Blog
Notes on finding the leaks.
Practical Google Ads fixes for local and service businesses, in plain English.
- Thinking
What 20 years of running Google Ads for my own businesses taught me
I started using Google Ads around 2001 to find customers for my own business. Here's what stuck. - Landing pages
Why you shouldn't send Google Ads clicks to your homepage
Your homepage is trying to talk to everyone. The person who just clicked your ad wants to hear about one thing. - Lead quality
Missed calls are wasted clicks
You've paid for the click. If nobody picks up, the customer rings the next business on the list. - New advertisers
When Google Ads isn't right for your business
An honest list from someone who sells Google Ads: the signs it might not be right for your business, or not yet. - New advertisers
What a pilot campaign is, and why I don't just switch the ads on
Switching the ads on is easy. Finding out whether they work for your business takes a bit more. Here's how a pilot campaign does it. - New advertisers
Is Google Ads worth it for a small local business?
It depends on a few numbers you probably already know. Here's how to work it out before you spend a penny. - Agencies and contracts
Why nobody can guarantee you Google Ads results
Guaranteed leads sound great. Here's why no honest specialist can promise them, and what I promise instead. - Agencies and contracts
What should £500 a month of Google Ads management get you?
Most agencies don't publish their prices. Mine start from £500 a month. Here's what that covers. - Agencies and contracts
Why I don't do Google Ads audits
Most Google Ads specialists start with an audit. I don't. Here's why, and what happens instead. - Agencies and contracts
Your Google Ads agency has gone quiet. What now?
The reports get vaguer. The replies get slower. Here's how to tell if anyone's actually working on your account, and what to do about it. - Agencies and contracts
Who owns your Google Ads account? Check this today.
If someone else controls your account, you could lose years of data the day you leave. Five minutes to check. - Settings
Performance Max for local businesses: when to say no
Google pushes Performance Max hard. For a lot of local service businesses, a simple Search campaign is still the better place to start.
Want me to look at your account?
Tell me what's going on and I'll come back to you with a price.