Setting up your first Google Ads campaign correctly takes approximately two to three hours. Most of that time is spent on keyword research, ad copywriting, and landing page review, not the platform mechanics. This guide walks through the exact setup process for an accounting firm launching its first Search campaign, in the order the tasks should be completed.
Before you open Google Ads
Two things must be in place before you create your first campaign:
1. A landing page, not just a homepage. Your ads will perform significantly better if they link to a focused service page rather than your homepage. If you are advertising for "self-assessment accountant in Leeds", the destination should be a page about self-assessment services with a single call to action. Build or identify this page before setting up the campaign.
2. Conversion tracking. You need to be able to measure what happens after someone clicks your ad. Set up Google Analytics 4 on your website (if not already done), then link your GA4 property to Google Ads. Configure conversion events for: form submission confirmation page, and phone call tracking if applicable. Do not spend money until tracking is working.
Campaign settings
Campaign type: Search (not Smart, not Performance Max, not Display)
Campaign goal: select "Website traffic" or "Leads", not sales, not app installs
Networks: deselect Display Network (your ads will appear on websites as well as Google Search if this is left on, which you do not want for a first campaign)
Bidding: start with Manual CPC. This gives you direct control over bids while you learn what converts. Switch to Target CPA automated bidding only after accumulating 30 or more conversions.
Budget: set a daily budget of £10 to £20. This equates to £300 to £600 per month. Adjust after reviewing the first month's performance.
Location targeting: your specific town, city, or a defined radius around your office. Avoid "UK" as a target unless you operate nationally and want national enquiries.
Location options: set to "People in or regularly in your targeted locations", not "People searching for your targeted locations" which can include anyone searching for your city from anywhere in the UK.
Ad schedule: consider limiting to your business hours if you cannot respond to out-of-hours enquiries quickly. An unanswered form submission at 11pm that gets a response 24 hours later has a much lower conversion rate than one followed up within an hour.
Ad group structure
Build separate ad groups for each service or audience type you are targeting. Do not mix keywords from different themes into one ad group, as this degrades ad relevance and Quality Scores.
Suggested ad groups for an accounting practice starting out:
| Ad group | Example keywords |
|---|---|
| Self-assessment accountant | [self assessment accountant (city)], [accountant for self assessment (city)] |
| Limited company accountant | [limited company accountant (city)], [accountant for directors (city)] |
| Small business accountant | [small business accountant (city)], [accountant for small business (city)] |
| Sole trader accountant | [sole trader accountant (city)], [freelancer accountant (city)] |
Start with two to three ad groups. Add more as you gather data.
Keyword setup
Use square brackets for exact match: [accountant for sole traders Manchester]. Use quotation marks for phrase match: "sole trader accountant Manchester".
For each ad group, add five to ten keywords. Keep them tight and specific, including a service type and a location in every keyword. Generic broad terms ("accountant", "accounting") attract irrelevant traffic at high cost.
Negative keywords to add from day one:
- jobs, job, career, vacancy, vacancies
- salary, free, software, app, course, courses
- training, university, degree, qualification, student
- accounting software, bookkeeping software
Review the search terms report in the first two weeks and add new negatives as irrelevant queries appear.
Writing your ads
Each ad group needs at least one responsive search ad. Provide three to five headlines and two to three descriptions; Google tests combinations to find the best performers.
Headline rules: include the primary keyword in at least one headline; include a location reference ("Manchester Accountants", "Serving [City]"); include a specific benefit or differentiator ("Fixed Monthly Fees", "Free Initial Call"); include a call to action ("Book a Free Call", "Get a Quote Today").
Description rules: one description covers the main benefit or service scope; one description covers a trust signal or differentiator and the call to action. Keep descriptions factual and avoid superlatives you cannot substantiate.
Example headlines for a sole trader ad group:
- Sole Trader Accountant in [City]
- Fixed-Fee Accounting — No Surprises
- Free Initial Consultation
- Self-Assessment Filed For You
- Specialist Freelancer Accountants
After launching
Review the search terms report every two to three days for the first two weeks. Add irrelevant terms as negatives. After four weeks, review conversion data: which keywords and ad groups are producing enquiries, and which are spending budget without converting? Pause or reduce bids on non-converting keywords. Increase bids on keywords that are producing conversions. Write additional ad variants to test against existing ads. After two to three months of running, you will have enough data to make informed decisions about budget, keyword expansion, and whether to switch to automated bidding.
Key takeaways
- Build a dedicated landing page and set up conversion tracking before creating your first campaign.
- Use Search campaigns only; deselect the Display Network; use Manual CPC bidding to start.
- Create separate ad groups for each service or client type (sole traders, limited companies, small businesses).
- Use exact and phrase match keywords only, including both the service type and location in every keyword.
- Add a negative keyword list from day one; review the search terms report weekly for the first month.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for a new campaign to get approved and start running?
Google reviews new ads, usually within one business day. Most ads are approved within a few hours. Occasionally an ad is flagged for review and you will receive an email notification. Once approved, your ads enter the auction immediately.
What happens if we run out of daily budget?
Google stops showing your ads for the rest of the day once your daily budget is spent. Over the course of the month, you will not be charged more than 30.4 times your daily budget. If your ads are limited by budget regularly, you may be missing potential clicks; consider increasing the budget or narrowing your targeting to stretch it further.
Can we advertise nationally from day one?
You can, but most accounting firms generate better ROI from local targeting, where competition is lower and intent is higher. National campaigns compete against established national practices and comparison sites with significant budgets. Start local and expand geographically once you have proven ROI.
Should we add all keywords in one ad group to keep things simple?
No. Tightly themed ad groups produce higher Quality Scores, lower costs per click, and better ad relevance. A single large ad group with mixed keywords produces generic ads that convert poorly. The setup overhead of multiple ad groups is worth the performance gain.
How do we know if the campaign is working?
Track enquiries, form submissions and phone calls, as conversions in Google Ads. After four to eight weeks, you should see which keywords are generating enquiries and at what cost. If conversions are below expectations, review landing page quality, keyword relevance, and ad copy before increasing budget.
For more on the full Google Ads setup process, visit our Google Ads for accounting firms hub.