How to Create Your First Google Ads Campaign

# How to Create Your First Google Ads Campaign

For Australian small businesses, Google Ads is one of the most powerful tools available to get your brand in front of customers at the exact moment they are searching for your services. Whether you’re a plumber in Brisbane or a boutique in Melbourne, a well-structured campaign allows you to compete with larger brands and see an immediate return on your investment.

Setting up your first campaign can feel overwhelming, but by following this structured approach, you’ll avoid the common pitfalls that lead to wasted budget and ensure your ads are seen by the right local audience.

Prerequisites: What You’ll Need

Before we dive in, ensure you have the following ready:

• A Google Account: Preferably a professional Gmail or Google Workspace account.
• Your Website URL: Ensure your landing page is mobile-friendly and has a clear call to action.
• Payment Details: A valid credit card or bank account details.
• Business Details: Your ABN (Australian Business Number) for tax and verification purposes.
• A Goal: Know exactly what you want (e.g., phone calls, form submissions, or shop visits).

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Step 1: Create Your Google Ads Account

Navigate to ads.google.com. Click Start Now. Google will likely try to push you into "Smart Mode" (a simplified version). To get the most out of your budget and access professional features, look for a small link at the bottom that says "Switch to Expert Mode".

Step 2: Choose Your Campaign Objective

Google will ask what your main goal is. For most local service businesses, "Leads" or "Website Traffic" are the best choices. Selecting an objective helps Google suggest features tailored to your needs. If you want full control without Google's suggestions, you can select "Create a campaign without a goal's guidance."

Step 3: Select the Campaign Type

For your first campaign, we strongly recommend Search. This ensures your ads appear as text results when someone types a query into Google.

• What you’ll see: A list of icons including Search, Performance Max, Display, and Video.
• Selection: Click Search, then select how you want to reach your goal (usually "Website visits" or "Phone calls").

Step 4: General Settings & Network Selection

Name your campaign something clear (e.g., "[Service Name] - Brisbane - Search").

Under Networks, you will see checkboxes for "Search Network" and "Display Network".

• Critical Action: Uncheck "Include Google Display Network". The Display Network often wastes budget on low-quality placements for beginners. Stick to the Search Network to ensure your ads only appear when people are actively searching.

Step 5: Targeting the Right Location

This is where many Australian businesses go wrong. Don't just target "Australia" if you only service a specific area.

• Select "Enter another location".
• Type in your specific city, suburbs, or a radius around your business address (e.g., 20km around Brisbane CBD).
• Under Location Options, ensure you select "Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations". By default, Google includes people "interested in" your location, which might result in your ads showing to people in Sydney who are just researching Brisbane.

Step 6: Set Your Daily Budget

Decide how much you are willing to spend each day. If you want to spend $600 a month, set your daily budget to $20.

Step 7: Bidding Strategy

For a new account, start with "Maximize Clicks". This tells Google to get you as much traffic as possible for your budget while the system learns about your audience. Once you have tracked at least 30 conversions, you can switch to "Maximize Conversions."

Step 8: Add Ad Extensions (Assets)

Assets make your ad larger and more clickable. At a minimum, add:

• Sitelinks: Links to other pages (e.g., "About Us", "Our Services", "Contact").
• Callouts: Short snippets like "Family Owned," "24/7 Support," or "Free Quotes."
• Call Assets: Your Australian phone number so customers can click-to-call directly from the ad.

Step 9: Keyword Research

You now need to tell Google which searches should trigger your ad. Avoid Broad Match: If you enter keywords without symbols (e.g., plumber*), Google might show your ad for "plumber jobs" or "plumbing tools." Use Phrase Match: Put your keywords in quotes (e.g., "plumber Brisbane"*). This ensures your ad shows for searches that include that meaning. Use Exact Match: Put keywords in brackets (e.g., [emergency plumber Brisbane]*).

Step 10: Create Your Ad Copy

You are creating a Responsive Search Ad. Google allows you to enter up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions.

• Headlines: Include your keywords and a benefit (e.g., "Expert Brisbane Plumber," "Fast 24/7 Emergency Service").
• Descriptions: Highlight your unique selling points and include a Call to Action (CTA) like "Book Your Free Quote Online Today."

Step 11: Review and Launch

Google will perform a final check. Ensure there are no red errors. Check your billing information one last time—ensure you’ve selected "Australia" as your country so GST is handled correctly on your invoices.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Sending traffic to the Homepage: If your ad is about "Hot Water Repair," send the user to your Hot Water page, not your general home page.

• Setting and Forgetting: Check your account at least once a week to see which keywords are costing money without providing results.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Ads Not Showing: This is often due to a low bid or a very niche location. Check your "Ad Preview and Diagnosis" tool under the "Tools" menu.
• Low Quality Score: If your ad doesn't match your landing page content, Google will charge you more per click. Ensure your keywords appear in both your ad copy and your website text.
• Account Disapproval: This usually happens if your website is missing a Privacy Policy or if you are in a restricted industry (like some financial or medical services) without verification.

Next Steps

Once your campaign is running, the real work begins. You should focus on:

• Conversion Tracking: Setting up Google Tag Manager to track form fills.
• Optimising Keywords: Pausing the ones that don't convert.
• A/B Testing: Trying new ad headlines to see which gets more clicks.

If you find the technical setup challenging or want to ensure your budget isn't being wasted, the team at Local Marketing Group is here to help. We specialise in helping Australian businesses scale through precision-targeted advertising.