Google Ads is an online advertising platform where you pay to show your firm's advert to people searching for accounting services on Google. You set a budget, choose the keywords you want to appear for, write your ad, and Google displays it when someone searches for a matching term. You pay only when someone clicks. This guide explains how the platform works and how to set up your first campaign correctly.

How Google Ads works

When someone types a search query into Google, an auction runs in milliseconds to determine which ads appear and in what order. The auction considers your bid (how much you are willing to pay per click), your Quality Score (how relevant your ad and landing page are to the search), and your ad's expected click-through rate.

You do not simply "buy" the top position. A more relevant ad with a lower bid can outrank a less relevant ad with a higher bid. This means that well-structured campaigns with relevant ads can compete effectively even against larger competitors with bigger budgets. Ads appear at the top and bottom of the search results page, labelled "Sponsored". Most people understand these are paid results, but many still click them when the ad matches what they are looking for.

The core components of a Google Ads campaign

Campaign

The top-level container. A campaign has a budget, a geographic target, and a network setting (Search, Display, Shopping, etc.). For an accounting firm starting out, you want Search campaigns only, as these show text ads to people who are actively searching.

Ad group

Within each campaign, ad groups organise related keywords and ads together. A well-structured campaign has tightly themed ad groups, for example one ad group for "self-assessment accountant" keywords and a separate ad group for "limited company accountant" keywords.

Keywords

The search terms you want your ad to appear for. Keywords have match types:

  • Exact match [like this]: your ad only shows when someone searches for that precise term or a very close variant. Most control, typically best for conversions.
  • Phrase match "like this": your ad shows when the phrase appears within a broader search. More reach than exact match.
  • Broad match like this: your ad can show for any search Google considers related. Least control, highest risk of irrelevant clicks. Avoid for most accounting campaigns.

Ads

The text people see in search results. Each ad has up to three headlines (30 characters each), two descriptions (90 characters each), and your display URL. Write ads that match the search intent of the keywords in that ad group. Specificity converts better than generic copy.

Landing page

The page someone arrives at after clicking your ad. The landing page should directly match the ad's promise. If your ad says "Accountant for sole traders, book a free call", the landing page should be about sole trader accounting services with a prominent booking option, not your homepage.

Setting up your first campaign, step by step

Step 1: Create a Google Ads account. Go to ads.google.com and sign up with your Google account. Set up billing before trying to run ads.

Step 2: Link to Google Analytics 4. Before spending any money, connect your Google Ads account to your GA4 property. This is how you track which clicks lead to form submissions and phone calls.

Step 3: Set up conversion tracking. In Google Ads, under Tools, set up conversion actions for: form submission (thank-you page view), phone call from ad, and phone call from website. Without these, you cannot measure what the spend produces.

Step 4: Set campaign type to Search. Select "Search" campaign type. Avoid Smart campaigns, Performance Max, and Display for your first campaign, as these give Google more control and are harder to learn from.

Step 5: Set your geographic target. Target your specific area, your town or city, or a defined radius around your office. Do not target the whole of the UK unless you are a national practice.

Step 6: Build tightly themed ad groups. Create separate ad groups for your main service lines. For example: ad group 1 for self-assessment accountant keywords, ad group 2 for limited company accountant keywords, and ad group 3 for small business accountant keywords.

Step 7: Add keywords (exact and phrase match only). For each ad group, add five to ten tightly relevant keywords as exact or phrase match. Include your location in the keywords where it adds intent ("accountant for limited companies Manchester").

Step 8: Build a negative keyword list. Add irrelevant terms as negatives from the start: jobs, career, salary, free, software, courses, student, training, university, download. Add more as you see irrelevant search terms in your search terms report.

Step 9: Write your ads. Write three responsive search ad variants per ad group. Include the primary keyword in at least one headline. Include a clear call to action ("Book a free call", "Get a fixed-fee quote").

Step 10: Set your budget and launch. Start with a daily budget of £10 to £20 (£300 to £600 per month). Launch, monitor the search terms report daily for the first two weeks, and add new negatives as needed.

Key takeaways

  • Google Ads shows your firm's text adverts to people actively searching for accounting services; you pay per click, not per impression.
  • The quality of your ad and landing page relevance affects your position, not just your bid.
  • Use Search campaigns only to start; avoid Smart campaigns and Performance Max until you understand the platform.
  • Set up conversion tracking before spending any budget, because without it you cannot tell which clicks produce enquiries.
  • Build tightly themed ad groups with exact and phrase match keywords; add a negative keyword list from day one.

Frequently asked questions

How much should an accounting firm spend on Google Ads when starting out?

A minimum of £200 to £300 per month is needed to gather meaningful data in most UK markets. Below that, you may not generate enough clicks to identify what is working. Start at a level you are comfortable running for three months, as that is the minimum time needed to draw reliable conclusions.

What is a Quality Score and why does it matter?

Quality Score is Google's rating (1–10) of how relevant your keyword, ad, and landing page are to each other. A higher Quality Score lowers your cost per click and improves your ad position. Improve it by ensuring your ad copy closely matches your keywords and your landing page delivers exactly what the ad promises.

Can we run Google Ads without a website?

Not effectively. Google Ads requires a destination URL, typically a dedicated landing page. While Google offers a basic website builder, a proper website with a specific service page converts significantly better than a generic builder page.

Should we use automated bidding or manual bidding?

For a new campaign with no conversion history, start with manual CPC (cost per click) bidding. Once you have at least 30 conversions in a 30-day period, consider switching to Target CPA automated bidding, which uses your conversion data to optimise bids. Automated bidding without sufficient conversion data often underperforms manual bidding.

How do we see what search terms are triggering our ads?

In your Google Ads account, go to Keywords, then Search Terms. This report shows the exact queries that triggered your ads. Review it weekly in the first month to identify irrelevant terms and add them as negatives.

For more guidance on running Google Ads for your practice, visit our Google Ads for accounting firms hub.