When a new client approaches us at Pinpoint Digital, they often ask, “How much should I spend on Google Ads?”
While this might seem the most important thing to know initially, it’s not the best starting point if you’re serious about getting real results.
Instead, a better, more powerful question is: “What conversion rate should we be aiming for?”
In this article, we’ll explain why focusing on your conversion rate is far more valuable than obsessing over your ad spend, how a poor landing page can ruin even the best Google Ads campaign, and why a good ad manager should help you with Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) too.
Why Ad Spend Isn’t The First Question You Should Ask
Understandably, you want to know how much you need to invest to see results.
But the truth is, any ad agency can throw a number at you. $1,000 a month? $5,000? $20,000? Without context, these numbers mean nothing.
What matters is:
- How well your ads are converting
- How efficient is your spending?
- How does your website or landing page support your ads?
You will waste even a massive budget if your conversion rate is poor, but you can achieve excellent results with even a modest budget if your conversion rate is high.
Highlights:
- A bigger budget doesn’t guarantee success.
- A better conversion rate makes all the difference.
Additional Read: Here’s how you’re burning money on Google and Facebook ads never skimp on your brand
What Is A Good Conversion Rate For Google Ads?
Conversion rates vary widely depending on your industry, target market, and offer. Across industries, the average Google Ads conversion rate tends to hover around 3% to 5%. But in some service industries, such as trades or property services (where many of our clients operate), you could aim for 10% or even higher with the proper setup.
The higher your conversion rate:
- The lower your cost per lead or sale
- The more profitable your ads become
- The more you scale your business, the more confident you will be.
Focusing on conversion rate first ensures that when you increase your ad spend, you’re scaling something already working well, not pouring more money into a leaky bucket.
Why Landing Pages Make or Break Your Campaigns
At Pinpoint Digital, businesses often blame their previous Google Ads agency for poor results. And sometimes, yes, the agency wasn’t doing a great job.
But very often, the real problem lies elsewhere:
- Poor landing pages
- Weak messaging
- No clear call to action
- Lacklustre market positioning
Even the most brilliantly targeted ads will struggle if the page they send people to is confusing, dull, or doesn’t build trust.
Here are some common landing page mistakes we see:
- Too much clutter: Visitors feel overwhelmed and leave.
- No clear offer: People don’t understand what’s in it.
- Slow load times: People lose patience and exit.
- No mobile optimisation: Huge mistake, as most traffic now comes from mobile.
- Weak headlines: Fail to grab attention immediately.
- Lack of proof: No testimonials, trust signals, or social proof.
Additional Read: The 5 Biggest Google Ad Mistakes You Need to Avoid
Fixing these issues can often double (or triple) your conversion rate, without touching your ad campaigns.
Why Good Ad Managers Should Help With CRO
Should Google Ads managers offer Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) advice and support? In our opinion, absolutely yes.
It’s not enough anymore to simply manage ad bids and keywords. A truly valuable digital marketing partner will look at the whole journey:
- Ad copy and targeting
- Landing page experience
- User flow and experience
- Messaging and positioning
- Follow-up actions
At Pinpoint Digital, we always look beyond the click.
We want to know:
- What happens after someone clicks your ad?
- Are they engaging? Are they enquiring? Are they converting?
If the answer is no, throwing more money at the ads won’t fix it. Strategic CRO work will.
That’s why we often suggest improvements to landing pages, build new pages for clients, or refine messaging — we know that better conversion rates mean better ad performance (and happier clients).
How To Start Improving Your Google Ads Results
If you’re wondering how to improve your Google Ads campaigns (without just spending more), here’s what we suggest:
Review Your Landing Pages
Ask yourself:
- Is it immediately clear what you offer?
- Is there a strong, clear call to action?
- Are there trust signals (like testimonials, case studies, reviews)?
- Is the page fast and mobile-friendly?
If the answer to any of these is no, fix this before you touch your ad spend.
Track Conversions Properly
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Set up proper tracking for calls, form fills, sales, whatever matters to your business.
At Pinpoint, we always help our clients set up detailed conversion tracking.
Test and Improve Over Time
There’s no “set and forget” with Google Ads.
- Test new landing page layouts.
- Try different messaging
- Refine your targeting
- Monitor what’s working and double down.
Minor tweaks can lead to significant improvements over time.
Let’s Turn Your Google Ads Into Real Results
At Pinpoint Digital, we don’t just drive clicks — we help you turn them into real business results.
If you’re tired of spending money on ads without getting enough back, it’s time to take a more innovative approach.
We’ll help fix the leaks, strengthen your landing pages, and boost your conversion rate so every dollar you spend works harder.
Your success is our success — we’re here to help you grow.
Book your free digital health check today and let’s pinpoint the best way forward for your business!
