Marketing guides

Step-by-step instructions for launching and optimizing your ads. Pick a platform to get started.

Meta Ads
Launch your first campaign

This guide walks you through launching your first Meta Ads campaign from scratch. Budget: $5–$20/day is enough to start. Time to complete: ~30 minutes.

  • 1
    Create a Business Manager account
    Go to business.facebook.com → Click "Create account" → Enter your business name and email. This is your control center for all Meta advertising.
    💡 Use a business email, not personal
  • 2
    Set up your Ad Account
    In Business Manager → Settings → Ad Accounts → Add → Create new ad account. Add your payment method (credit card or PayPal). Set your currency and time zone.
  • 3
    Install the Meta Pixel on your website
    Go to Events Manager → Connect Data Sources → Web → Choose "Meta Pixel" → Copy the pixel code and paste it in the <head> of your website. This tracks conversions.
    💡 Skip if you only have a physical location
  • 4
    Create your first campaign in Ads Manager
    Go to Ads Manager → Create → Choose your objective. For most businesses starting out, choose "Traffic" or "Leads".
  • 5
    Set your audience
    In the Ad Set level → Define location (start with your city or region) → Age range → Interests related to your business. Keep the audience between 100K–1M people.
    💡 Narrow is better than broad when starting
  • 6
    Set your budget
    Choose Daily Budget → Start with $5–$10/day. Don't use lifetime budget at the start — daily gives you more control.
  • 7
    Create your ad creative
    Upload a photo or video → Write a headline (keep it under 40 characters) → Write primary text (1-2 sentences about your offer) → Add a call-to-action button like "Learn More" or "Get offer".
    💡 Video ads typically get 2x more reach than images
  • 8
    Review and publish
    Click Review → Check everything looks correct → Click Publish. Meta will review your ad (usually within 24 hours). You'll get an email when it's approved.
  • 9
    Check results after 3–5 days
    Don't change anything in the first 3 days — Meta needs time to optimize. After 5 days, check your cost per result. If it's too high, try a different audience or creative.
    💡 Report your results in your next Revvisor analysis
Google Ads
Launch your first search campaign

Google Search Ads show up when people search for your business. Great for service businesses. Budget: $10–$30/day to get meaningful data. Time to complete: ~45 minutes.

  • 1
    Create your Google Ads account
    Go to ads.google.com → Click "Start now" → Sign in with your Google account → Enter your website URL → Choose your main advertising goal.
    💡 Choose "Create a campaign without goal guidance" for more control
  • 2
    Add your billing information
    Go to Tools → Billing → Payment methods → Add credit card. Google charges after you spend a threshold (usually $50 for new accounts).
  • 3
    Create a new Search campaign
    Click + New Campaign → Choose objective (Leads or Website traffic) → Select Search as campaign type → Enter your website URL.
  • 4
    Set location and language
    Choose specific locations — enter your city, region, or a radius around your address. Set language to English (or your target language). Uncheck "People in or regularly in" to keep it tight.
    💡 Start with a 10–20 mile radius around your business
  • 5
    Set your daily budget and bidding
    Set daily budget to $10–$30. For bidding strategy, choose "Maximize clicks" when starting — it's simpler and lets Google optimize for you.
  • 6
    Create an Ad Group and choose keywords
    Name your ad group → Add 10–15 keywords related to your business. Use phrase match keywords (in quotes like "plumber near me"). Avoid broad match at the start.
    💡 Use Google Keyword Planner (free) to find keywords with high intent
  • 7
    Add negative keywords
    These prevent your ad from showing for irrelevant searches. Common negatives: "free", "DIY", "how to", "jobs", "salary". Add them in Keywords → Negative keywords.
    💡 This alone can cut wasted spend by 20–30%
  • 8
    Write your ads (Responsive Search Ads)
    Add 3–5 headlines (30 chars max each) — include your main keyword in at least one. Add 2 descriptions (90 chars max) — focus on benefits and a clear call to action.
  • 9
    Add ad extensions
    Go to Ads → Extensions → Add: Sitelink extensions (links to key pages), Call extension (your phone number), Location extension (your address). These increase click-through rate significantly.
    💡 Ads with extensions get 10–15% more clicks
  • 10
    Set up conversion tracking
    Go to Tools → Conversions → + New conversion action → Choose "Website" → Follow instructions to install the tag. Track form submissions, calls, or purchases.
    💡 Without conversion tracking, you're flying blind
  • 11
    Review, publish and wait
    Review your campaign → Click Save and continue → Publish. Google reviews ads within a few hours. Check back after 7 days to review which keywords are getting clicks and which aren't.
    💡 Report your spend and leads in your next Revvisor analysis