So, you’ve decided to jump in. You want to make an ad on Google. It’s 2025 and things have definitely changed a bit.
Making an ad on Google, it is something that feels like you need a special degree for it. All those buttons and weird terms.
But the thing is that it’s not as scary as it looks. You just have to know where to click and what to ignore.
This guide is going to walk you through it. No fancy talk, just a plain step-by-step on how you get your ad up and running.
We’re going to break down the entire process from start to finish. So you can get your business in front of people who are actually looking for you.
Getting Your Google Ads Account Ready to Go
First things first, you need an account. You can’t run ads without it. Go to the Google Ads website and sign up.
You’ll need a Google account, like a Gmail address, to get started. And you’ll need your website address handy.
Now here’s a little trick. Google will try to push you into this “Smart Mode.” It’s supposed to be easier but gives you way less control.
You want to find the small link at the bottom that says something like “Switch to Expert Mode.” Trust me, do this.
Expert Mode sounds intimidating but it’s where all the real settings are. It’s what we will be working with here.
The Big Question: What’s Your Goal Here?
Before you spend a single penny, you have to decide what you want. What’s the point of this ad, really?
Google’s computers are pretty smart now. You have to tell them what a “win” looks like for your business.
Is it someone buying a product? Is it someone filling out a contact form? Or just getting more people to see your website?
This step is really important. It sets the direction for everything else you are going to do in the campaign setup.
Common Goals for Your First Campaign
Sales: This one’s obvious. You want people to buy your stuff directly from your website. It is considered to be a very common goal.
Leads: You want potential customers to give you their contact information. Like filling out a form or calling you.
Website Traffic: Maybe you’re not selling anything directly. You just want more eyeballs on your blog or your information pages.
Why This Matters for 2025
Back in the day, you did a lot of the targeting yourself. Now, in 2025, you’re mostly giving directions to Google’s AI.
If you tell it you want sales, it will try to find people who are known for buying things online. It changes who sees your ad.
Building Your First Campaign – The Nuts and Bolts
Okay, you’re in Expert Mode. You’ve picked a goal. Now you click that big blue button that says “New Campaign.”
This part has a few steps, but we’ll take them one by one. This is where you actually build the machine that runs your ad.
Picking Your Campaign Type
Google will show you a bunch of options. It can be a little much. For a beginner, you typically want to focus on just one or two.
Search: These are the classic text ads. They show up when someone types a specific query into the Google search bar. For getting started this is probably where you want to be.
Performance Max (PMax): This is Google’s new favorite toy. You give it a bunch of info—text, images, videos—and it runs your ads everywhere. Search, YouTube, Gmail, everywhere. It’s powerful but can feel like a black box sometimes.
Display: These are the picture ads you see on other websites. Good for getting your brand name out there but maybe not for your very first ad.
Let’s stick with a Search campaign for this example. It’s the most straightforward.
Budget and Bidding – How Much to Spend?
Now the money part. You have to tell Google how much you’re willing to spend. This is normally a daily budget.
You can start small. Like $10 or $20 a day. Just pick a number you’re comfortable losing while you figure things out.
Then there’s bidding. Basically, you’re telling Google how you want to pay for clicks. Don’t overthink this at the start.
You can just choose a setting like “Maximize clicks.” This tells Google to just try and get you as many clicks as possible within your budget. Easy enough.
Keywords: The Heart of a Search Ad
The words people type into the search bar, that is what keywords are all about. You need to choose which words should trigger your ad.
Think like your customer. What would they type if they needed what you sell? If you sell “handmade dog collars,” that’s a great keyword.
You’ll make a list of these. This list goes into something called an “Ad Group.” An ad group is just a container for similar keywords and the ads that go with them.
You also want to think about negative keywords. These are the words you don’t want to show up for. If you sell premium collars, you might add “free” or “cheap” as negatives.
Actually Writing the Ad (The Fun Part?)
This is where you get to be a little creative. You’re going to write the little text ad that people will see.
Your ad has a few parts to it.
Headlines: You get to write a bunch of short headlines. Google will mix and match them to see what works best. Your headlines, they need to grab attention fast.
Descriptions: These are longer lines of text. Here you can give a bit more detail about why someone should click.
Display URL: This is the website link that shows on the ad. It can be a cleaner version of your actual URL.
As you write, Google gives you this little “Ad Strength” score. It tells you if you’re doing a good job. Try to get it to “Good” or “Excellent.”
It will usually ask you to include your keywords in the headlines and write more unique headlines. Just follow its suggestions. It’s pretty helpful.
Once you’re done with that, you’ll add your payment info and submit the campaign for review. Then you wait.
How Do I Create an Ad on Google? Your Questions Answered
How do I create an ad on Google for free?
You can’t really run an ad for free. The account setup is free, but you have to pay for the clicks or views your ad gets. Google sometimes offers promotional credits, like “spend $50, get $100,” for new accounts.
How do I create an ad on Google without a website?
It’s harder but possible. You can create campaigns that are focused on getting phone calls directly from the ad. Or, if you have a Google Business Profile, you can run ads that direct people to your physical location.
How much does it cost to create an ad on Google?
There’s no single answer. The cost depends on your industry, your keywords, and your competition. You set your own daily budget, so you control the spending. You could spend $5 a day or $5,000 a day.
How long does it take for a Google ad to be approved?
Normally, it’s pretty quick. Most ads are reviewed within one business day. Sometimes it can take a few minutes, other times it might take a little longer if it needs a more careful look.
Key Takeaways
Always switch your new account to “Expert Mode” to get all the controls. Don’t fall for the default “Smart Mode.”
Decide your main goal first. Are you after sales, leads, or just traffic? This tells Google’s AI what to do.
For your first time, a Search campaign is usually the simplest starting point. It’s direct and easy to understand.
Start with a small daily budget you are okay with. You can always increase it later once you see what’s working.
Pay attention to the “Ad Strength” meter when writing your ad. It’s Google’s way of giving you hints on what to do.
