Free takeaway: Ad budget template

Worked example to compare with: A small test for a yoga studio

• Objective: free trial sign-ups. Audience: people within 5 km interested in wellness.
• Budget: $10 a day for 14 days is $140.
• Result in the example: 14 trial sign-ups, so the cost per trial is $10.
• Follow-through: 4 of the 14 join at $60 a month, so the cost per new member is $35, which one month of the $60 membership already covers.
• Check: record cost per result, not just clicks, and scale only the ad that works.

Worked example to compare with: Testing two versions

• Version A: "Our new software is here."
• Version B: "Cut invoicing time in half with three simple steps."
• Test: same budget, same audience for one week.
• Result in the example: B has double the click rate, so keep B and write a new challenger.
• Check: change one thing at a time so you know what caused the difference.

Worked example to compare with: Judging cost per customer, not cost per lead

• Professional network: $40 per lead, 100 leads cost $4,000. 25 become customers, so $160 per customer.
• Other platform: $12 per lead, 100 leads cost $1,200. 5 become customers, so $240 per customer.
• Result: the higher cost per lead is cheaper per customer.
• Check: always follow leads through to customers before comparing platforms.

Worked example to compare with: Opening a bike repair ad

• Weak opening: a logo and "Welcome to Quick Spokes".
• Strong opening: a flat tire on a rainy commute and the line "Stuck with a flat? We fix it today."
• Rest of the ad: show the quick repair, add a customer line and give the address.
• Check: watch the first five seconds with the sound off. Do you understand the offer?

Worked example to compare with: Turning a good organic video into an ad

• Pick: the organic video with the best watch time.
• Keep: the opening, the voice and the captions.
• Add: a clear call to action in the last seconds.
• Test: run it with a small budget against a fresh variation.
• Result to look for: a similar watch time to the organic version.

Worked example to compare with: Testing two formats for one product

• Product: a ring. Format A: carousel of five angles. Format B: a 15-second Reel.
• Spend: $50 each over five days.
• Result in the example: the Reel gets more views, the carousel gets more purchases.
• Decision: use the Reel to reach new people and the carousel to retarget visitors.
• Check: compare on cost per purchase.

Worked example to compare with: Promoting a living room pin

• Keyword: small living room ideas.
• Pin: a styled living room with the text "Small space, big comfort".
• Link: the matching product collection.
• Budget: $5 a day for 10 days.
• Result to look for: clicks to the collection and saves that keep bringing traffic after the ad ends.

Worked example to compare with: Counting the cost of a call

• Budget: $50 a day. Average click cost: $2.50. Clicks: 20 a day.
• Of 20 clicks, 5 become phone calls.
• Math: $50 divided by 5 calls is $10 per call.
• If 2 of every 5 calls become a $120 job, each job costs about $25 in advertising.
• Check: track calls as conversions so you know the real cost.

Worked example to compare with: A location mistake

• Mistake: a plumber serving one city forgets to limit locations.
• Result: 30 percent of clicks come from outside the service area.
• Cost: of $1,000 spent, about $300 is wasted.
• Fix: limit to the service area and exclude other regions.
• Check: review where clicks come from after the first week.

Worked example to compare with: Choosing for a shop with a catalog

• Goal: online sales.
• Start: shopping and search, because both reach people ready to buy.
• Later: display ads to remind visitors who left without buying.
• Why: each type fits a different stage of the customer's decision.
• Check: begin with one campaign type until you can measure it well.

Worked example to compare with: Finding negative keywords

• Search terms report: people searched "free tutoring" and "tutor jobs".
• Problem: they will not pay for tutoring.
• Fix: add "free" and "jobs" as negative keywords.
• Result to look for: lower spend on clicks that never convert.
• Check: review search terms every week for the first month.

Worked example to compare with: Splitting an ad group

• Before: one ad group with "math tutor", "physics tutor" and "exam prep" sending everyone to one page.
• After: three groups, each with matching ads and its own page.
• Result to look for: higher relevance scores and lower cost per click.
• Check: change one variable at a time so you can see what helped.

Worked example to compare with: Tightening a keyword list

• Before: "flowers" on broad match brings searches such as flower names and flower photos.
• After: "wedding flowers ottawa" on phrase and exact match, plus negatives for "free" and "photos".
• Result to look for: fewer irrelevant clicks.
• Check: review the search terms report weekly and adjust.

Worked example to compare with: Picking extensions

• Business: a dentist.
• Sitelinks: Book online, Emergency care, New patients.
• Call: the front desk number.
• Callouts: "Same-week appointments" and "Family friendly".
• Result to look for: a higher click rate and more calls from the same spend.

Worked example to compare with: A small test

• Import: copy the best-performing search campaign.
• Budget: 15 percent of the main platform's budget.
• Run: four weeks.
• Compare: cost per lead and lead quality.
• Decision: keep it if cost per customer is similar or lower.

Worked example to compare with: Writing three offers

• Option A: "10 percent off your first service."
• Option B: "Free lawn plan in 24 hours."
• Option C: "Book by Friday and we bring a free soil test."
• Choose: B is clear, valuable and low-risk. Test it against A.
• Check: the ad should promise exactly what the page delivers.

Worked example to compare with: Writing five headlines

• For a laptop repair service: "Same-day laptop repair for small offices."
• "Back to work in hours, not days."
• "Free quote in 15 minutes."
• "We fix it or we refund it."
• "Repair, pick-up and delivery included."
• Test two against each other and keep the winner.

Worked example to compare with: Outlining a page for an accounting service

• Headline: "Tax filing done for you, from $199."
• Benefits: accurate returns, deadlines handled and a single fixed price.
• Proof: two client quotes.
• Form: name, email and what type of return.
• Check: remove anything that does not help the visitor make the decision.

Worked example to compare with: Writing and testing CTAs

• Options: "Get a quote", "Get my free quote", "Book a free call", "See pricing".
• Choose two based on the offer.
• Test: split visitors evenly for two weeks.
• Result in the example: "Get my free quote" earns more clicks.
• Check: let the test run long enough to see a clear difference.

Worked example to compare with: Checking a tracking setup

• Test: submit the form yourself.
• Check: the conversion appears in the ad account within a few hours.
• Cross-check: the form submission also appears in your email or CRM.
• Result to look for: matching numbers in both places.
• Reminder: follow privacy laws and show required notices.