How to Set Up Google Ads: Your Account in 7 Steps
Google Ads shows your ads when people search for what you offer. Whether the account pays off is not decided when you click "Create campaign". It is decided by goal, measurement and structure. This guide walks you through the setup in seven steps, with decision aids, checklists and the mistakes we see most often in accounts.
By Anne Zeller, owner of AZ Onlinemarketing · Last updated: November 2026
15 min read
At a glance
- Process
- Create the account, set goal and measurement, plan the structure, set up the campaign, choose keywords, write ads, check and launch.
- Approval
- According to Google's own help pages, Google usually reviews new ads within one business day.
- Key prerequisite
- A goal and a way to measure it before the first ad runs.
- Most common mistake
- One campaign with many topics and little control.
- The account belongs to you
- Set it up in your company's name and give an agency access only.
Before you set up Google Ads: three questions
The setup itself does not take long. The groundwork decides whether your budget brings inquiries or just clicks. Answer these three questions in writing before you create the account.
Checklist before you start
- What counts as success? An inquiry, a call, a booked appointment or a purchase. Decide which action you want to measure.
- Where does the click lead? For every service you advertise, you need a page that shows exactly that service. The homepage rarely does the job.
- How much budget and time do you have? With us, the minimum budget is €5 per day for each advertised product or service. On top comes your time for weekly maintenance, or a management service.
If one of the three answers is missing, do not start yet. A campaign without a landing page or without measurement costs money and teaches you nothing.
Step 1: Create a Google Ads account
You need a Google account. According to Google's help pages, signing up for Google Ads has three parts: details about your business, goal and budget for a first campaign, then payment details. In the first part, you enter your business name and website. For new accounts, the account name must not contain a URL.
Google offers to create a campaign right away. You can also create the account without a campaign. For most businesses, that is the better way: nothing runs before measurement and structure are in place.
What Google asks for at payment
- Country of the billing address: It decides which billing options are available to you.
- Time zone: Reports, statistics and billing follow it. Choose it carefully.
- Payment profile and account type: The default is "Organization". Choose "Individual" only if that applies to you for tax purposes.
- Payment method: for example credit or debit card, PayPal or bank account, depending on the country.
- Promotional code: If you have an introductory offer, you enter it here.
You set the currency once. According to Google's help pages, it cannot be changed later. With cards, a temporary pre-authorization may appear, which usually disappears within a week.
Payment setting: which one fits you?
| Setting | How it works according to Google | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic payments (after delivery) | Charged after the ads have run, on the first of the month or as soon as the billing threshold is reached, whichever comes first | Default for most small and medium-sized businesses |
| Manual payments (prepaid) | You pay in advance, and ads stop when the balance runs out | According to Google's help pages, not available in Germany |
| Monthly invoicing (credit line) | Monthly invoice, payment by bank transfer | Only for businesses that meet Google's requirements |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
Access and ownership
If an agency works with you, invite it as a user under account access. It gets the permissions it needs. The account, the data and the history stay with you. The same applies to Tag Manager and Google Analytics.
Advertiser verification
Google may ask you to confirm your identity and your payment method. Only a person with administrator rights can do this. Google then asks, among other things, about your organization and charges a small amount to confirm the payment method. The last six digits of this charge are the confirmation code.
Meet the deadline Google shows in the account. If it expires, Google pauses the account until the verification is complete. According to Google, the verification itself can take up to five business days.
Step 2: Set your goal and set up conversion tracking
Before you build a campaign, decide what counts as success. Without measurement, you see only clicks and costs. Google then optimizes for clicks instead of results.
Typical conversions for service providers and shops
| Goal action | Example | Counting |
|---|---|---|
| Inquiry | Contact form submitted | "One" per click |
| Call | Click on the phone number or call from the ad | "One" per click |
| Appointment | Booking through a calendar | "One" per click |
| Purchase | Order in the shop | "Every" |
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For leads, you count "One" so that three forms from the same person do not count as three successes. For purchases, you count "Every" because each purchase brings revenue.
Tracking checklist
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We show how to set up measurement cleanly on the page Set up conversion tracking.
Worked example: what can an inquiry cost?
Example with made-up numbers, only to show the logic: A job brings you €600 contribution margin on average. Every fourth inquiry becomes a job. An inquiry is then worth at most €150 to you. If you want to keep half of that, your target value is €75 per inquiry.
