You log into Google Ads and see rows of numbers, colored tabs and charts. Most of it is not for you. A local business owner does not need to read every column. A few numbers tell most of the story, and a few reports show where money is being wasted.
This guide shows how to read a Google Ads report for a local business. You will learn what each key number means, where to look first, how to run a 15-minute weekly check and a monthly review, and what to ignore. It is part of our complete guide to PPC for local businesses.
Before you read any report: know what you want
Numbers only mean something next to a goal. Before you look, write down:
- Your target cost per lead, from your own math. If you have not done that yet, use the free Google Ads Budget Calculator.
- Your monthly ad budget.
- What counts as a lead for you: a call over a minimum length, a form, or both.
Now every number can be judged against something. “Forty clicks” means nothing. “Forty clicks at the cost I planned and three real leads” means something.
Where to look in your account
Google Ads changes its layout from time to time. The ideas stay the same. These are the reports a small local account needs.
| Report | What it shows | When to check |
|---|---|---|
| Campaigns | Spend, clicks and conversions by campaign | Weekly |
| Ad groups | The same, by group of keywords | Weekly |
| Keywords | How each keyword performs | Weekly or monthly |
| Search terms | The real words people typed | Weekly, at least at first |
| Ads and assets | How each ad and asset performs | Monthly |
| Locations | Where clicks and leads came from | Monthly |
| Devices | Phone, computer or tablet | Monthly |
| Time of day and day of week | When leads arrive | Monthly |
The numbers that matter
Impressions
How many times your ad was shown. It tells you about reach. A very low number can mean your budget is too low, your keywords are too narrow or your ads are not approved.
Clicks and click-through rate
Clicks are visits. Click-through rate, or CTR, is clicks divided by impressions. It is a sign of how well your ad fits the search. A low CTR often means the ad does not match what people typed, or you are showing for the wrong searches. Do not compare your CTR with a number from the internet. Compare it with your own past results.
Average cost per click
What you pay, on average, for each click. It rises with competition and falls when your ads and pages fit well. By itself it does not say whether things are good. A high cost per click is fine if the clicks turn into customers.
Conversions
The calls, forms or other actions you told Google to count. Check that this number matches your real records. If Google shows ten conversions and you only got four real leads, your tracking counts the wrong things. See what to track in Google Ads.
Cost per conversion
Spend divided by conversions. This is your cost per lead. Compare it to your target. If it is too high, ask whether the cause is the clicks, the page, the tracking or the budget.
Conversion rate
Conversions divided by clicks. It tells you how well your page turns visitors into leads. If you get clicks but few conversions, look at the page and the search terms.
Impression share
The share of possible impressions you actually got. Google also shows how much you lost because of budget and how much because of rank. If you lose a lot to budget on your best campaign, more money there may help. If you lose to rank, the issue may be ad quality or bids.
The search terms report: your best free research
The search terms report lists the real searches that triggered your ads. It is the most useful report for a small account. Use it to:
- Find words to block. If you see “jobs,” “diy,” a service you do not offer or a town you do not serve, add it as a negative keyword. See negative keywords in Google Ads, explained.
- Find words to add. If a search brought calls, consider adding it as a keyword.
- Spot match type problems. If your tight keywords bring wide searches, tighten the match type.
- Learn the customer’s language. Use their words in your ads and pages.
Check it often in the first weeks, then weekly.
A 15-minute weekly check
Pick the same day and time each week.
- Look at spend against budget. Are you on track?
- Look at conversions. Do they match your phone log and form inbox?
- Open the search terms report. Add negatives for junk. Note good terms.
- Scan the status column. Any ad disapproved, campaign limited or payment problem?
- Check for big changes. A sharp drop or jump in clicks or cost needs a reason.
- Write one note. What did you see? What will you change? Date it.
Do not make big changes after one bad day. Small samples bounce around.
A monthly review
Once a month, go deeper.
- Match leads to jobs. For each lead source, how many became paid work?
- Work out cost per customer. Spend divided by jobs won.
- Compare campaigns and ad groups. Which service earns? Which only brings clicks?
- Read the locations report. Do some towns send more leads? Do some send none?
