Google Ads Beginners Tutorial for 2026 (Step By Step)

Setting Up a Google Ads Campaign for Beginners

Introduction to Google Ads Setup

• The video aims to guide beginners through the process of setting up a Google Ads campaign correctly, emphasizing the complexity and potential pitfalls in the setup.

• The presenter, Austin, stresses the importance of following a step-by-step approach to avoid wasting ad spend due to incorrect settings.

About the Presenter

• Austin is co-founder of Grow My Ads, an agency managing millions in ad spend for over 100 clients monthly.

Creating Your Google Ads Account

• To start, users need to create a Google Ads account by visiting the Google Ads website and signing up.

Starting Your Campaign

Choosing Campaign Objectives

• Users must select a campaign objective; options include sales or leads. These choices affect available settings but do not control performance directly.

• For beginners, it’s recommended to choose either "sales" or "leads" rather than "website traffic."

Selecting Campaign Types

• The video focuses on creating a search campaign as it's most common for new users. Other types like Performance Max and Display are mentioned but not recommended for beginners.

Conversion Tracking Setup

Importance of Conversion Tracking

• Setting up conversion tracking is crucial for measuring success; it allows tracking sales or lead generation from ads.

Managing Conversions

• Austin suggests removing old conversions and focusing on relevant ones like lead form submissions.

Naming Conventions and Bidding Strategies

Organizing Campaign Names

• A clean naming convention helps manage campaigns effectively. Austin uses abbreviations related to service type and location.

Bidding Options Explained

• Different bidding strategies are discussed: conversions (recommended), conversion value, clicks, and impression share. Beginners should start with maximizing conversions.

Campaign Settings Overview

Network Selection

• Avoid using both search partners and display networks initially; focus solely on search until confident in performance.

Location Targeting

• Set specific geographic targeting (e.g., Allen County), ensuring ads reach only those within that area.

Language & Audience Segments

• Default language is set to English; audience segments can be added but are optional at this stage.

Advanced Settings & Ad Scheduling

Additional Settings Considerations

• Keep ad rotation optimized for best-performing ads; no end date is typically set for campaigns.

Ad Scheduling Details

• Schedule ads based on business hours (e.g., Monday through Friday from 7 AM).

Keyword Research Process

Utilizing Tools for Keywords

• Use Google's keyword planner tool to discover high-intent keywords relevant to your business niche (e.g., carpet cleaning).

Importance of Transactional Keywords

• Focus on primary transactional keywords that indicate intent (e.g., “carpet cleaning Fort Wayne”) rather than broad terms.

Finalizing Keywords & Match Types

Setting Up Keywords Correctly

• Understand different match types: broad match (too broad), phrase match (moderate), exact match (tightest). Start with phrase and exact matches only.

Implementing Keywords into Ad Groups

• Create tightly themed groups with fewer keywords focused on high intent terms. Less is more when starting out with keyword selection.

This structured markdown file provides an organized overview of key points from the transcript while linking back to specific timestamps for easy reference.

Creating Effective Google Ads

Introduction to Ad Creation

• The ad being created will appear when users search for specific keywords that are being bid on.

• A pre-written ad is available in the PPC Copilot group, which offers ongoing training and resources for Google Ads.

Best Practices for Ad Copy

• Utilize different angles when writing headlines; up to 15 can be included in a responsive search ad. Aim for unique and varied headlines rather than repetitive ones.

• Include the final URL where traffic will be directed, ensuring it aligns with user intent (e.g., steamworksfw.com). Display paths can incorporate relevant keywords or search intent.

Crafting Headlines

• Avoid using similar or "fluffy" headlines; focus on distinct messaging that resonates with potential customers. For example, avoid variations of the same call to action like "get a free quote."

• Emphasize intent matching by including targeted keywords in your headlines, such as "carpet cleaning Fort Wayne," and articulate unique selling propositions (USPs) that differentiate your service from competitors.

Structuring Your Offer

• Clearly define what makes your business stand out, such as special offers or guarantees (e.g., 100% money-back guarantee). Include clear calls to action like “get a free online quote today.”

• Consider theme testing by creating ads focused on different aspects of your service, such as affordability versus speed. It's acceptable to start with fewer than 15 headlines if they are impactful and relevant.

Adding Assets to Your Ad

• Additional assets like images can enhance ads; Google may suggest images based on your website content. Select appropriate visuals that align with your brand message.

• Ensure business name and logo are correctly added; if not provided, Google defaults to using the URL for identification purposes. Verify advertiser profiles for credibility during setup.

Utilizing Site Links

• Site links provide additional navigation options within an ad; aim for at least four relevant site links that direct users to various pages beyond just the main headline of the ad.

• Create custom site links with descriptive text and URLs leading back to specific pages (e.g., About Us), enhancing user engagement through informative snippets displayed alongside ads.

Finalizing Campaign Settings

• Set daily budgets based on keyword research; aim for a budget allowing at least 10 clicks per day based on estimated costs per click derived from keyword planner data (e.g., $30-$50 recommended).

• Adjust device targeting settings post-launch; consider excluding tablets due to lower performance metrics observed across campaigns before re-evaluating later once data is collected.

Implementing Negative Keywords

• Add negative keywords immediately after launching campaigns to prevent ads from showing up in irrelevant searches (e.g., terms related to products instead of services). This helps save advertising spend effectively.

Conclusion

• Following these steps allows beginners in Google Ads to set up effective campaigns while minimizing wasted spending through strategic planning and execution.