Google Ads for small businesses: where to start

Advertising Small business Services & B2B

Published 2026-09-28 · 2 min read

The short answer

Start with a small search campaign targeting words typed by people who want your service now, such as the service name plus your city, only in the area you serve, with negative keywords to block useless clicks and tracking for requests and calls. Don't start with broad campaigns before you know your cost per order.

Choosing keywords

High-intent terms: “price”, “near me”, “book”, and the service plus the city.
Start with a limited, tightly related set.
Review the search terms report weekly.

Negative keywords

Add words like “jobs”, “free”, and “course” if they don’t fit you. This alone can save a large share of the budget.

The ad and the page

Write an ad that echoes what the user searched for, and link it to that service’s page, not the home page, with a clear phone number and request button.

Tracking

Link Google Ads with Google Analytics 4 and record real conversions: a form submitted after server confirmation, and calls from the ad. Without that you’ll optimize for clicks that mean nothing.

Frequently asked questions

Is Performance Max right for a start?

It works well with enough conversion data, but a search campaign gives you more control and clarity at the beginning.

How much budget do I need?

Enough to collect a number of clicks per day on your core keywords; cost per click varies widely by industry and city.