Running Google Ads for your business — or paying someone else to do it — can feel like throwing money into a black hole if you’re not sure what to look for. You don’t need to be a digital marketer to understand if your ads are working. You just need to ask the right questions and check a few key numbers.
Here’s how to evaluate your Google Ads performance, even if you’re not managing the campaigns yourself.
Start With the Basics: What Are You Trying to Get?
The first question to ask is: what’s the goal of your ads?
For most local businesses, the goal is to:
- Get phone calls
- Get form submissions or bookings
- Get more traffic to a specific offer
If you’re not clear on the goal, it’s impossible to know if things are working. So make sure your campaign has a clear conversion action — and that it’s actually being tracked.
3 Metrics You Should Be Able to See (and Understand)
You don’t need to understand every graph in Google Ads, but there are three key numbers every business owner should ask for:
1. Cost Per Lead (or Per Conversion)
This tells you how much you’re paying each time someone contacts you through the ad.
- Good: “You’re paying $22 per lead and getting 4 a week”
- Bad: “You’re getting clicks, but we’re not sure if they’re turning into leads”
2. Search Terms
This shows what people are actually typing into Google before clicking your ad.
- Good: “Your ad is showing for ’emergency plumber near me’”
- Bad: “Your ad is showing for ‘DIY plumbing courses’” (wasted clicks)
You have a right to ask what keywords you’re paying for — especially if they’re irrelevant.
3. Conversions Being Tracked
You should know if phone calls, bookings, or form submissions are being tracked properly.
- Ask: “Are we tracking all of our conversions — not just clicks?”
- If they say “no” or “I’m not sure” — that’s a red flag.
Questions to Ask Your Ads Manager or Agency
You don’t have to run the ads yourself, but you do need to know how to ask good questions. Start with:
- What’s the goal of this campaign?
- What keywords are we targeting?
- What’s our cost per lead?
- What’s the conversion rate?
- What do you consider a conversion?
- What are you doing to optimize the campaign over time?
If they can’t answer clearly, you might not be getting your money’s worth.
3 Red Flags That Might Mean Your Ads Aren’t Working
- You’re getting clicks, but no leads — and they don’t know why.
- They can’t show you a conversion report or real performance data.
- You’re not sure what you’re actually paying for — or why.
You Don’t Need to Be an Expert — Just Informed
Most business owners don’t want to learn Google Ads in-depth (and they shouldn’t have to). But you do deserve clarity, transparency, and real results. Whether you’re managing it yourself or outsourcing, you can stay in control by asking the right questions.
Want Help Making Sense of Your Ads?
Download our free guide:
“How to Read Your Google Ads Reports (Even If You’re Not a Marketer)”
→ Download Here
