Google Ads for Beginners in Pakistan and India: Your First Search Campaign on a Small Budget

Google Ads can feel like a cockpit the first time you open it. There are campaign types, goals, bidding options, networks, assets and a dozen recommendations all asking for your attention, and Google is happy to set everything up for you if you let it.

Here's the thing: on a small budget, the defaults aren't always your friend. A few settings decide whether your money goes to people searching for exactly what you sell, or to random clicks that never call, never message and never buy.

In this guide I'll walk you through one simple Search campaign, from the account setup to the first weekly check, with budget examples in PKR and INR. The settings and limits below come from Google Ads Help pages, checked on 28 October 2026. Google renames buttons often, so if something has moved, search the Help Center for the setting name.

Why start with a Search campaign

Most first-time advertisers in Pakistan and India start with Meta ads, and that makes sense for products people discover while scrolling. If that's you, my Meta ads for beginners guide covers that side.

Search is different. Someone types "AC repair near me" or "physiotherapist in Pune", which means they already have the problem and want a solution right now. You aren't interrupting anyone. You're answering a question.

That's why I like Search as the first Google campaign for service businesses, clinics, repair shops, tutors, B2B services and any store where people search for the product by name. It's also the easiest campaign type to understand, because you can see the exact searches you paid for.

Step 1: Create the account in Expert Mode

When you sign up at ads.google.com, Google tries to walk you through a quick, simplified setup. That simplified view is called Smart Mode, and it builds a Smart campaign with very limited control.

Look for Switch to Expert Mode during signup. Expert Mode gives you the full interface and every campaign type, including a normal Search campaign. You can also choose to create the account without a campaign first, which I prefer, because it lets you set up billing calmly and build the campaign properly afterwards.

If you've already created a Smart Mode account, you can switch to Expert Mode from the tools menu. Google's community answers note that you can't switch back once you do, but your existing Smart campaigns stay editable.

Step 2: Billing, currency and payment methods

Two things here can't be fixed later, so slow down.

Your currency is permanent. Google's currency settings page says the currency is set when you create the account and can't be changed. If you want to pay in a different currency later, you need a new account. For most local businesses, that means choosing PKR in Pakistan or INR in India.

Payment options depend on your country and currency. Google's payment methods page changes based on the country you select. Here's what it showed for Pakistan and India when I checked:

In India, Google's page also explains that RBI rules mean your card goes through extra verification with your bank when you add it.

In Pakistan, a common snag is simple: the card isn't enabled for international online payments. Before you blame Google, check your banking app or call your bank and make sure online and international transactions are switched on.

Not sure which to choose? Google's payment settings page explains that with prepay, your ads stop when the credit runs out. For a nervous first month, that's actually a nice safety net. With postpay, Google charges your card after the ads run.

Step 3: Set up the campaign (the settings that matter)

Create a new campaign and choose Search. If Google asks for a goal, pick the one closest to what you want (leads, sales or website traffic). Then go through these settings carefully.

Networks: untick the extras

Google's Search Network page says search partners are included by default when you create a Search campaign, and the setup also offers the Display Network.

For a first campaign on a small budget, I'd untick both Google search partners and Display Network. Then your ads only show on Google Search, your results are easier to read, and you aren't paying for banner-style placements inside a campaign that's meant to catch searches. You can test search partners later, once you know what a good result looks like.

Locations: target people who are actually there

Google's advanced location options say location targeting includes both people who are physically in (or regularly in) your locations and people who've shown interest in them, by default.

If you only serve one city, open Location options and choose Presence: people in or regularly in your targeted locations. A plumber in Lahore doesn't need clicks from someone in Dubai reading about Lahore. If you sell to people abroad, like overseas Pakistanis ordering gifts for family back home, the default can make sense.

Languages

Add English and your local language (Urdu, Hindi or a regional language). Many people in both countries search in English or in Roman script even when their phone is set to another language.

Step 4: Pick a daily budget you can afford to lose while learning

Google's spend management page says the amount of your average daily budget is entirely up to you, and you can edit it whenever you like. But two rules from Google's overdelivery page matter:

• On some days, Google can spend up to twice your average daily budget. It balances this out with quieter days.
• For the month, you won't be charged more than 30.4 times your daily budget (30.4 is the average number of days in a month).

