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Free audit. No hard sell — just a clear plan to grow your business.
You've seen them. The ads at the top of Google when you search for "plumber near me" or "café in Ranelagh." Someone is paying for those clicks. And you've wondered: Should I be doing that?
Here's the truth: Google Ads can be the fastest way to get customers. Set up a campaign today, and you could have calls tomorrow. But it's also the fastest way to waste money. Click budgets can vanish in hours with nothing to show for it.
I've audited dozens of Google Ads accounts for Dublin businesses. The same issues come up again and again: broad match keywords draining budgets, no geo-targeting, irrelevant search terms, and landing pages that don't convert.
At KM Results, we've managed Google Ads campaigns for Dublin businesses across every neighborhood. From a gastropub in Stoneybatter driving event bookings to a dental practice in Rathgar filling appointment slots, we've seen what works and what wastes money.
In this guide, I'll walk you through what professional Google Ads management actually includes, how to spot a bad manager, and what you should expect to pay for good management.
Let's start with a distinction that matters: anyone can "set up" a Google Ads campaign. You enter a few keywords, set a budget, and click launch. That takes 20 minutes.
Managing Google Ads is a different beast entirely.
"Setting Up" a Campaign
20 minutes of setup - Ongoing daily/weekly work
Broad match keywords - Phrase match, exact match, and negative keywords
City-level targeting - Radius, postal code, and landmark targeting
Generic ad copy - Localised ad copy with extensions
Send traffic to homepage - Send traffic to dedicated landing pages
Set and forget - Daily bid adjustments and optimisation
No conversion tracking - Full conversion tracking (calls, form fills, bookings)
No reporting - Monthly performance reports with insights
Professional Google Ads management means someone (or an agency) is:
Building campaigns in Google Ads with proper goals and conversion tracking
Researching and selecting the right keywords (and excluding the wrong ones)
Setting up geo-targeting that actually reaches your local customers
Creating multiple ad variations to test
Monitoring search terms daily and adding negative keywords
Optimising bids, budgets, and targeting based on performance
Tracking conversions (not just clicks)Reporting on what's working and what's not
Not all Google Ads campaign types are created equal. Here are the five that work best for local businesses:
1. Search Campaigns (The Standard)
Goal: Show up when people search for what you offer.
How it works: You bid on keywords (e.g., "plumber in Crumlin"). Your ad shows at the top of search results. You pay when someone clicks.
Best for: Most local businesses—trades, professional services, restaurants, shops.
2. Local Service Ads (Google's Specialised Local Format)
Goal: Show up at the very top of search results with a "Google Guaranteed" badge.
How it works: You pay per lead, not per click. Google verifies your business.
Best for service providers.Best for: Tradespeople, cleaners, tutors, locksmiths, and other service providers.
3. Call-Only Campaigns
Goal: Get people to call you directly.
How it works: Mobile-only ads with a prominent "Call Now" button. No website click required.
Best for: Emergency services, trades, and any business where customers want to talk to a human.
4. Local Inventory Ads
Goal: Show nearby shoppers that you have a specific product in stock.
How it works: Upload your inventory. Google shows your ad when someone searches for a product you have in stock nearby.
Best for: Retail stores, boutiques, shops with physical products.
5. Performance Max Campaigns
Goal: Show your ads across search, Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and the Display Network.
How it works: Google's AI-driven campaign type. You provide assets (headlines, images, logos), and Google optimises across its networks.
Best for: Businesses with enough conversion data (50+ conversions/month) to feed the algorithm.
Our recommendation for most local businesses: Start with Search Campaigns or Local Service Ads. Master those before adding complexity.
Let me be direct. Most local businesses waste shocking amounts of money on Google Ads. Here's why:
Mistake #1: No Geo-Targeting
You run a café in Ranelagh. But your ads are showing to people in Swords—an hour away. You're paying for clicks that will never turn into customers.
Solution: Set your location targeting to a 2–5 km radius around your business (or specific postal codes you serve).
