Google Ads
Google Ads Management for South African Businesses
Search, Performance Max, Shopping and remarketing campaigns that generate qualified leads at a cost you can afford. Transparent management fees, you own the ad account, and we report in Rand — not vanity metrics.
You own the account
Ad account created under your ownership, we're added as a manager.
No spend markup
You pay Google directly on your own card. We charge a flat management fee.
Real conversion tracking
Phone calls, form fills and CRM lead status — not just clicks.
Landing pages included
Higher Quality Score means lower CPC — we optimise where the click lands.
What our Google Ads management includes
- Account audit or fresh account setup under your ownership
- SA-specific keyword and competitor research
- Full conversion tracking (GA4, phone calls, forms, offline CRM imports)
- Search campaigns for high-intent local keywords
- Performance Max campaigns for e-commerce and lead-gen
- Remarketing to previous website visitors
- Landing page optimisation for Quality Score
- Weekly optimisation and monthly reporting in ZAR
Google Ads vs SEO — which one first?
SEO compounds but takes 3-6 months. Google Ads is instant but stops the moment you pause. Most SA SMBs benefit from running both: Ads for immediate leads while SEO builds long-term organic traffic. If you can only afford one, Ads usually wins when you need leads this month.
Our step-by-step process
- 1
Account audit
If you have an existing account we audit wasted spend, misfired keywords, weak Quality Scores and conversion tracking gaps.
- 2
Keyword & competitor research
SA-specific keyword research with real CPC data, plus a competitor teardown of who's outbidding you and why.
- 3
Conversion tracking setup
GA4, Google Ads conversions, phone-call tracking, form-fill tracking and offline conversion imports for CRMs.
- 4
Campaign build
Search, Performance Max and remarketing campaigns with proper ad group tightness, negative keyword lists and RSA copy.
- 5
Landing page alignment
We build or optimise the landing pages your ads point to — Quality Score cuts your CPC dramatically.
- 6
Weekly optimisation
Bid adjustments, negative keywords, search term reviews, ad copy tests and budget shifts every week.
- 7
Monthly reporting
Clicks, cost, conversions, CPL and ROAS — plus what we're changing next month and why.
Pricing guide (South Africa, ZAR)
Starter PPC
R3 500 / month
Single-campaign search ads for local service businesses.
- 1 Search campaign
- Conversion tracking
- Weekly optimisation
- Monthly report
Growth PPC
R6 500 / month
Multi-campaign accounts with search + Performance Max.
- Up to 4 campaigns
- Performance Max
- Remarketing
- 1 landing page / month
- Bi-weekly calls
E-commerce / Multi-location
R8 500+ / month
Shopping feed, multi-store or multi-branch accounts.
- Merchant Center + Shopping feed
- Product-level bidding
- Multi-location targeting
- Weekly strategy calls
Ad spend is separate and billed by Google directly to you — no markup. Minimum recommended ad budget R5 000/month. Ex VAT.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I spend on Google Ads in South Africa?
Most SA SMBs start at R5 000-R15 000/month in ad spend. Below R3 000/month Google's algorithm doesn't get enough data to optimise. We'll recommend a budget based on your industry CPC and lead value.
How much does Google Ads management cost?
Management fees start at R3 500/month for single-campaign accounts and scale to R8 500+/month for multi-campaign, multi-location or e-commerce accounts. Fees are separate from your ad spend.
How long until I see results?
Search campaigns for high-intent keywords can generate leads in the first week. Performance Max and display campaigns need 2-4 weeks of learning data before ROAS stabilises.
Do you do Google Shopping / Performance Max?
Yes — for SA e-commerce stores on Shopify and WooCommerce. We handle feed setup via Merchant Center, product-level bidding and shopping ad creative.
What's a realistic cost-per-lead for a SA service business?
R80-R400 per qualified lead in most SA service niches, depending on competition. Solar, legal and finance are higher (R500+); local services like cleaning or tutoring are lower (R50-R150).
Do you also run Meta / Facebook / Instagram ads?
Yes, and TikTok and LinkedIn Ads. Multi-platform is usually included in our Digital Marketing retainer.