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Google Ads | Is it worth the cost?
Google Ads can put a relevant offer in front of people who are actively searching, but it is worth the cost only when the economics and follow-up work.
Start with the outcome you need. We will help you decide what to check before spending.
Start with the booking you want
Suppose a bicycle shop wants more repair bookings. A search advert can take someone looking for a local repair to the shop’s booking page. That page needs to show the repairs offered, location, availability and how to book.
A click only tells you that someone visited. Count completed bookings, then check which became paid repairs. This example focuses on search advertising; other Google Ads campaign types reach people in different ways.
Which searches fit your offer?
“Bike puncture repair near me”
“How to fix a bike puncture”
Three checks before you advertise
1. Check the destination on a phone
Open the destination directly on your phone. Check the service details, available booking route and confirmation. A puncture advert should not leave the visitor searching through unrelated bike products.
2. Check what counts as a result
Submit a test booking through the normal route and confirm it reaches the shop. Check that reporting records the completed action as intended, rather than just a click on the booking button.
3. Check the searches and completed work
Compare the reported searches with the work you can accept. Record which enquiries turn into bookings and paid repairs. Use those results to decide what to change, rather than judging the campaign by traffic alone.
Write down what you will count and when you will review it. Keep enquiries, confirmed bookings and paid repairs separate so an increase in one does not look like an increase in all three.
Questions before you start
Back to the dictionary
How do I judge whether the bookings cover the cost?
Compare revenue from the completed work with the cost of delivering it, advertising and campaign management. For example, 20 enquiries that become five paid repairs should be assessed as five sales. Revenue alone is not profit. Use your own figures; Google explains how to measure return on investment.
Where can I see what people searched for?
Use the Google Ads search terms report. It shows reported searches that triggered your adverts; it is not a complete list of every search. Compare the query with the service offered. Negative keywords can exclude unwanted searches, but avoid excluding a useful enquiry just because its wording is unfamiliar.
Should I send everyone to the homepage?
Choose the page that answers the advert’s promise. A puncture-repair advert should lead to the relevant repair details and booking route. The homepage can work if it already provides those details clearly; a separate page is useful when it removes a real search for information.
What if people enquire but do not book?
Look at the enquiries themselves. Are people asking for a service you do not offer, waiting too long for a reply, or finding no suitable appointment? Fix the specific obstacle. Changing the advert alone will not resolve unavailable appointments or a broken booking form.
Find the gap between click and booking
Send the advert, its destination page and the action you want visitors to complete. Include where they appear to stop, such as an unfinished form or enquiries that never become bookings.