Are Google Ads worth it?

Jon Richardson • February 22, 2025

Everything you need to know about Google Ads

Introduction to Google Ads

Getting your business noticed online can feel overwhelming. Many people wonder if Google Ads still matter in an era of social media, influencer marketing, and ever-evolving search engine optimisation. The short answer, in my view, is yes. Google Ads remain one of the fastest ways to reach an audience already searching for your product or service. It can boost your visibility within hours rather than months, and this is what makes it so tempting.

We have seen some excellent results both for our customers and for ourselves using Google Ads. It has definitely been a game changer for us levelling out the peaks and troughs of our inbound marketing efforts.

Yet Google Ads can also devour your budget if not set up and managed the right way. That risk often stops small business owners from trying it at all. In this blog, we’ll break down Google Ads, explain what all the jargon and acronyms mean, show how you can measure success, and help you decide whether to handle it yourself or hire someone with experience.

Understanding Google Ads

Google Ads is a pay-per-click advertising tool that lets you display an advert for your product or service when people type certain words into Google Search. You set a budget and select those words, and then you pay only when someone clicks your ad. You can also display visual and text adverts on various Google networks, such as YouTube and Gmail. Google Ads works because it matches what people are actively looking for—often, at the moment, they want to buy. That’s a huge advantage over more passive forms of advertising, such as a random social media ad that catches someone’s eye when they’re not really shopping. However, speed comes with responsibility. If you don’t choose the right keywords, location settings, or audience details, you can spend more than you should without seeing any return.

Think of Google Ads as a targeted spotlight. It’s powerful and direct, but it shines best when you know exactly where and how to aim it.

Common Jargon and Acronyms

Google Ads has its own language that can seem confusing if you’re new to it. There’s CPC, which stands for “cost per click.” That’s how much you pay whenever someone clicks on your ad. Another acronym is CTR, or “click-through rate,” which measures how often your ad is clicked versus how many times it’s shown. You might also spot the term “Quality Score,” which is Google’s rating of how relevant and effective your ad is. This score influences how much you pay per click and how often your ad appears above competitors. Another bit of jargon is “negative keywords.” These are words or phrases you exclude from your campaign so your advert won’t appear for irrelevant searches. Understanding these few concepts straight away will make a big difference. And if you come across other specialised terms, don’t hesitate to ask your marketing partner or do a quick search. Google Ads can become second nature with the right explanations.

Here are some of the common acronyms and jargon used in the Google Ads space and what they mean:

PPC (Pay-Per-Click): An advertising model where you’re charged each time someone clicks on your ad, rather than just for showing it.
CPC (Cost Per Click): The actual amount you pay whenever someone clicks on your ad.
CTR (Click-Through Rate): The percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing it. It’s calculated by dividing clicks by impressions.
Quality Score: Google’s rating of how relevant and effective your ad is. A higher score can reduce costs and improve your ad’s position.
Ad Rank: This determines where your ad appears in the search results. It’s influenced by your bids, Quality Score, and other factors.
Negative Keywords: Words or phrases you tell Google to exclude so your ad doesn’t appear for irrelevant searches.
Match Types (Broad, Phrase, Exact): Settings that control how closely someone’s search must match your chosen keyword before your ad is shown.
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): A measure of how much revenue you generate for every pound spent on ads.
ROI (Return on Investment): Similar to ROAS, but factors in all costs to give a clearer picture of actual profit.
Conversion Tracking: A process that records when a click on your ad leads to a specific action on your site, like a purchase or a form submission.

Why Google Ads Are Worth It?

I believe Google Ads are well worth the investment, especially for small businesses that want fast, direct access to potential clients. When managed well, Google Ads allows you to appear at the top of the search results on day one. This is a massive shortcut compared to the lengthy process of climbing organic rankings through SEO alone. You can set a strict budget, enabling you to maintain control over your spending.

Another benefit is the detailed reporting.

You can see which ads get clicks and track whether those clicks lead to actual enquiries or sales. That information is priceless and can help you make other decisions throughout your business too.

My firm conviction, though, is that if you don’t have the time or resources to learn the ins and outs, you’ll get much better results by teaming up with an expert. That expert could be a specialist PPC agency such as Overt Digital Media or it could be a full time employee. However, Google Ads are a specialist area that is constantly evolving so don't expect that you generalist marketing assistant to be able to run an ads campaign.

Left on autopilot, Google Ads can become a money pit in record time, as you can easily burn your daily budget on clicks that never turn into business.

On average, PPC visitors are 50% more likely to buy something than organic visitors!

