Waled OweidaSocial ads reach people while they scroll. On Google, the customer is searching for you. Someone who types "web design in Riyadh" or "dentist near me" needs that service right now. Done properly, Google Ads brings in customers who are ready to act. Here's how we run professional Google Ads campaigns, step by step.
1. Why Google is different: the moment of intent
A Google ad appears the moment a customer says, in their own words, that they need something. You're not convincing them; you're saying "I'm here." The job is to show up for the right search, with the right message, and send them to a page that finishes the journey.
2. Campaign types and when each one fits
- Search: the text ads above Google's results. The foundation for any service business, and where I usually start.
- Performance Max: one campaign that runs across Search, YouTube, Maps, Gmail and partner sites. Powerful, but it needs solid conversion tracking and good assets, or it spends where it doesn't help.
- Display: banners on websites and apps. Better for awareness and remarketing than direct leads.
- YouTube video: great if you have a video that explains your service or builds trust, especially in the Gulf.
- Demand Gen: visual ads on YouTube, Discover and Gmail that spark interest before people start searching.
- Call and local ads: for clinics, workshops or restaurants that live on calls and visits, a call button and your Maps location shorten the path.
Tip: On a limited budget, start with one focused Search campaign for your most important service. Expand once you're sure it's delivering.
3. Keyword research and match types
Keywords are the heart of the campaign. What does the customer actually type? Colloquial Arabic, formal Arabic, or English. I focus on keywords that signal buying intent, such as "price", "best", "near me" and city names.
Then I choose the match type:
- Broad match: Google shows your ad for searches related in meaning. Wider reach, but unmonitored it pays for irrelevant searches.
- Phrase match: your ad shows when the search includes the meaning of your phrase. A good balance.
- Exact match: your ad shows for that exact search or close variants with the same meaning. More control, less reach.
4. Negative keywords: the money you save
Negative keywords tell Google "don't show my ad here." If you sell web design, you don't want to pay for people searching "free website design", "web design course" or "web designer jobs". I set these before launch and add more weekly.
5. Writing responsive search ads
A responsive search ad takes up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions, and Google tests the combinations. To get the most from it:
- Put the keyword in several headlines so the searcher feels the ad answers exactly what they typed.
- Vary the headlines: a benefit, an offer, a reason to trust you and a clear call to action.
- Write descriptions that answer hesitation: turnaround time, the real commitments you can make, and how to get in touch.
Then the assets, which make the ad bigger and more clickable:
- Sitelinks: links to pages like services, pricing and portfolio.
- Callouts: short phrases such as "Free consultation" or "Support after launch".
- Call asset: a direct call button, essential on mobile.
- Location asset: connects the ad to your Google Business Profile on Maps.
6. Landing page relevance and Quality Score
A big mistake is sending every ad to the home page. Someone searching "online store design" should land on a page about online stores, not hunt around a general page. Google measures this as Quality Score: ad relevance, expected click-through rate and landing page experience. Higher quality usually means paying less for a better position. So I make sure the page is fast, clear on mobile, and has a WhatsApp or call button right in view.
7. Conversion tracking: never run blind
Without tracking, you can't tell which keyword brought a customer and which wasted money. Before spending a single pound or riyal, I set up:
- Google Tag and GA4 on the site, linked to the Ads account.
- Calls: from the ad itself and from taps on the phone number on the site.
- WhatsApp button clicks: because many people in Egypt and the Gulf prefer to message on WhatsApp.
- Form submissions: a thank-you page or an event fired when a request comes in.
Tip: Tracking isn't a luxury. A campaign without it is a shop without a till: money moves and nobody knows where.
8. Bidding strategies and budget
The strategy changes as the account matures:
- At the start: Manual CPC or capped clicks, to gather data and keep costs under control.
- Once conversions start recording: Maximize Conversions, so Google learns who is most likely to get in touch.
- When there's enough data: Target CPA for service businesses, or Target ROAS for online stores.
The budget must also be realistic for your industry's cost per click; a tiny budget spread over many keywords never produces enough data.
9. Targeting: location, language and schedule
- Location: target the cities or areas you actually serve, and choose "people in this location" rather than "people interested in it" if your service is local.
- Language: in the Gulf, many people use Google in English even when they search in Arabic, so I target both languages and build separate Arabic and English ad groups.
- Schedule: if you answer calls from 9 am to 10 pm, don't run call ads at 3 am. And keep in mind that weekends differ between countries.
10. Reading the search terms report every week
The search terms report shows what people actually typed before seeing your ad, and it's the most important report in the account. Every week I pull out new negative keywords, good terms to add as phrase or exact match, and ideas for new ads and pages.
11. Remarketing
Not every visitor gets in touch the first time. Remarketing reaches them again on YouTube and Display, or adjusts Search bids for them, with a reminder or an offer to take the next step.
Mistakes I see all the time
- Broad keywords with no negatives: money spent on searches that have nothing to do with your business.
- Every ad pointing to the home page: customers get lost and ad quality drops.
- No conversion tracking: decisions based on gut feeling instead of numbers.
- Judging a campaign after two days: campaigns need time to learn, and random daily changes reset them.
The bottom line
Google Ads isn't a button you press and wait. It's a system: the right keywords, ads that answer the search, a page that finishes the job, tracking that tells you the truth, and weekly reviews that improve everything. If you want a Google Ads campaign for your business in Egypt, Libya or the Gulf, message me on WhatsApp with what you offer and where, and I'll tell you where to start.