- Read the time and device reports. Are there hours with clicks and no calls?
- Check the ads. Pause the weakest in each group and write a new test.
- Plan next month. Pick one or two changes, not ten.
Save a screenshot or note of each month so you can see change over time.
A worked example of reading a week
This is a made-up week for a hypothetical roofing company, with round numbers, to show the thinking. It is not a result or a benchmark.
- The campaign spent what you planned.
- It got 100 clicks and your tracking shows 5 conversions.
- Your phone log shows 3 real leads and 2 calls from a supplier selling shingles.
First, the 5 is really 3. Your tracking counts supplier calls, so fix the minimum call length or the call settings. Second, you open the search terms report and find several searches about roofing jobs and one about shingle prices. Add “jobs,” “hiring” and “wholesale” as negatives. Third, you see that two of the three real leads came from searches that include a town name. Consider adding more town-based keywords. Fourth, you write one note: “Fixed call length, added three negatives, will watch town searches next week.”
Nothing dramatic happened. You found three small fixes in fifteen minutes. That is how good accounts are built: small, steady, written down.
What is noise and what is a signal
New owners often react to numbers that mean little. Here is how to tell.
| Looks alarming | Often just noise | When it is a signal |
|---|---|---|
| One day with no leads | Small samples swing | Several days of no leads when you normally get some |
| A keyword with a few clicks and no calls | Not enough data | A keyword with many clicks and no conversions |
| A sudden jump in cost per click | Competitor activity | It stays high and conversions fall |
| Impressions fall | Seasonality, holidays | A drop with no seasonal reason |
| One bad ad | Early testing | An ad that stays far below the others after fair exposure |
If you are unsure, wait for more data and set a date to look again.
Red flags that need action now
- Conversions that you cannot match to real calls or forms.
- A spike in clicks with no leads.
- Search terms that have nothing to do with your business.
- A campaign limited by budget on your best service while another wastes money.
- Ads showing in towns you do not serve.
- Many missed calls on the days your ads run.
Each of these has a fix. The guide to why your Google Ads are not converting walks through them in order.
Reports your agency or freelancer should send
If someone else runs your ads, you should get a report that covers more than clicks. Ask for:
- Spend, clicks and conversions by campaign.
- Cost per lead and, over time, cost per customer.
- A list of search terms added as negatives.
- Notes on what changed and why.
- What they plan to test next.
- Access to your account so you can look yourself.
A report with only impressions and clicks hides the part you care about. You are paying for outcomes, so you should see them.
Common mistakes when reading reports
- Judging by clicks. Clicks are not leads.
- Trusting conversions without checking them. Count real leads.
- Reading only the account total. Totals hide good and bad campaigns.
- Making big changes after a few days. Wait for patterns.
- Skipping the search terms report. It is where waste hides.
- Not writing notes. You will forget why you changed things.
- Comparing yourself to a random benchmark. Compare with your own history and your own target.
Common questions
How often should I check my account?
A short weekly check is enough for most small accounts. Check more often in the first two weeks of a new campaign, and daily for payment or approval problems.
What is a good conversion rate?
It depends on your trade, page and traffic. A single number from the internet can mislead you. Track your own rate over time and work to improve it.
Why does Google show more conversions than I got?
It may count the wrong actions, count some actions twice or count calls that were not leads. Review your conversion settings.
What if my report shows no data?
Check that the campaign is enabled, the budget has room, the ads are approved and the payment method works. Wait for the normal delay in reporting.
We include clear, plain reporting in our pay-per-click advertising service. If you would like help reading what you have, book a call below.
Book your strategy call
Want a plan built around your services and your area? Book your strategy call and we will go through your ads, your tracking and your landing page with you.
Keep reading
- PPC for Local Businesses: The Complete Guide
- What to Track in Google Ads: Calls, Forms and Real Jobs
- Negative Keywords in Google Ads, Explained
- Why Your Google Ads Are Not Converting: 9 Causes and Fixes
See how we run pay-per-click advertising for local businesses in Carlisle and Central PA.
Run your own numbers: the Google Ads Budget Calculator shows your cost per booked job, monthly spend and break-even click price from your job value, close rate and conversion rate.
