent.
• Use exact and phrase match terms for control early on.
• Build a strong negative keyword list from week one.
• Match each ad group to a relevant landing page.

Budget and Bidding Basics

• Start with a test budget you can sustain for at least 6 to 8 weeks.
• Prioritize high-intent terms before expanding reach.
• Scale only after conversion tracking is reliable.

What to Measure

• Cost per qualified lead, not just click cost.
• Search term quality and negative keyword growth.
• Conversion rate by landing page.
• Lead-to-sale quality feedback from your team.

Frequent Small-Business Pitfalls

• Sending all traffic to the homepage.
• Running broad keywords with no negatives.
• Judging campaigns before enough data accumulates.
• Optimizing for clicks instead of real business outcomes.