Work out this value with your own numbers. It helps you later with the bidding strategy and with the question of whether a campaign pays off.
Step 3: Plan the account structure
The structure has four levels: account, campaign, ad group and ad. At each level, you set something different.
| Level | What you set here |
|---|---|
| Account | User access, notifications, payment, links to Analytics and Business Profile |
| Campaign | Budget, bidding strategy, networks, language, locations, ad schedule |
| Ad group | Keywords and ads on exactly one topic |
| Ad | Headlines, descriptions, landing page |
The rule of thumb is: one ad group, one topic, one landing page. Do not mix all services into one group. Otherwise, the ad never matches the search exactly.
Example: structure for a trade business
Example, fictional business in Saarbrücken:
- Campaign "Services Saarbrücken"
- Ad group "Painting" → landing page painting
- Ad group "Plastering" → landing page stucco and plaster
- Ad group "Screed" → landing page screed work
- Campaign "Brand" (searches for the company name), once enough conversions exist
A proven order of campaigns is: searches for your brand, general searches with buying intent and general searches with informational intent. Give campaigns simple, descriptive names so you recognize them right away in reports.
Step 4: Create the Google Ads campaign
For inquiries through Google Search, you start with a search campaign. Choose the campaign type based on goal, budget and industry, not on Google's newest offer. Performance Max or Display can add to it later, once Search runs.
Set the budget
Google asks for an average daily budget. Google's help pages advise dividing a monthly budget by 30.4. With us, the rule is: at least €5 per day for each advertised product or service, so around €150 per month.
Worked example: You advertise three services in separate ad groups. With the minimum budget, that is 3 × €5 = €15 per day, around €450 per month. Budgets in Google Ads are shown without VAT. You find more on planning in the guide Google Ads costs: how to plan your budget.
Settings you check
- Networks: According to Google, the Display Network is switched on automatically for new campaigns. Switch it off in a search campaign. Keep Search Network partners on only if the numbers justify it.
- Location: Google sets "Presence or interest" by default and recommends this option. It also reaches people who are only interested in your region. If you deliver or work only on site, choose "Presence". That is our default setting for local businesses.
- Language: to match your target group.
- Ad schedule: tied to when you can be reached, especially if calls count.
- Ad rotation: "Optimize". Use "Do not optimize: rotate ads indefinitely" only for clean tests.
Choose a bidding strategy
| Situation | Fitting strategy |
|---|---|
| New account, no conversion data yet | Maximize clicks or manual CPC, with a cap |
| Tracking runs, conversions arrive regularly | Maximize conversions |
| Enough data and a clear target value per inquiry | Target CPA |
| Shop with revenue values | Maximize conversion value or target ROAS |
Automated bidding on conversions needs enough conversion data. Without that data, Smart Bidding is an expensive experiment. Change target values in small steps and give each change time.
Step 5: Choose and exclude keywords
Keywords are the terms that trigger your ad. Look for what your customers type when they want to buy the service, not for the problem alone. Keyword Planner in Google Ads shows you search volume and suggestions.
Five to twenty keywords per ad group make sense. Google also recommends 5 to 20 keywords for the first campaign. A keyword with the same text and the same match type appears only once in the active account.
The three keyword options
| Option | Notation | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Broad match | painter saarbrücken | widest reach, highest risk of wasted spend |
| Phrase match | "painter saarbrücken" | the meaning must be in the search, good balance |
| Exact match | [painter saarbrücken] | only searches with the same meaning, most control |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
Google sets new keywords to "Broad match" by default. Use this option only with Smart Bidding and clean tracking. To start, phrase match and exact match are the safe choice.
Basic list of negative keywords
Create a negative list from the beginning. These terms almost never bring customers:
- free, for free, no cost
- how to, DIY, YouTube
- wiki, definition, meaning
- apprenticeship, internship, job opening, jobs
- used, eBay
Check the list for your industry. A used-car dealer, of course, does not exclude "used". Add to the list every week using the search terms report.
Step 6: Write ads and match the landing page
A responsive search ad has up to 15 headlines of 30 characters each and up to 4 descriptions of 90 characters each. Google combines them and tests which combination works best.
Checklist for your ads
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The landing page delivers on the promise
What the ad says must be the first thing visible on the landing page. The keyword is in the headline, and the way to contact you is reachable without scrolling, on a smartphone too. The form asks only what you really need.
Google approves ads only once the landing page is finished. A page under construction, with an error message or with a very long load time can lead to rejection. If ad and page match poorly, quality also drops and every click gets more expensive.