Enter Performance Max (PMax)

Google is always tweaking its ad platform, and one of the more recent changes is the introduction of Performance Max, also known as PMax. This type of campaign places your ads across various Google networks—Search, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps—using a single campaign structure. Instead of you deciding which specific network to focus on, Performance Max uses automated strategies to show your ads wherever it thinks they’ll perform best. This automation can be convenient, but there’s a risk of surrendering too much control to Google’s system.

The plus side is that you can potentially reach many different audiences with little extra work. The downside is that you often have limited visibility into where your ads appear or which placements are truly generating results. To keep your costs in check, you must ensure your conversion tracking is set up correctly, and your ad assets are compelling. If done well, Performance Max can be a solid tool in your advertising mix.

Remember that Google is not your friend. It is a multi-billion dollar organisation for a reason. You need to use the tools they provide and not let them use you. This is where an experienced Ad agency will earn its money.

How to Measure Success (ROAS vs. ROI)

Measuring the performance of your ads can be tricky if you’re not clear about the difference between certain metrics. ROAS stands for Return on Ad Spend, and it compares how much money you made from those ads to the amount you spent on them. If you spent £100 on clicks and made £500 in revenue, your ROAS is 5:1. ROI, on the other hand, stands for Return on Investment. It goes a step further by factoring in all your business costs. You might have spent £100 on ads but also spent another £50 on labour or product costs, meaning your net profit is £350. That figure then determines your ROI. While both are important, ROAS often gives a clearer snapshot of an ad campaign’s direct impact, whereas ROI paints the broader financial picture. If you only look at ROAS, you might be thrilled, but you could be missing hidden costs. If you only look at ROI, you might not pinpoint which ads work best. Balancing both helps you see the complete story.

According to Google, businesses across all industries earn an average of about £2 in revenue for every £1 they spend on Google Ads. However, you want to be aiming for much more than this!

How to Choose a Company to Manage Your Ads

Experience is the biggest factor when selecting an agency or freelancer to manage your Google Ads. Ask them about their track record with businesses similar to yours in size and sector. Check if they understand local targeting, which is essential if you rely on foot traffic or serve a specific area. A good partner will ask about your business goals before talking about budgets.

They should also be able to explain reports in simple terms without expecting you to decode endless rows of data. I’m always cautious about agencies that promise miracles within a tiny timeframe. Realistic targets, plus a focus on measuring and adjusting your campaign regularly, are more important signs of a trustworthy partner. You also need to see if they can handle updates like Performance Max and adapt as Google’s platform evolves. Look for clear communication, fair pricing, and a willingness to collaborate with you on landing pages and ad copy—these are the keys to a good relationship that pays off in results.

>>>Unhappy with the performance of your Google Ads - contact Overt Digital Media to see how we can improve your results:

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Pros and Cons of Managing a Campaign Yourself

Some business owners prefer to manage Google Ads themselves. This can be fine if you enjoy marketing and have enough time to learn the ropes. Doing it on your own can give you complete control over the ad copy, budget, and target audience. You can also experiment in real-time, which might be appealing if your product range or service offerings change quickly. However, there are downsides, including the steep learning curve and the possibility of wasted money while you test different settings. It’s easy to get lost in metrics, especially if you don’t have a clear strategy.

Many small business owners start with good intentions but get swamped by day-to-day tasks and forget to optimise their campaigns. Then, the budget gets spent, but leads don’t follow. If you’re not someone who can easily understand data and analytics, the do-it-yourself route might not be for you.

>>>Learn more about How Overt Digital Media can help you with your Ads campaigns

Conclusion

Google Ads is one of the most direct ways to capture the attention of people who are actively looking for what you sell. It offers speed, control, and a wealth of data to guide your overall marketing strategy. For many small businesses, it’s the quickest route to new enquiries or footfall in your shop. However, it’s not a set-and-forget tool. Managing Google Ads well calls for a mix of knowledge, time, and continuous testing.

Google Ads can be a money-maker when done right, yet a money pit when approached casually. Whether you manage it yourself or hire someone else, stay informed about what’s going on with your campaign. Understand the basics of Performance Max, ROAS, ROI, and any new updates. Know your figures, keep your goals realistic, and use the detailed data that Google provides to refine your approach. If you feel you lack the time or expertise, find a reliable partner. With an experienced team on your side, Google Ads can be the boost that sets your business apart from the competition and drives a steady stream of interested customers straight to your door.

Considering Running a Google Ads?

If you are considering running Google Ads for your business and want some no-nonsense advice on the pros and cons, you can speak to a PPC consultant. Just complete the form below and we will be in touch shortly

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10+ Local SEO Secrets that SEO Agencies Don't Want You to Know.

