Google Ads Aren’t Dead, You’re Just Doing Them Wrong
Google Ads get a bad rap in the small biz world.
You’ve probably heard it—or said it—before:
“I tried Google Ads once and wasted $500.”
“They’re too expensive.”
“It didn’t get me any leads.”
“Isn’t everyone on social media now anyway?”
And we get it. If you’ve set up a campaign in 20 minutes, picked random keywords, and sent people to your homepage… yeah, it flopped.
But here’s the thing: Google Ads still work—really damn well—if you know how to use them.
In fact, for many service-based businesses, they outperform social media when it comes to bottom-of-funnel conversions. Why? Because people on Google aren’t just scrolling. They’re searching. They’re ready. They’re looking to throw money at someone who can help them now.
Let’s break down why your ads didn’t work—and how to do Google PPC the Ivy House way.
1. Google Users = High Intent
The biggest flex Google has over every social platform?
People go there with intent.
They’re not killing time. They’re not watching dog videos.
They’re typing in things like:
“Marketing agency near me”
“Best branding services for small business”
“Website design for law firms”
“Social media manager Lancaster PA”
That’s buying behavior. That’s "take my money" energy.
So if your ad is dialed in—and your landing page is solid—you’re showing up exactly when they’re ready to act.
2. Bad Ads Start With Bad Keywords
Here’s the biggest Google Ads mistake we see:
You’re targeting keywords that are way too broad, way too competitive, or way too irrelevant.
If your keywords look like:
“Marketing”
“Business help”
“Advertising agency”
...you’re gonna get garbage clicks and blow your budget in a day.
The fix? We go long-tail and localized:
“Social media strategy for therapists”
“Branding photographer Lancaster PA”
“Google ads help for small businesses”
“Fractional CMO for startups”
Better targeting = better leads = less wasted spend.
3. Your Homepage Is Not a Landing Page
We need to have a talk.
If you’re sending Google ad traffic to your homepage, you are 100% leaving money on the table.
Homepages are general. Unfocused. Full of distractions.
You want your ad clicks landing on a page that:
Speaks directly to the searcher’s problem
Reinforces the keywords they clicked for
Shows proof of results
Makes one clear offer or call-to-action
Loads fast, looks good, and gives zero friction
We custom-build landing pages for every client’s campaign. Because if you don’t give Google something to work with, it will happily burn through your ad budget while you sit there wondering why nobody booked a call.
4. Google Works Best With Clear Offers
You want someone to take action? Make the offer clear.
No “let’s chat sometime maybe” language.
No “learn more” dead-end buttons.
You need:
A compelling offer that matches their intent
A short, punchy form
Or a direct CTA like “Book a Discovery Call,” “Download the Free Guide,” or “Start Your Project”
Vague ads + vague CTAs = vague results.
We fix that.
5. Google Is a Machine—Feed It What It Wants
Google Ads run on data. The more optimized your campaign structure, landing pages, keyword match types, and conversion tracking… the better your results.
Most small biz owners? They:
Don’t track conversions
Don’t use negative keywords
Don’t understand match types
Don’t test headlines or copy
Don’t let the algorithm do its job
We do. Because when set up right, Google Ads can drive qualified leads, daily inquiries, and scalable results—even on a modest budget.
Still Think Google Ads Don’t Work?
We run Google Ads for:
Our own agency
Creative businesses
Lawyers
Dentists
Consultants
Coaches
Local shops
...and they all get results when the strategy is smart and the setup is tight.
If you’ve tried Google Ads and failed?
It’s not that they don’t work. It’s that you were doing too much guessing—and not enough optimizing.
Let’s Do It Right This Time
Book a discovery call with Ivy House.
We’ll audit your strategy, clean up your targeting, build killer landing pages, and finally make Google Ads work for you—not drain your bank account while giving you anxiety.
Because when done right? Google PPC is a quiet little lead-gen machine. And this year, you’re gonna want one.