Mistake #2: Broad Match Keywords
You bid on the keyword "coffee." Google shows your ad to someone searching for "coffee machine repair." You pay for a click from someone who will never buy coffee from you.
Solution: Use phrase match ("coffee near me") and exact match ([coffee near me]). Save broad match for experienced advertisers with large negative keyword lists.
Mistake #3: No Negative Keywords
You haven't told Google which searches NOT to show your ad for. So you pay for clicks from people searching for "free coffee," "DIY plumbing," or "cheapest plumber."
Solution: Build a negative keyword list. Add irrelevant search terms as you find them.
Mistake #4: Sending People to Your Homepage
Someone searches for "breakfast near Ranelagh." They click your ad. Your ad sends them to your homepage, where they have to hunt for the menu and opening hours. They bounce.
Solution: Send every ad to a dedicated landing page that matches the search intent.
Mistake #5: No Conversion Tracking
You run ads. You get clicks. But you have no idea which clicks turned into calls, bookings, or foot traffic. So you have no idea what's working.
Solution: Set up conversion tracking for calls, form fills, and bookings. Use call tracking numbers.
Mistake #6: Set and ForgetYou set up a campaign, launched it, and never looked at it again. Meanwhile, search terms change, competitors adjust, and your budget bleeds.
Solution: Review your campaigns at least weekly. Add negative keywords, adjust bids, pause underperforming ads.
When you hire a professional Google Ads manager, here's what you should expect. If they're not doing these things, find someone else.
We start by understanding your business, your customers, and your goals:
What action do you want people to take? (Call, visit, book, enquire)
What's your target cost per lead or cost per booking?
Which services or products are most profitable?
Then we build a campaign structure designed to achieve those goals.
We don't guess which keywords will work. We research:
Keywords your customers are actually searching for (using Google's Keyword Planner)
Local modifiers (neighborhoods, landmarks, postal codes)
Commercial intent (people ready to buy, not just browsing)
Negative keywords—searches you don't want to pay for
Example for a plumber in Crumlin: Keywords: "emergency plumber Crumlin," "leaky tap repair Crumlin," "plumber near Crumlin Hospital." Negative keywords: "free," "DIY," "jobs," "cheap."
This is where local businesses win or lose:
Radius targeting: 2–5 km around your business (cafés, shops) or 5–15 km (trades, professional services)
Postal code targeting: Specific Dublin districts (D6, D6W for Ranelagh; D12 for Crumlin)
Landmark targeting: "near St. Stephen's Green," "near Croke Park"
Exclusion zones: Don't pay for clicks too far away
For a pub near Croke Park, we might increase bids on match days and target people within 1 km of the stadium.
We write ads that stop the scroll and drive action:
Compelling headlines with keywords and local references
Descriptions that highlight what makes you different
Clear calls-to-action ("Call now," "Book online," "Get directions")
Ad extensions (location, call, sitelink, review, callout)
Example for a café in Ranelagh: Headline: "Best Breakfast in Ranelagh" | Description: "Open at 8am. Just steps from the Luas. Order online or visit us today." | Extensions: Location (map), Call (phone number), Sitelinks (Menu, Book a Table).
Your ad gets the click. Your landing page gets the conversion. We ensure:
The landing page matches the ad's promise (no bait-and-switch)
The page loads quickly (every second of delay costs conversions)
The next step is obvious (phone number, booking form, directions)
Trust signals are visible (reviews, testimonials, guarantees)
We manage your budget like it's our own:
Daily and monthly budget caps
Bid adjustments by device (mobile often converts best for local)
Bid adjustments by time of day (increase during peak hours)
Bid adjustments by location (increase for your best postal codes)
Bid strategies (manual CPC, target CPA, maximize conversions)
We're constantly testing to improve performance:
Different keyword match types
Different ad copy variations
Different landing pages
Different bid strategies
Different ad extensions
We keep what works and cut what doesn't.
We track what matters—not just clicks:
Calls (with call tracking numbers)
Direction requests (shows foot traffic intent)
Website bookings or form fills
Cost per lead and cost per booking
Return on ad spend (when possible)
Search term reports (to find new negative keywords)
You'll get a monthly report showing exactly what worked, what didn't, and what we're doing next.
