“How much does Google Ads cost?” is the question I get most often. The short answer: you decide, because you only pay when someone clicks your ad. The longer answer comes down to three costs: the price per click, your ad budget and whoever manages the account.
1. What does a click cost?
The cost per click (CPC) is set in an auction every time someone searches. It depends on how many advertisers compete for the same keyword and on your Quality Score – how relevant Google thinks your ad and landing page are. In Sweden many keywords cost between a few kronor and SEK 30–50 per click, while competitive industries such as legal, insurance and trades often cost more.
A high Quality Score lowers your click price. That is why clear ads and a landing page that answers exactly what the customer searched for pay off.
2. How big an ad budget do you need?
Work backwards from your goal. If a click costs SEK 15 and one in twenty visitors sends an enquiry, each enquiry costs about SEK 300. If you want 20 enquiries a month, the budget is around SEK 6,000. Many local businesses start at SEK 5,000–15,000 per month and adjust once they see what pays off.
Tip: use my free ROAS calculator and POAS calculator to see what each krona spent on ads has to bring back to be profitable.
3. What does a Google Ads consultant cost?
Agencies and consultants usually charge a fixed monthly fee, a percentage of ad spend or a mix of both. With me, management costs 20% of your monthly ad spend, with a minimum fee of SEK 6,000 per month – so up to SEK 30,000 in ad spend you pay SEK 6,000, and above that the fee grows with your budget. You pay the ad budget directly to Google with no mark-up, and you always own your account. Calculate your fee here.
What should you get for the money?
- Correct conversion tracking – otherwise you cannot tell what the ads deliver.
- Keywords and negative keywords that stop wasted clicks.
- Ads and landing pages that are tested continuously.
- A report that shows revenue and cost per customer – not just clicks.
Summary
Google Ads costs what you choose to spend, but what matters is what every krona brings back. Start with a budget you can run for at least two months, measure the right things and scale what works.
Want to know what Google Ads would cost for your business? Request a free review.