Google Ads tutorial for beginners in 2026, walking through how to set up your first search campaign from scratch. You will see the full process inside a real account, starting with conversion tracking instead of keywords, then building a search campaign for a local pest control company in Myrtle Beach. Covers connecting your Google Business Profile in Data Manager, tracking phone calls and lead forms with Google Tag Manager, choosing your bidding strategy, setting location targeting, and writing exact match keywords with commercial intent.
Most beginners start with keywords. That is backwards. When you set up conversion tracking first, you give Google the data it needs to find the right people, and everything you build after that works better.
From there you will connect your Google Business Profile, Search Console, and your CRM inside Data Manager, build retargeting data segments off Google Analytics 4, and set up four conversion actions: calls from ads, call forwarding, mobile clicks to call, and lead form submissions.
Then the campaign itself. Starting at a $20 maximum CPC with manual bidding while you gather data, targeting a 15 mile radius with presence targeting instead of presence or interest, adding audience segments for observation, and building exact match keywords with commercial intent so you are not paying for people searching for jobs.
If you want help setting up conversion tracking and building Google Ads campaigns that convert, reach out to Surfside PPC.
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WORK WITH SURFSIDE PPC
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Want your first campaign built on real conversion data instead of guesswork? We help local businesses with Google Ads, conversion tracking, and SEO →
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WHAT WE GO OVER IN THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL:
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- Why conversion tracking comes before keywords in a new account
- Connecting Google Business Profile, Search Console, and your CRM
- Building retargeting data segments and uploading a customer list
- Deciding what to track on a lead generation website
- Setting up calls from ads, call forwarding, and mobile clicks to call
- Tracking lead form submissions and chat completions
- Choosing your campaign type and conversion goals
- Starting with a $20 maximum CPC and manual bidding
- Setting a service area radius and presence targeting
- Adding audience segments for observation
- Why to skip AI Max on a brand new account
- Writing exact match keywords with commercial intent
- Using dynamic keyword insertion and location insertion
- Adding a call asset so 60 second phone calls track as conversions
- When to move from clicks to conversion based bidding
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RELEVANT URLS
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TIMESTAMPS
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0:00 Google Ads Tutorial For Beginners
0:32 Why You Start With Conversion Tracking
1:32 The Example Account: A Local Pest Control Company
2:42 Connecting Google Business Profile and Search Console
4:24 Retargeting Data Segments and Customer Lists
5:50 What To Track On A Lead Generation Website
9:05 Creating Conversion Actions in Google Ads
9:44 Calls From Ads vs Calls From Website Visits
11:11 Tracking Lead Form Submissions
13:07 Building Your First Search Campaign
15:02 Maximize Clicks vs Manual CPC Bidding
16:21 Location Targeting and Presence vs Interest
17:26 Audience Segments For Observation
18:56 Why To Skip AI Max On A New Account
20:29 Exact Match Keywords With Commercial Intent
22:31 Headlines and Dynamic Keyword Insertion
23:54 Descriptions, Images, Sitelinks, and Call Assets
26:12 Setting Your Daily Budget and Publishing
28:11 When To Switch To Conversion Based Bidding
If you have any questions about setting up your first campaign, leave them in the comments. Make sure you subscribe to the Surfside PPC YouTube channel.