Google Ads on a small budget: where the money should go

With a small budget, every click has to count. The usual mistake is spreading the money across searches, places and formats that rarely turn into customers. Here is where to put it first.

Start with Search and a short keyword list

Search ads appear when someone types what they need into Google, at the moment they are most ready to act. Choose a short list of specific searches that show clear intent, such as "emergency plumber Croydon" or "kitchen fitting quote", and use phrase or exact match so the ads stay close to them. Single broad words like "plumber" attract researchers, job seekers and people in other cities, so leave them out at the start.

Show ads only where you work

Set the location to the area you actually serve: a city, a radius around your premises or a list of districts. In the location options, target people who are in or regularly in that area, not everyone who has shown interest in it. If you only answer calls during opening hours, run the ads in those hours too.

Block the searches you do not want

Negative keywords stop your ads from showing for searches that will not become customers, such as "free", "jobs", "course" or places you do not cover. In the first weeks, check the search terms report regularly: it lists the real searches that triggered your ads, and every irrelevant one belongs on the negative list.

Track enquiries before you spend more

Before raising the budget, make sure Google Ads can see which clicks led to something useful: a form sent, a call, a tap on the WhatsApp button. Set these up as conversions. Without them, you cannot tell which keywords bring customers, and automated bidding has nothing to learn from. Once you know what an enquiry costs, budget decisions become much easier.

Match the page to the ad

If the ad is about boiler repair in Croydon, the page it opens should be about boiler repair in Croydon, with a clear way to call or send a request. Sending every click to the home page makes people search again. Google also judges how relevant your page is to the search, and that affects what you pay per click.

What to do next

Start with one Search campaign for your most important service, in the area you serve, with tracking in place. Give it a few weeks, read the search terms and cut what does not work. Only then add a second service, a wider area or, later, Display and remarketing. If you would like a second pair of eyes on your account, MB Media House is happy to look at it with you.