Google ads, for people already looking for you.
Google Search reaches people after they type a need into a search box. The job is to match their wording, location and next step with a relevant ad and landing page.
FromR599per month · priced in Rands · month-to-month
What this channel is good at.
Search campaigns respond to demand that already exists. Someone searching for an emergency plumber in Durban needs a useful answer, not an introduction to plumbing. The search terms, service area and route to call or book all matter.
Search
Text ads that can appear with search results. Useful when customers already know the service or product they need.
Display
Image ads across websites and apps in Google's network. They can support awareness or reconnect with people who previously visited your site.
YouTube
Video ads before and during other videos. Google owns YouTube, so it is bought and measured from the same place.
Maps and local
Local campaign features can help nearby searchers move towards directions, a call or a booking when the setup supports them.
And why it is harder than it looks.
You are bidding, not buying
Every search runs an auction. Your position depends on what you bid and on how relevant Google judges your ad and your page to be, which is not obvious from the outside.
Keywords go wrong quietly
Broad matching can include searches you did not expect. Search terms need review so irrelevant clicks do not keep using budget.
The landing page is part of the ad
Google considers the page behind the ad, and customers do too. A slow or vague page makes it harder for a click to become an enquiry or booking.
Reporting is not the same as understanding
Clicks and ad views show activity. Customer records in the CRM and follow-up stages in the sales pipeline show what happens after each enquiry.
Fit
Who this usually suits.
- Trades and emergency services people search for by service and location
- Professional services with a clear, searchable offer
- Businesses competing against bigger names in the same town
- Anyone whose customers already know exactly what they need
In the platform
How AI Ad Engine handles it.
Build with guidance
Start with your offer and customer, then use AI assistance to shape the campaign and copy.
Manage from one place
Keep this channel alongside your other advertising instead of opening another disconnected dashboard.
Track every enquiry
New leads enter the CRM, where conversations and next steps stay organised.
Follow performance through
See spend, enquiries and each lead’s progress towards a sale together.
Plans
Two ways to run it.
Scale
R599
Self-service · per month
For hands-on business owners who want to create, manage and track their own advertising from one place.
Dominate
R1,599
Done-with-you · per month
For businesses that want the full platform plus hands-on help to plan, build and launch their campaigns.
Advertising spend is separate. Your AI Ad Engine subscription does not include the actual advertising budget paid to Meta, Google or TikTok.
How is Google advertising different from Facebook advertising?
Google Search can reach people while they look for what you sell. Facebook and Instagram can introduce an offer while people scroll. The right mix depends on your customer and campaign goal.
Do I need a website to run Google ads?
You need somewhere for the click to land. A website is the usual answer, and Google also takes into account how relevant and usable that page is.
Is my Google ad budget included in the subscription?
No. Your AI Ad Engine subscription and your advertising spend are separate. The money for the ads themselves is billed to you by Google.
Can I advertise in one city only?
Google campaigns can be limited by location. A business serving one metro can focus spend on people in that area, with location settings reviewed carefully.
Do I need to understand keywords to get started?
No. AI assistance helps shape the campaign and copy. On the Dominate plan, our team also helps build and launch the campaign with you.
The other channels.
Facebook & Instagram ads
Facebook and Instagram use Meta’s advertising system. Run one campaign across both, with control over who sees your ads and where they appear.
TikTok ads
TikTok places short vertical video in the feed people already watch. For a South African business, the question is whether the offer can be shown clearly in a format that feels at home there.
Versus a marketing agency
What you give up and what you get back when the retainer goes away.
Individual results vary. Past performance and customer case studies do not guarantee future results.