Google Ads does not fail because “ads don’t work.” It fails because the account is set to the whole country, the keywords are too broad, and the landing page is the homepage. You pay for curiosity. We build accounts that pay for intent.
Spend on the search, not the brand vanity
Start with the phrases people type when they are ready: “emergency plumber near me,” “divorce attorney [city],” “shopify store setup.” Exact and phrase match first. Broad match only after you have search-term reports and negatives. Brand campaigns are cheap insurance; they are not the growth engine.
Draw the map smaller than you think
If you cannot drive there this week, do not bid there. Radius and city lists beat “United States.” Exclude the zip codes you always decline. Location options should be “presence” — people in the area — not “interest.”
The landing page is half the account
The ad promise and the page headline must match. If the ad says “same-week Shopify launch from $1,499,” do not dump them on a generic contact form. Speed, a short form, and one proof point beat a 12-section homepage.
Tracking before scaling
If you cannot see calls, forms, and (when you have them) purchases, you are guessing. Conversion tracking and a weekly search-term cleanup save more money than a “bid strategy” tweak.
Management at Ranking Advisors starts at $99/mo plus your ad spend. We will not scale a broken account. Google Ads, pricing, or a free audit that includes the account and the page it sends people to.