Paid search, explained plainly
Paid search is the set of text ads above and below the regular listings on Google and Bing. You pay when someone clicks. Looking after it means keeping several parts in order:
- Keywords and match types, which decide the searches you can appear for.
- Negative keywords, which keep you out of searches that do not fit.
- Ads and assets: the headlines, descriptions, sitelinks and callouts people see.
- Bidding and budgets, which govern what you spend and how the platform bids.
- Conversion actions, the form fills or other events you count as a lead.
The auction belongs to Google or Microsoft. These settings shape what you enter it with and how you count what comes back.
How the work runs over a month
- Weekly: read the search terms, add negatives and new keywords, check that conversions are recording and spend is on pace.
- Every couple of weeks: look at ad assets and swap out weak headlines or descriptions; check that no automatic recommendations were applied without agreement.
- Monthly: compare campaigns by cost per conversion, adjust budgets between services, revisit bid strategy targets and write a summary for you.
- As needed: pause campaigns for services you cannot take on, add campaigns for new services, and check tracking after any change to your website or form.
The cadence can be lighter for a small account or heavier for one running in Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising at once. Agree it with the provider before work starts.
Before you request a search ads quote
A provider can give a clearer quote if you have a few answers ready. You do not need all of them, and the notes box on the quote form is fine for rough answers.
- Do you already have a Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising account, and is it active?
- Roughly how many services or product lines would you advertise?
- Do you serve the whole US or specific states?
- What monthly ad spend range are you considering?
- Is your quote form already sending form fills somewhere you can see them?
- Is anything about your offer regulated, so ad wording needs care?
The partner who picks up the request will ask follow-up questions before scoping anything.
Questions about search ads management
Who owns the ad account?
You should. The account should be created under your business email and billed to your payment method, with you holding admin access. The provider works through a manager account link or a user invite that you can remove. That way the keyword history and conversion data stay with you if the arrangement ends.
Who decides the ad budget?
You do. A provider can explain how daily campaign budgets work, how search volume and click prices affect spend, and how to split money between services. Ad spend is billed by Google or Microsoft to you, and you can lower or pause it in the account.
Does sending the form commit me to anything?
No. Your request is passed to a service partner who does the work. They will ask about your accounts, services and budget, then agree scope and quote you directly. Nothing is agreed until you accept their terms. See how it works for the steps.
Ready to hand off the setup? Send a short brief and get a quote. Nothing is agreed until you accept it.
Send your briefOther services
Paid social
Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn campaigns planned around your offer, with creative refreshed on a schedule and spend watched weekly.
Pages behind your ads
A better destination than your home page: one offer, one form, and tracking that records each submission.
Offline conversions
Closed deals in your CRM sent back to the ad platforms, so campaign data reflects what happened after the form.