How to Advertise on Google: Search Ads, Cost Logic and Your First Campaign

The answer to “how much does Google advertising cost?” starts with “for which keyword”. In Google Ads search campaigns, cost per click is set by an auction: how many competitors bid on the same term, and how relevant your ad and page are. This article gives no figures; it explains the logic and how to set up a first campaign.

When search ads are the right choice

If you sell something people search for: dental clinic, real estate, plumber, QR menu, web design. Someone typing “dentist Kadıköy” is close to booking; reaching the same person on Instagram is chance. For a new product nobody searches for, search ads do not work; there, Instagram ads lead.

What sets the cost

• Keyword competition. “Dental implant” and “dental clinic Kadıköy” price differently; national chains compete on the first.
• Quality score. How well the ad text and landing page match the search. A high quality score wins the same position for less. This is the one place a small business can beat a big budget.
• Location and hours. District targeting and business-hours scheduling cut wasted clicks.
• Match type. Below.

Account structure

Campaign → ad group → keywords + ads. Each ad group should have one topic: an “implant” group and a “teeth whitening” group are separate; each has its own ad copy and landing page. Stuffing thirty keywords into one group lowers quality score.

Keyword matching and negatives

• Broad match tells Google “show for anything similar”; budget runs out fast.
• Phrase match (“dental clinic kadıköy”) preserves meaning.
• Exact match ([dental clinic kadıköy]) shows only for that intent.

Start with phrase and exact. Build the negative keyword list on day one: “free”, “job”, “salary”, “course”, “how to” cut clicks that are not your customers. Check the “search terms” report weekly and add irrelevant queries to negatives; most of the budget is saved here.

First campaign, step by step

1. 01
   Open a Google Ads account; choose “Expert mode” instead of “Smart campaign”. Smart campaigns take control away from you.
2. 02
   Objective: leads or website traffic. Search network only; Display Network and partners off.
3. 03
   Location: the districts you serve; “people in” rather than “people interested in”.
4. 04
   2–3 ad groups, 5–10 keywords each (phrase/exact), 2 ad texts.
5. 05
   Put the searched keyword in the headline; one promise, one call; add call and location extensions (location comes automatically if the Google Business Profile is linked — profile setup).
6. 06
   Conversion tracking: form submissions and phone taps defined as conversions; otherwise you will never know which keyword brings customers.
7. 07
   Daily budget, 14 days; in week one only add negatives, do not touch bids.

Landing page

The ad must go to the page that matches the search exactly: an “implant” ad to the implant page. Same keyword in the headline, phone number visible, short form. A page that loads slowly on a phone lowers quality score and wastes the click; website pricing explains why the “speed” item gets expensive later.

Relationship with organic

Ads stop when the money stops. Organic visibility on the same terms — the Google Business Profile and area/service pages — lowers ad cost over time. Sufitware’s SEO and Google Business service handles both together; tell us your service and districts in the brief form and we will say which keywords to start with.