Google Ads gets a bad reputation with small business owners. "Too expensive," they say. "We tried it once and spent loads with nothing to show for it." I hear this a lot. And honestly, they're often right. Google Ads can be a money pit. But it can also be one of the fastest ways to get customers through the door if you do it properly.
The difference between businesses that win with Google Ads and those that burn cash is usually simple: they track what actually works. Let me explain.
When Google Ads Makes Sense
Google Ads is best for businesses where people are actively searching for what you offer. Someone typing "emergency dentist Newbury" is ready to book. Someone typing "best restaurant in Reading" is hungry and looking for a place to eat. That's the moment Google Ads wins.
It's worse for businesses where people don't search for you. If you run a plumbing company, people search "emergency plumber near me" all the time. Gold. If you run a luxury car dealership, you're competing on brand searches or high-intent keywords. That's more expensive but can still work.
For most restaurants, professional services, and repair shops, Google Ads can deliver customers fast. The question is whether the customer is worth more than what you're paying.
The Cost Problem
Here's where most businesses go wrong. They set up a Google Ads campaign, spend £500 on clicks, and get three phone calls. They assume it didn't work. But they don't actually know if those three calls turned into customers who paid them money.
If you're a dentist and three phone calls result in three new patients at £150 each, you've made £450 profit on a £500 spend. That's not great. But do it over a year, increase your conversion rate, improve your ad quality, and suddenly you're profitable.
Most businesses quit before they get there because they don't know what's actually happening.
You Need to Track Calls
This is the piece most business owners miss. You need to know which clicks turn into actual phone calls. Which calls turn into customers. This is where call tracking comes in.
Without call tracking, you're flying blind. You see clicks and spend. But you have no idea if those clicks are turning into customers or just random clicks from people who never intended to hire you.
Set up call tracking on your Google Ads account. It costs almost nothing. Give your ads a unique phone number that goes to your actual business line. Now you can see exactly which ads and which keywords are driving real calls. This is gold information.
Start Small
Don't blow your budget right away. Start with £10 to £15 a day. Run it for a month. Track the calls. See if they're converting into customers. If they are, increase your budget. If they're not, adjust your keywords or your ad copy.
Most businesses jump in with £50 a day, panic when they don't see results in week one, and switch it off. Give it time. But also, give it discipline. You need to measure what's working.
Quality Matters
Your ads need to actually appeal to people. A dentist's ad should mention what you specialise in. "Teeth whitening and implants, NHS and private" is better than "Best dentist". A restaurant's ad should say what kind of food you serve. An accountant's ad should mention what you help with.
Your website landing page matters too. Someone clicks your Google Ad looking for emergency dental care. They land on your homepage that takes three seconds to load and doesn't mention emergency dentistry. They leave. You paid for that click and got nothing.
Google Ads Isn't a Substitute for Getting Found Organically
Here's the uncomfortable truth. Long-term, you want to rank organically for your local searches. Google Ads gets you customers today. Local SEO gets you customers tomorrow and the day after that, without paying for each click.
Most successful local businesses do both. They run Google Ads to get immediate customers while they build their local SEO. Once their local SEO is strong, they reduce their Ads spend because they're getting customers from organic search.
Is It Worth It?
Depends on your business. If you're in a competitive market and local SEO is slow, Google Ads might be worth the cost. If you're in a market where people don't search for your service, it probably isn't. The only way to know is to test it properly, track the results, and do the maths.
Not sure if Google Ads is right for you?
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