Guide to Creating an Ad in Google Ads (Search Campaign)
Learn how to set up your first ad on the Google Search Network, choose the right keywords, and attract ready-to-buy customers to your site.
Advertisements Google Ads (Search) It is one of the most powerful tools in digital marketing. Unlike social media, where you interrupt the user, on Google you appear at the very moment the customer is looking for what you're selling. In this guide, we'll walk you through how to create a basic search campaign, step by step.
Launching a New Campaign & Selecting a Goal
Log in to your account at Google Ads. In the main menu, click the large blue button with the symbol «+» (Create) and select Campaign.
- Select Objective: For an online store, select Sales, while for a service business, select Leads (Prospective Customers).
- Campaign Type: Select Search. This ensures that your ads will appear as text ads in Google search results.
[ Screenshot: The campaign goal selection screen in the Google Ads interface ]
Budget, Bids & Location (Bidding & Target)
Next, you need to define the financial and geographic parameters of your ad:
- Bidding: To start, choose to focus on the Clicks. You can set a maximum bid per click (Maximum CPC) to avoid being overcharged.
- Budget: Set the average amount you want to spend per day (e.g., 10€ per day).
- Locations: Select where your audience is located. You can select the entire Greece, a specific City (e.g., Athens) or even within a radius of a few kilometers around your physical store.
In the campaign settings, Google has the checkboxes selected by default “Include Google search partners” and “Include the Google Display Network”. Check both of them! If you leave them active, your budget will be spent on irrelevant banners on third-party websites instead of on organic Google searches.
Selecting Keywords
Keywords are the phrases that, when typed by a user, will trigger your ad to appear. Use the right match types to control your spending:
"women's shoes". The ad will appear only if the search contains this exact phrase (e.g.,. shop for women's black shoes).[accountant in Athens]. The ad will appear only if someone types exactly that phrase, with no other words before or after it.[ Screenshot: The "Keywords" input field with examples of match types ]
Writing the Ad (Responsive Search Ad)
Now it's time to create the text that users will see. Google uses responsive ads, where you provide multiple options and artificial intelligence dynamically combines them.
- Final URL: The specific page on your site where the user will land when they click (e.g., the service page or product category page—not the homepage!).
- Headlines: You must write 5 to 15 titles (up to 30 characters each). Be sure to include your keywords and a call to action (e.g.,. Free Shipping on Orders Over 50€).
- Descriptions: Write 2 to 4 longer paragraphs (up to 90 characters) that highlight the advantages of your business.
If you're selling “leather shoes”, you must be sure to add the following words as negative keywords: “free”, “used” ή “How do I make it?”. So, if someone searches for “free leather shoes,” your ad won’t appear, saving you from unnecessary clicks and wasted money.
[ Screenshot: The ad creation form with the Headlines and Descriptions fields and the Ad Strength score ]
Do you want to get the most out of your money without taking any risks?;
The Google Ads platform is easy to set up, but extremely complex to optimize properly. One wrong setting can cost hundreds of euros in wasted clicks. At Skynetix, as certified Google Ads Experts, we handle the strategy, setup, conversion tracking, and daily optimization of your campaigns to maximize your ROI (Return on Investment).
