“Will Google Ads work for us?” A conversation with a new client
A few months back, I started working with a new client who’d never run Google Ads before. They’d tried the usual marketing mix (a bit of SEO, some email, social content), but paid ads? Never touched them.
Understandably, they had a few questions. And a few doubts.
What followed was a series of conversations that covered all the basics: budgets, targeting, landing pages, etc.
Now they’re getting regular leads and actual new business through their ads. So I’ve pulled together the main questions from our chats.
If you're sitting on the fence, wondering whether Google Ads is right for your business, this’ll give you a clear-eyed look at what to expect.
"We’ve never done ads before. Does Google Ads actually work?"
Client: We’ve tried social media, email newsletters, SEO, all the usual stuff. But ads? Never touched them. Does it actually work?
Me: Yes, if it’s set up properly. Google Ads is one of the most direct, measurable ways to get in front of people who are actively searching for what you offer. You’re not interrupting them, you’re showing up right when they’re looking.
It’s not magic. But when the campaign is well-structured, targeted, and optimised, it works. And it works fast.
"But we don’t want to waste money."
Client: We’ve heard horror stories about ad budgets going down the drain.
Me: So have I. And most of them come from people who clicked "Performance Max" and hoped for the best.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get results - but you do need to know what you’re doing. That means:
Setting clear goals
Targeting the right locations and search terms
Sending people to a decent landing page
Tracking conversions properly
With new clients I like to start small, prove it works, and then scale once we’re seeing results. No-one should be throwing cash at Google and hoping it sticks.
How long until we see results?
Client: Are we talking weeks? Months? Next year?
Me: You’ll usually start seeing clicks and traffic within the first few days. Leads tend to follow not long after - often within the first couple of weeks.
There’s a learning phase when your budget is teaching Google about what works. What takes longer is optimisation. That’s the bit where we improve the Quality Scores, test ad copy, refine targeting, and bring the cost per lead down. It's not a set-and-forget job.
What’s the difference between this and SEO?
Client: Should we be doing SEO instead?
Me: SEO and paid ads go hand-in-hand, because the stronger your website is, the more authority it has in Google’s eyes. So you need to do both. On its own, SEO is great for organic, long-term growth, but it’s slow. It can take 6–12 months to see solid results - and that’s if your site’s in good shape to begin with.
Google Ads, on the other hand, is immediate. If you’ve got a strong site already, you can see results very quickly with the right campaign structure. Plus, you control the message, the keywords, the spend, and the timing.
How much should we spend?
Client: What’s a reasonable monthly budget?
Me: The short answer is “it depends”. On your sector, your marketing goals, and your budget. But here’s how I frame it: what’s a lead worth to your business?
If a lead is worth £100 and you spend £20 to get one, that’s a good return. The goal is always profitable lead generation, not just clicks. I usually recommend starting with a modest budget, then scale once we know it’s working.
What about landing pages? Can’t we just use our website?
Client: We’ve got a decent site. Do we need a special page?
Me: Yes. Ads need dedicated landing pages. Clean, focused, clear next steps. They convert better, make Google happy (lowering your cost per click), and give you a higher chance of turning a visit into a customer.
Final Word: If You’re On the Fence…
Google Ads is a powerful, flexible tool when you know how to use it properly.
If you’ve been hesitating because you’ve heard it’s expensive, fiddly, or “only works for eCommerce,” you’re not alone. But the reality is: local businesses, trades, professional services are all using Google Ads to generate leads right now.
And if you're not, your competitors probably are.
Keen to learn more? Let’s have a chat. No hard sell - just honest answers and a proper plan.