Step 7: Check, launch and evaluate
After you save, Google reviews every ad. According to Google's help pages, this usually takes up to one business day. The ad then shows "Eligible" or "Disapproved". You correct a rejection and resubmit the ad.
Checklist before launch
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The first weeks after launch
Do not change budget and bids every day. Every major change restarts the learning phase of automated bidding. Look at the search terms report once a week: it shows what people really searched for before they clicked. Exclude terms that do not fit and add good new terms as keywords.
Let new headlines run for at least 30 days before you judge them. The change history shows you what was adjusted and when. That way, you can trace fluctuations to a cause.
The most common mistakes when setting up Google Ads
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| One campaign for all services | Ads do not match the search, budget flows to the wrong service | One ad group per topic and landing page |
| No tracking before the first click | Google optimizes for clicks, you see no success | Set up and test measurement, then launch |
| Display Network on in the search campaign | Budget flows into banners instead of search ads | Check networks when you create the campaign |
| Only broad match without a negative list | Clicks from people who do not want to buy | Phrase and exact match, negative list from day 1 |
| Ads lead to the homepage | Visitors look for the offer and leave | A dedicated landing page per important service |
| Account only on the agency's login | Data and history are gone when you switch | Account in your company's name, agency as user |
| Daily changes to budget and bids | Automated bidding never learns | Check weekly, change in small steps |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
You find more error patterns from real accounts in the guide Google Ads mistakes in your account.
Set up Google Ads yourself or have it managed?
The steps above are doable if you have time for weekly maintenance. Management pays off if you lack that time, if several services or locations are involved or if the tracking is complex.
| Doing it yourself fits if … | Management fits if … |
|---|---|
| you advertise one or two services | you advertise several services or locations |
| you have an hour every week for search terms and numbers | you regularly lack that time |
| the tracking is already in place | measurement and consent still need to be set up |
If you want to hand over the maintenance, you can have Google Ads managed. We review an existing account in the Google Ads audit. Whether ads or SEO fit first, the SEO-or-ads guide shows you.
Do you not want to set up your Google Ads account alone?
In the free intro call, we clarify what makes sense for you. 30 minutes, by video or by phone if you prefer.
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Frequently asked questions about setting up Google Ads
Can I set up Google Ads without an agency?
Yes. You can do the seven steps above without an agency. Plan time, though: for setting up the tracking and then every week for search terms, exclusions and numbers. Most mistakes happen in measurement and structure, not when you create the campaign.
How long does it take until my ads run?
According to its own help pages, Google usually reviews new ads within one business day. After that, they run, provided budget, payment and landing page are in order. If Google requires advertiser verification, it can take up to five business days. How fast you see reliable results depends on budget and search volume.
What is the minimum cost of Google Ads?
On search ads, you pay per click, and the impression itself costs nothing. The auction sets the click price. We recommend at least €5 per day for each advertised product or service, around €150 per month. How to plan your budget is covered in the guide Google Ads costs: how to plan your budget.
Which payment method do I choose?
For most businesses in Germany, it is automatic payments. Google then charges on the first of the month or when the billing threshold is reached. According to Google's help pages, prepayment is not available in Germany. Monthly invoicing is available only to businesses that meet Google's requirements.
Do I need a dedicated landing page?
For every important service, yes. The page shows first what the ad promises and makes contact easy. If every ad leads to the homepage, visitors look for the offer and bounce. That costs inquiries and makes clicks more expensive.
Who owns the Google Ads account?
You do. Create the account in your company's name and give an agency access only as a user. That way, you keep data, history and control, even if you switch agencies. The same applies to Tag Manager and Analytics.
Why is my account paused?
Common reasons are an open advertiser verification with an expired deadline or a payment method that still needs to be confirmed. The notices appear in the account under Admin, Policy, Account. As soon as you have completed the steps or made the outstanding payment, Google lifts the pause.
Presence or interest: which location option is right?
Google recommends "Presence or interest" and sets it by default. It also reaches people outside your region who are interested in it, for example when they travel or move. If you work only on site, choose "Presence". Then your ad appears mainly for people who are in your area.
Sources (retrieved 5 November 2026): Google Ads Help Create a Google Ads account: how to sign up · Set up your first campaign · Billing options · Advanced location options · Ad review process · Verify payment information · Google Advertising Policies Help Advertiser verification
