Google and social ads for local businesses in Hampshire & Berkshire
Ads that bring in enquiries, not just clicks.
A lot of local businesses are spending money on ads and can't say what it's bringing in: boosted posts, a Google Ads account someone set up years ago, clicks that never turn into calls.
I've spent 15+ years inside big agencies and the ad tech companies behind online advertising, so I know where ad budgets really go, and how to stop yours leaking. I set up and run Google and Meta ads for businesses across Hampshire and Berkshire, judged on one thing: the enquiries they bring in.
Start with a free digital audit and I'll show you exactly where your ad budget is working, and where it isn't.
The ads I run, and when they make sense
Google Search ads
Your ad appears when someone searches for what you do, in the area you cover, and you only pay when they click. Best for: catching people who need you right now.
Facebook & Instagram ads
Ads in people's feeds across your area, before they're searching. These days the creative does the targeting: the right message finds the right people. Best for: reaching people who'll need you soon, and making your name familiar locally.
Retargeting
Ads that follow up with people who've visited your website but haven't got in touch yet. Best for: turning interest into enquiries, cheaply
YouTube & video ads
Short video ads on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Best for: getting known and remembered in your area.
Shopping ads
Your products, with photos and prices, right in Google's results. Best for: online shops. See the dedicated E-Commerce Advertising page if you're running an online store.
Display & programmatic
Banner and video ads across websites and apps, bought automatically. Best for: businesses with bigger budgets who want wide reach. See the dedicated Programmatic Advertising page.
Most local businesses don't need all of these. I'll tell you which ones are worth your money, and which aren't. LinkedIn, TikTok and Microsoft Ads are options too, but on a local budget they rarely earn their place.
Why ads work for local businesses
Done properly, paid ads let a local business:
Show up today, rather than waiting months for search rankings to build.
Stay within your area, paying only to reach people you can actually serve.
Control your spend, starting with a budget you're comfortable with, then putting more behind what's working.
Track the enquiries that matter, such as calls, forms and bookings, measured as accurately as today's privacy rules allow.
Not sure if your ads are working?
Get a free digital audit and I'll show you exactly where your budget is going.
How ads help the rest of your marketing
Good ads don't just bring in this month's enquiries. They make everything else you do work harder.
A fast testing ground. Try different messages and offers for a few weeks and see which ones actually bring in enquiries, before you put them on your website or in print.
Enquiries sooner. SEO builds over months, while ads can start bringing in enquiries much sooner, so the two work well side by side.
Insight for every channel. The searches people use and the ads they respond to sharpen your website, your SEO and your social content.
Known, not just found. Ads that reach local people before they need you mean your name is already familiar when they do, so they're more likely to pick you when they search.
Who it's for
Want to show up the moment someone nearby searches for what you do? That's what ads do best.
It also suits businesses paying for boosted posts or an old Google Ads account with little to show for it, and those who've relied on word-of-mouth and want a steadier flow of new enquiries.
Whether you're advertising for the first time or trying to get more from an existing budget, I build the plan around where you are today.
What to expect, and when
Every business and area is different, but here's what typically happens:
First fortnight: I set up tracking properly, build your campaigns and get them live.
First month: Your ads start bringing in clicks and early enquiries while the platforms learn who responds. Results can wobble at this stage, and that's normal.
Months 2–3: With real data coming in, I cut what isn't working and put more behind what is, so your cost per enquiry should start coming down.
Ongoing: Regular, plain-English updates on what you've spent and what it's brought in, plus a clear plan for what's next.
And I judge your ads on enquiries and customers, not clicks and impressions.
1. Your free audit
I review any ads you're already running, your website, your competitors and your goals, then show you where paid ads fit, and where they don't.
2. Your plan
We agree the channels, the budget and what success looks like, before a penny is spent.
3. Launch
I set up tracking first, then build your campaigns and ads, so results can be measured from day one.
4. Report and grow
I continuously test and adjust targeting, spend, and creative toward what's converting.
How I work
I run every campaign personally, start to finish, so there's no gap between the person setting the strategy and the person watching the numbers.
Want to go deeper? Read Somebody's Getting Rich Off Your Google Ads Budget - And It's Not You and Meta Has Taken Your Placement Controls. Don't Hand It Your Wallet Too
Frequently Asked Questions
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It puts your business in front of people searching for what you do, or likely to need it soon, within the area you serve. Done properly, it brings in enquiries faster than SEO alone, and works best alongside it.
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Yes. On Google, you only compete for searches in your own area, where national brands often aren't focused. On Facebook and Instagram, a genuine, local message often beats a polished national ad. You don't need their budget to win the customers on your doorstep.
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Faster than most marketing. Ads can start bringing in clicks within days of going live, but expect the first month to be a learning period while the platforms work out who responds. Most businesses have a much clearer picture after two to three months.
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I track what matters: calls, form enquiries and bookings. Tracking isn't perfect any more, because privacy rules hide some activity, so I also ask how new customers found you and look at your overall enquiries, not just what the ad platforms claim.
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Yes. Ads bring in enquiries while your SEO builds, show you which messages work, and make your name familiar locally, which helps people choose you when they search.
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It depends on your area and what a new customer is worth to you. Many local businesses start with a modest daily budget and grow it once the results are clear. I'll recommend a starting budget in your free audit. Your ad spend goes straight to Google or Meta, separately from my fee.
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Usually not on their own. Boosting is the simplest way to spend money on Facebook and Instagram, but it gives you far less control than a properly set-up campaign. For most local businesses, the same money works harder in Meta's Ads Manager.
Let's see where your ad budget is going
Your free digital audit shows what your ads are really bringing in, where money is leaking and the three things to fix first. No pressure, no lock-in.
