Paid search, explained plainly
Paid search is the set of text ads above and below the regular listings on Google and Bing. You pay when someone clicks. Looking after it means keeping several parts in order:
- Keywords and match types, which decide the searches you can appear for.
- Negative keywords, which keep you out of searches that do not fit.
- Ads and assets: the headlines, descriptions, sitelinks and callouts people see.
- Bidding and budgets, which govern what you spend and how the platform bids.
- Conversion actions, the form fills or other events you count as a lead.
The auction belongs to Google or Microsoft. These settings shape what you enter it with and how you count what comes back.
Keyword and match-type planning
Keyword planning starts with how your buyers describe the service, not how your company describes it internally. A provider will usually pull ideas from Keyword Planner, your existing search terms if the account has history, your sales notes and competitor ads.
Match type then sets how loosely Google can interpret each keyword:
- Exact match covers the same meaning and close variants. The tightest control over what you show for.
- Phrase match allows extra words around the meaning of your phrase.
- Broad match lets Google match related searches, and it leans heavily on your conversion tracking to decide what is related.
Small budgets usually start with phrase and exact. Broad match gets tested once conversion tracking is reliable and negative lists are in place.
Questions to put to a search ads provider
These questions tell you a lot about how an engagement will run:
- Will the Google Ads account be in my name, billed to my card, with me as an admin?
- What access do you need, and what happens to it if we stop working together?
- Which conversion actions will you set up, and how will you test them?
- How often will you read the search terms report and add negatives?
- Which bid strategy do you plan to start with, and what would make you change it?
- Do you accept Google's automatic recommendations, or apply them by hand?
- What goes in the regular summary, and can I see the change history?
- How is the fee worked out, and is setup billed separately?
Questions about search ads management
Do I need both Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising?
No. Most accounts start with Google Ads because it carries most US search volume. Microsoft Advertising can be added later, often by importing the Google campaigns and then adjusting settings. Whether it is worth the extra upkeep depends on your buyers and budget, which the service partner can talk through with you.
Who owns the ad account?
You should. The account should be created under your business email and billed to your payment method, with you holding admin access. The provider works through a manager account link or a user invite that you can remove. That way the keyword history and conversion data stay with you if the arrangement ends.
Who decides the ad budget?
You do. A provider can explain how daily campaign budgets work, how search volume and click prices affect spend, and how to split money between services. Ad spend is billed by Google or Microsoft to you, and you can lower or pause it in the account.
Not sure where to start? Describe your offer and current tools, and a service partner will ask the right questions.
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