We're not a generic Google Ads agency. Here's what makes our management different:
We're Locals. We know that a campaign for a pub near Croke Park should increase bids on match days. We know that a campaign for a café near St. Stephen's Green should target tourists as well as locals. We bring local knowledge to every campaign.
We Focus on Conversions, Not Clicks. We don't celebrate a high click-through rate if those clicks aren't turning into customers. We optimise for calls, bookings, and foot traffic.
We're in Google Ads Daily. Not weekly. Not monthly. Daily. We check search terms, add negatives, adjust bids, and pause underperformers.
We're Brutally Transparent. We'll tell you if your budget is too small to be effective. We'll tell you if a keyword is wasting money. We'll share everything we're doing and why.
If you're working with a manager (or interviewing one), run through this checklist:
Check
They use phrase match and exact match keywords (not just broad match)☐
They have a negative keyword list and update it weekly☐
They target a specific radius or postal codes around your business☐
They use ad extensions (location, call, sitelink, etc.)☐
They send traffic to dedicated landing pages (not just your homepage)☐
They have conversion tracking set up (calls, form fills, bookings)☐
They review search terms and add negatives at least weekly☐
They adjust bids based on time of day, device, and location☐
They provide monthly reports with cost per lead/conversion☐
They can explain why campaigns are (or aren't) working☐
If your manager isn't doing most of these, you're not getting professional management.
1. How much should I spend on Google Ads as a local business?
For most local businesses, €500–€2,000 per month is a reasonable range. Less than €500 often isn't enough to generate meaningful data. More than €2,000 requires sophisticated optimisation to avoid waste.
2. How much does Google Ads management cost?
Most agencies charge €500–€1,500 per month in management fees, plus your ad spend. Some charge a percentage of spend (10–20%). Some charge hourly. We offer transparent monthly packages.
3. What's the difference between a Google Ads manager and an SEO specialist?
An SEO specialist optimises your website to rank organically (free, but slow). A Google Ads manager runs paid campaigns (fast, but costs money). Both are valuable, but they're different skill sets.
4. How long does it take to see results?
You can get your first clicks within hours of launching a campaign. But meaningful, profitable results typically take 2–4 weeks of optimisation.
5. What's a good cost per click for local businesses?
It varies wildly by industry:Trades (plumber, electrician): €5–€15 per clickCafés/restaurants: €1–€3 per clickProfessional services: €10–€30 per clickRetail: €1–€5 per click
6. What are negative keywords and why do I need them?
Negative keywords tell Google not to show your ad for certain searches. If you sell premium coffee, you might add "cheap" as a negative keyword so you don't pay for clicks from bargain hunters. They're essential for controlling costs.
7. Should I run ads on Google or social media?
Both serve different purposes. Google Ads capture people actively searching for what you offer (high intent). Social ads reach people who aren't searching but might be interested (lower intent but larger reach). Most local businesses should start with Google Ads.
8. What's the biggest mistake local businesses make?
Not using proper geo-targeting. We regularly see ads showing to people 20+ km away. You're paying for clicks from people who will never visit your business.
9. Do I need a separate landing page for each ad?
Ideally yes. Each ad should send traffic to a page that matches exactly what the ad promised. Generic homepages kill conversions.
10. Can I manage Google Ads myself?
You can set up a basic campaign yourself. But to manage bids, negative keywords, landing page optimisation, and ongoing testing, most business owners don't have the time or expertise. One mistake can waste thousands.
Google Ads can be the fastest way to get customers—if they're managed properly. Done wrong, they're a money drain.
At KM Results, we've managed profitable Google Ads campaigns for Dublin businesses across every neighborhood. We're in Google Ads daily. We test relentlessly. We optimise for calls, bookings, and foot traffic.
Let's audit your current Google Ads (or build your first campaign). We'll show you what's working, what's wasting money, and what a profitable campaign looks like for your business.
Call us today at 0838524742 or fill out the form below to schedule your free consultation.