Path: My First Ad Campaign
Seven steps to a first Google Ads campaign that can't quietly waste money — recon, break-even math, negatives, and the launch gate, in order.
Free · no signup · last reviewed August 29, 2026
Work the steps in order — each builds on the last. Your progress saves in this browser.
- The Recon Method
Our complete competitive-intelligence process, published: map the real competitive set, collect verbatim positioning, find the open lane, ground the economics, and gate the launch on proven measurement.
- Break-even CPA Calculator
The most you can pay for a lead or a click before you lose money — from your price, margin, and close rate.
- Google Ads Budget Planner
Turn a monthly budget into expected clicks, leads, and cost per lead — with cited benchmark presets and honest ranges.
- What are negative keywords and why do I need them?
Negative keywords block your ad from searches containing them — 'jobs', 'free', 'DIY' — so job hunters and freebie seekers never cost you a click. Without them, a meaningful slice of any budget quietly buys worthless traffic.
- Master Negative Keyword List
53 negative keywords that block the searches almost no local or B2B service business should pay for — annotated by category, with the plural-variant trap explained.
- UTM Link Builder
Build campaign-tagged URLs with a naming convention that stays consistent — and finally know which marketing produced which lead.
- How long before Google Ads starts working?
You'll see clicks the first day, credible cost-per-lead data in 2–4 weeks, and a trustworthy verdict on the channel in about 60–90 days. Anyone promising profitable ads in week one is describing luck.
Keep going
This is the work. Want it done?
Everything here is free to use yourself — that’s the point. If you’d rather a senior marketer just handle it, in your accounts and your name: 20-minute call, no pitch deck.