By Jon Richardson • December 7, 2025

Struggling for leads? 10 quick SEO secrets, UK agencies don't want you to know. Your competitors are getting all the leads while you're struggling to get noticed online. Sound familiar? Here's the truth most digital marketing agencies in Christchurch don't want you to discover: local SEO isn't rocket science, and you don't need a computer science degree to make it work. Most agencies overcomplicate things on purpose – it keeps you dependent on their services. But the reality is that small tweaks to how you present your business online can dramatically increase the number of local customers finding and choosing you over your competition. Let's break down the exact strategies that work, explained in plain English. Secret #1: Stop Fighting for "Plumber" – Win "Emergency Plumber Christchurch" Instead Forget trying to rank for broad terms like "plumber" or "electrician." You're competing against every business in the UK for those keywords. Instead, focus on what people actually type when they need your services urgently. Think like your customers. When someone's toilet is overflowing at 2am, they're not searching for "plumber." They're typing "emergency plumber near me" or "24 hour plumber in Christchurch, Dorset." What to do right now: Make a list of your services, then add your suburb or area to each one. Use these phrases naturally throughout your website content, especially on your main pages. Secret #2: Create Landing Pages for Each Area You Serve This is where most small businesses miss out on massive opportunities. Instead of one generic "Services" page, create separate pages for each suburb or area you work in. For example, if you're a carpet cleaner, don't just have one page about carpet cleaning. Create: "Carpet Cleaning in Highcliffe" "Carpet Cleaning in Christchurch" "Carpet Cleaning in Burton" What to do right now: Pick your top 3 service areas and create dedicated pages for each. Include local landmarks, mention the specific challenges customers in that area face, and use photos from actual jobs in those neighbourhoods. Secret #3: Your Google Business Profile is Your Secret Weapon Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first thing potential customers see. Yet most businesses treat it like an afterthought. Here's what separates the businesses getting calls from those being ignored: Post updates at least once a week Respond to every review within 24 hours Upload new photos monthly Keep your opening hours religiously up to date Use the "Products" section to showcase your key services What to do right now: Log into your Google Business Profile today. Check every detail is correct, upload 5 new photos, and write a post about a recent job or customer success story.

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AI & Small Businesses - Cutting through the hype

