Google Ads is arguably the most powerful growth tool ever built, but for many local businesses, the default settings maximize Google’s revenue, not yours.
Let’s look under the hood and turn a confusing problem into predictable growth.
It isn’t your fault if your ads aren’t performing. Google’s “Smart” settings are built to cast the widest net possible. For a business in a specific hub like Nanaimo, a wide net catches too many “curiosity clicks” from tourists and out-of-towners. Improving performance isn’t about spending more; it’s about refining the math so that every dollar is targeted at a local resident who is ready to book today.
Google’s default setting targets people “in or interested in” your location. For a Nanaimo business, this is a disaster—it means you’re paying for clicks from tourists in Vancouver or retirees in Florida.
It’s essential to lock your campaign down to Precision Geofencing, ensuring 100% of your budget is spent on residents who can actually walk through your door.
A “Broad Match” keyword is a blank check for Google. If you target “Physio,” Google might show your ad for “Physio jobs” or “Free physio exercises.”
Try implementing a large negative keyword list to block the junk before it costs you a cent. You pay for every click, so don’t just find what to target; learn what to exclude.
Don’t just cluster all your keywords into one Ad Group. It’s much better to have specific ad groups for specific services. For example, if you were to search for “Water Heater Repair”, would you click on an a link that just said “Nanaimo Plumbing Services”, or would your eye be drawn to “Water Heater Repair in Nanaimo”?
With specific ad groups, you can niche down on your ad content, and you can send the User right to the related page on your website. The less clicks they have to make, the more likely they are to call.
Just getting Clicks is a vanity metric. Conversions are what pay your bills.
Utilize Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics tracking to accurately capture every phone call, form submission, and booked appointment. By linking these to your ad, you can tell Google to value Users who are actively looking to Buy, not just Browse. This helps the algorithm do the heavy lifting, and also provides all sorts of information you can use to improve your ads.
It is better to have 10 clicks from people ready to buy than 1,000 clicks from people "just looking."
A great campaign is never "finished." Performance is won in the frequent tweaks of negative keywords and bid adjustments.
Unless you are doing brand awareness, kill the Display and Search Partner networks to save budget.
If the landing page doesn't convert, the best ad in the world is useless.
Google scores your ad based on it's Quality and Relevance. The higher the score, the less you have to pay.
If you are managing your own ads or want to audit your current agency, start with these five steps.
Check Your Location Settings:
Ensure you aren’t paying for “Interested In” traffic from outside Vancouver Island.
Audit Your Search Terms:
Look for “Broad Match” keywords that are triggering your ads for irrelevant phrases.
Review the Display Network:
Unless you are doing brand awareness, kill the Display and Search Partner networks to save budget.
Fix Your Conversion Tracking:
If you can’t see which keyword led to a phone call, you are flying blind.
Write Compelling Copy:
Stop being boring. Give the searcher a specific reason to click your link over the three others.
Want help finding the right keywords or fixing targeting issues?
We do basic Google Ads audits for free. We’ll show you where your biggest opportunities are.
It depends on your industry, but in Nanaimo, we recommend a starting budget that allows for at least 10–15 clicks per day to gather enough data for the “math” to start working.
This depends on the level of rebuilding done. Small edits will start improving your spend nearly immediately, while major rebuilds can trigger a “Relearning” phase with Google that temporarily pauses your ads while the algorithm readjusts.
Strategic rebuilds usually show a drop in wasted spend within 72 hours, while lead volume typically stabilizes and grows over the first 30–60 days.
You can, but Google’s “Express” or “Smart” modes are designed for ease of use, not cost efficiency. If you’re okay spending a significant amount of hours monitoring and adjusting your Ads, you can make improvements yourself.
However, professional management usually pays for itself by rapidly reducing wasted ad spend.
SEO is a long-term asset (the marathon), while Google Ads is immediate performance (the sprint). For the best results, they should work together.
Performance isn’t a mystery; it’s a process. Whether you need a full rebuild or just a second set of eyes on your current account, we’re here to help Nanaimo businesses grow with precision.
