How to Advertise on Google Ads: Step-by-Step for SA Businesses

Advertising on Google Ads is one of the most effective ways to generate immediate leads and sales for a South African business. Whether you are starting from scratch or looking to understand the process before working with an agency, this step-by-step guide walks through everything you need to get your first campaign live. Also useful: our Google Ads for small businesses guide.

Step 1: Create a Google Ads Account

Go to ads.google.com and sign in with your Google account (or create one). Google will walk you through a guided setup process. Important: when you first create an account, Google pushes you toward a ‘Smart campaign’ — a simplified, automated format. If you want full control over your keywords, bids, and ad copy (which we strongly recommend), click ‘Switch to expert mode’ at the bottom of the guided setup screen before proceeding.

In expert mode, you can set up a campaign from scratch with complete control over every setting. Select ‘Create a campaign without a goal’ to access all campaign types and settings freely. This prevents Google from making automated optimisation decisions before you understand your account.

Step 2: Choose Your Campaign Type

For most South African service businesses advertising for the first time, a Search campaign is the right starting point. Search campaigns show text ads to people actively searching for your keywords on Google — the highest-intent traffic available. Once Search is working profitably, you can expand to Display (brand awareness), Shopping (e-commerce products), or Performance Max (multi-channel AI optimisation).

Step 3: Set Your Campaign Goal and Budget

Choose your campaign goal: Leads (for service businesses collecting enquiries), Sales (for e-commerce), or Website Traffic (for awareness-focused campaigns). Set a daily budget that you are comfortable spending during the testing phase — most South African service businesses start with R150-R300 per day. Google may spend up to double your daily budget on high-traffic days, but averages to your daily budget over the billing period.

Step 4: Configure Targeting Settings

• Location: Target your service area precisely — specific cities, provinces, or a radius around your business address
• Language: Select English (and Afrikaans if relevant to your audience)
• Networks: Uncheck ‘Display Network’ for your first Search campaign — keep it to search results only
• Schedule: Consider restricting ads to your business hours, especially for phone-heavy service businesses

Step 5: Choose Your Keywords

Keywords are the search terms that trigger your ads. Use Google Keyword Planner (free in your Google Ads account) to find keywords with search volume in South Africa. For a first campaign, start with 10-20 tightly relevant keywords using Phrase Match or Exact Match. Avoid Broad Match until you have enough data to manage the wider traffic it attracts.

Add negative keywords from day one — terms you definitely do NOT want your ads showing for. A plumbing company should add negatives like ‘jobs’, ‘salary’, ‘DIY’, ‘free’ to filter out searches from people who are not potential customers.

Step 6: Write Your Ads

Google Search Ads use a Responsive Search Ad (RSA) format: you write up to 15 headlines (max 30 characters each) and 4 descriptions (max 90 characters each). Google tests combinations automatically and favours the best-performing combinations. Write headlines that include your main keyword, a specific benefit, and a call to action. Make descriptions specific — mention your location, years of experience, or unique selling proposition.

Step 7: Set Up Conversion Tracking Before You Launch

This is the step most beginners skip — and it is the most important. Before spending a rand, install conversion tracking so you know which clicks result in actual enquiries or sales. For service businesses, track form submissions and phone calls. For e-commerce, track purchase completions. Without conversion tracking, you are flying blind and cannot make data-driven optimisations. Link Google Ads to Google Analytics 4 to capture the complete customer journey.

Step 8: Set Bids and Launch

For a first campaign, start with ‘Maximise Clicks’ bidding to gather data. Once you have 30+ conversions, switch to ‘Target CPA’ (cost per acquisition) or ‘Maximise Conversions’ bidding to let Google’s algorithm optimise for actual business outcomes. Set an initial CPC bid cap to prevent runaway spending while the algorithm learns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to set up a Google Ads campaign?

A basic first campaign — account creation, keyword selection, ad writing, and conversion tracking setup — takes 2-4 hours for someone doing it for the first time. A more comprehensive account structure with multiple campaigns and thorough negative keyword lists takes 8-16 hours. Agencies typically spend 10-20 hours on a complete initial setup.

Do I need a Google account to use Google Ads?

Yes, you need a Google account (Gmail address) to create and manage a Google Ads account. Many businesses use a dedicated company email address for their Google Ads account rather than a personal Gmail, which makes account access management easier as the business grows.

What billing information do I need?

Google Ads requires a payment method to run campaigns. South African businesses can pay via credit card (Visa, Mastercard), debit card, or bank transfer. Google bills in USD for South African accounts, so your card issuer will apply the exchange rate. Some businesses request a monthly invoicing arrangement once their monthly spend exceeds a threshold.

Can I pause or stop my Google Ads at any time?

Yes — Google Ads campaigns can be paused or stopped immediately with no penalty. You only pay for clicks that have already occurred. This makes it easy to control spend during slow business periods, budget reallocation, or while you are revising your campaign strategy.

Should I run my own Google Ads or hire an agency?

If your monthly ad spend is under R5,000, managing it yourself with Google’s guided tools and educational resources is reasonable. Above R5,000-R10,000 per month, the ROI improvement from professional management typically outweighs agency fees. An agency with experience in your industry will reduce wasted spend, improve conversion rates, and free you to focus on running your business.