Free guide
Ten Settings That Can Make Or Break A Local Service Business Google Ads Campaign
Most wasted Google Ads spend doesn't come from bad keywords or weak ads. It comes from settings that were left on their defaults when the campaign was built, and never looked at again. This guide covers the ten settings that matter most for a local trade or service business, so you can make sure your campaign starts on the right footing.
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What's inside
For each setting, the guide shows you where to find it, what can go wrong and what we recommend. Most can be checked in a few minutes and fixed with a couple of clicks, and there's a tickbox checklist at the end so you can work through each campaign.
- 01
Campaign type
Run a Search campaign for a local service business unless there is a clear reason to use Performance Max.
- 02
Networks
Switch off the Display Network in Search campaigns and only keep Search Partners if it converts.
- 03
Location targeting
Set Presence so you only pay for people in, or regularly in, the area you cover.
- 04
Ad schedule
Run your ads, and your call assets, when you can handle the enquiries they bring.
- 05
Daily budget
Understand how Google spends your daily budget and set it from your monthly figure.
- 06
Bidding strategy
Match your bid strategy to how many conversions each campaign gets.
- 07
Conversion goals
Make sure Google is optimising for real leads and sales, counted the right way.
- 08
AI Max for Search
Check whether AI Max has been switched on and keep control of your search terms, ad text and landing pages.
- 09
Audience settings
Use Observation rather than Targeting so you do not cut your reach by mistake.
- 10
Auto-applied recommendations
Stop Google changing your keywords, bidding and budgets without asking.
Work with us
Want a second pair of eyes?
If you've worked through the guide and found a few boxes you can't tick, you're not alone. We'll go through your campaign settings for free, tell you plainly what's costing you money and what we'd change first, with no obligation.