By Jon Richardson • November 10, 2025

AI for the Local Business Owner: What’s Worth Using and What’s Just Hype!?! AI is everywhere right now. Every week, there’s a new tool, new feature or new “game-changer” that promises to transform your business overnight. For many local business owners, it feels like déjà vu — we’ve heard all this before. And yet… this time it’s different. AI isn’t just a buzzword for big tech firms anymore. It’s filtering down into everyday tools small businesses already use — your website builder, Google Business Profile, CRM, social media scheduler and even your email inbox. The challenge now isn’t whether to use AI, but which tools are actually worth your time — and which ones are just shiny distractions that slow you down. So, let’s cut through the noise and look at where AI really earns its keep for small, local businesses. The AI Tools That Actually Save You Time AI Email and Admin Assistants If you spend half your life replying to repetitive customer emails — booking confirmations, pricing queries, FAQs — AI can handle a lot of that grunt work for you. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Microsoft Copilot can draft replies, check tone, or even integrate with Gmail or Outlook to automatically suggest responses. But the key is to train them with your own tone of voice . You don’t want robotic replies that sound like a call centre in space. Spend an hour teaching the system how you talk to customers, short, polite, straight to the point — and it’ll start saving you hours a week. If your inbox is a mess, Superhuman or Shortwave uses AI to summarise long threads and prioritise messages that actually need your attention. That’s a lifesaver when you’re on the go. AI Scheduling and Note-Taking If you use Zoom, Teams or Google Meet, you’ve probably noticed new “AI companion” features. They can record, summarise and create action lists from your meetings all automatically. Fireflies.ai and Fathom do this well and integrate with most platforms. Imagine finishing a customer call and having a neat summary of what was discussed, follow-ups and deadlines emailed to you within minutes. That’s practical AI. It doesn’t wow anyone on LinkedIn, but it gives you time back — and that’s what matters. AI Social Media Tools AI can now write your captions, crop your videos and even schedule posts at the times your audience is most active. Vista Social (which we use at OVERT DIGITAL MEDIA ) does a solid job of this, as does Later and Metricool. What’s worth using: AI tools that write drafts you can edit quickly not ones that try to take over the whole creative process. The point isn’t to hand everything over to the bot; it’s to speed up the parts you hate doing. The AI Tools That Actually Generate Leads AI isn’t just about saving time; it can actively help you win new business — if you use it the right way. Google Ads and Meta Ads Optimisation You’ve probably noticed that Google and Meta now talk about “Smart Campaigns” and “Advantage+” ads. That’s AI at work — algorithms that automatically test different ad headlines, images and targeting combinations to find what performs best. It’s far from perfect, but it’s powerful when used properly. The mistake small businesses make is letting the system run on autopilot without checking what it’s doing. AI works best when you feed it good data and clear goals. You still need to know what to target, where your audience lives, and what problem you’re solving. Let AI do the testing and optimisation — but don’t hand it the steering wheel. If you’re managing ads yourself, use AdCreative.ai to generate high-converting ad visuals and copy in minutes. It’s simple, quick and doesn’t look like it came from a robot. AI for Local SEO and Google Business Profile This is one area where AI genuinely gives small businesses a fighting chance against national brands. AI-powered tools like Local Falcon, BrightLocal and Surfer Local can scan your entire Google Maps ranking area and show exactly where you’re visible (and where you’re not). That’s data you could never get manually. You can then use AI to help write keyword-optimised posts, service descriptions, and responses to reviews. If you do it properly, you can dominate your local area because most of your competitors won’t even know these tools exist. We’ve tested this ourselves, and the difference can be night and day. Clients go from being invisible outside their postcode to ranking across an entire 10-mile radius in a matter of months. To learn more, check out our LOCAL SEO service page. AI Chat and Lead-Capture Agents Here’s a huge one. AI chat agents can now do far more than pop up on your site with “How can I help you today?”. They can qualify leads, answer FAQs, book appointments, and even follow up automatically. Tools like Tidio, Drift, or GoHighLevel AI Agents make it easy to build one that fits your tone and brand. Used properly, they can turn missed calls into booked jobs, especially for trades and service businesses where speed of response is everything. But be warned: this only works when your bot feels human. If it gives robotic, generic answers, it will kill trust instantly. Spend time training it with real questions and examples from your past conversations. You can see how we use automation like this on our AI Websites page. The Tools That Sound Exciting but Rarely Pay Off AI image generators, video avatars and content mills have their place, but most small businesses waste time chasing gimmicks that never generate a penny in return. AI Image Generators Everyone loves playing with Midjourney and DALL-E — but unless you’re in creative design or product marketing, it’s mostly just fun. They’re great for social graphics, concept visuals and mock-ups, but they take time to master. You’ll still need editing, branding and human judgment to make the results usable. Verdict: Nice to play with, not a daily essential. AI Blogging Tools You’ve probably seen the “write me 10 SEO-optimised blogs instantly” type tools. They can churn out text, sure, but it’s usually bland, repetitive and reads like it was written by a committee of robots. If your aim is to rank or build trust locally, that won’t cut it. AI is brilliant for drafting outlines and ideas (we use it for that all the time), but you still need a human to add expertise, local context and personality. Google’s algorithm is smart enough now to spot thin, generic AI content. You’ll do better with one well-written blog a month that genuinely helps people than with ten AI-generated ones that don’t say anything new. AI Video Avatars These have exploded in popularity, but most look awkward and fake when used for local service businesses. Unless you’re creating explainer videos or training content, it’s better to film yourself (or your team) for authenticity. AI avatars can’t replace genuine personality and personality is what sells local services. How to Tell if an AI Tool Is Worth It Before you sign up for yet another shiny new AI platform, ask three questions: Does it save me time every week? If it doesn’t make a recurring difference, it’s not worth keeping. Does it improve my marketing results? Does it generate more leads, improve conversions, or give insights I couldn’t get otherwise? Can I see myself actually using it? Most AI tools fail not because they’re bad, but because people forget they exist. Pick a few that fit neatly into your daily workflow. A good test is this: if you stop using it for a week and nothing gets harder, cancel it. The AI Tools We’d Recommend to a Local Business Right Now If you’re short on time and want a focused list, here’s what genuinely helps most small businesses: ChatGPT or Claude – for quick drafts, emails, ideas and posts. GoHighLevel AI Agent – for lead capture and automated follow-ups. Local Falcon – to track and improve your local visibility. Vista Social – to manage social posts and analyse engagement. Fireflies.ai – to summarise calls and meetings. AdCreative.ai – to create better-performing ad creatives quickly. Everything else? Nice to have, but not essential. The Future: AI as Your Silent Business Partner The smartest small businesses in 2025 won’t be the ones that chase every new trend. They’ll be the ones that quietly integrate AI into their day-to-day operations and never look back. AI won’t replace you (yet), but it will replace a lot of your admin, manual marketing, and repetitive customer interactions. That means you can spend more time doing what you actually enjoy, running your business, talking to customers, and delivering great work. Final Thoughts Most AI hype is built around things that look impressive. But the real gold is in the boring stuff — automation, data insights and everyday time-savers that keep your business moving faster than your competitors. Start small. Automate one thing. Measure the impact. Then add the next piece.vvWithin a few months, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. If you’d like help identifying the right AI tools for your business, or want us to integrate them into your marketing systems, BOOK A CHAT WITH THE TEAM AT OVERT DIGITAL MEDIA . We’ll show you what’s genuinely worth your investment… and what belongs firmly in the bin.