So if you set PKR 1,500 a day, your monthly maximum is PKR 45,600, and some days can cost up to PKR 3,000. If you set INR 500 a day, your monthly maximum is INR 15,200. These are example numbers to show the maths, not a recommendation for your niche. Clicks cost very different amounts in different industries and cities.

My rule for a first campaign is to pick a monthly number you're comfortable treating as "learning money", then divide it by 30.4. If a few hundred rupees a day only buys one or two clicks in your niche, that's useful information too. It means you should narrow your keywords further or fix your landing page before spending more.

Step 5: Choose keywords with intent (and the right match types)

Start with one ad group for one service, with 5 to 15 tightly related keywords. If you run an AC repair business, "AC repair", "AC service" and "AC gas refill" can sit together. "AC installation" deserves its own ad group with its own ad.

To find the keywords, use what real customers say on WhatsApp and phone calls, plus Google's Keyword Planner. I've written a full keyword research guide using free tools if you want the long version.

Now the match types. Google's keyword matching options page explains three:

Google says it's critical to use Smart Bidding with broad match, because broad match relies on Google's signals to decide which searches are worth it. That works better once your account has conversion data. On a brand-new account with a tiny budget, I'd start with phrase and exact match, watch which searches come in, and test broad match later when conversion tracking is in place and you have some data.

Step 6: Add negative keywords before you launch

Negative keywords stop your ad from showing on searches you don't want. This is where small budgets are saved.

A few things from Google's negative keywords page that beginners miss:

• Negatives don't match close variants. If you add "job", you still need to add "jobs". Add singular and plural forms, and obvious synonyms, yourself.
• Casing and misspellings are handled for you. You don't need to add "JOBS" or common typos separately.
• You can share lists. Google's negative keyword lists page says a list can hold up to 5,000 negative keywords, you can create up to 20 lists, and there's also an account-level list of up to 1,000 negatives that applies across your account.

Here's a starter list that fits a lot of local service businesses in Pakistan and India. Remove anything that you actually sell:

• free, jobs, job, vacancy, salary, hiring
• course, courses, training, pdf, book
• how to, diy, meaning, in urdu, in hindi
• second hand, used, olx (only if you don't sell used items)
• wholesale (only if you don't sell wholesale)

"How to" deserves a quick explanation. People searching "how to repair AC at home" usually want a video, not a technician. That's great traffic for a blog or YouTube channel, but expensive traffic for an ad.

Step 7: Write a responsive search ad that matches the search

Google's responsive search ads page sets the limits:

• 3 to 15 headlines, up to 30 characters each
• 2 to 4 descriptions, up to 90 characters each
• 2 display path fields, up to 15 characters each

Google mixes and matches these, so every headline has to make sense on its own and next to any other headline. A practical way to fill 10 or more headlines without repeating yourself:

1. Two or three with the keyword: "AC Repair in Karachi", "Same-Day AC Service"
2. Two or three with the offer: "Free Inspection Visit", "Fixed Price Before We Start" (only if true)
3. Two or three with trust: "Trained Technicians", "Rated on Google Maps" (only if you are)
4. Two with the action: "Book on WhatsApp Today", "Call Now for a Visit"
5. One with the area: "Serving Clifton & DHA"

Descriptions are where you answer the questions people ask before booking: price range, timing, warranty, payment options and areas covered. If you need help drafting lots of variations, AI tools are good at this, but keep every claim true. My AI ad creatives guide shows the workflow I use, and my guide on how to use ChatGPT for Google Ads has the exact prompts for keywords, headlines and negative keywords, plus the character-count check AI always gets wrong.

Make the landing page match the ad. If the ad says AC repair, the click should land on an AC repair page, not your home page. Google's Quality Score page lists three parts: expected clickthrough rate, ad relevance and landing page experience. Google also says Quality Score is a diagnostic tool, not an input in the ad auction, so don't chase the number. Use it as a hint about what to fix.

Step 8: Set up conversion tracking (or you're flying blind)

A click isn't a customer. You need to tell Google what a good result looks like. Google's conversion types page lists website actions (purchases, form fills, button clicks), phone calls, app actions and offline conversions, and it recommends creating a separate conversion action for each type.

For most small businesses in Pakistan and India, I'd track:

• Calls from the ad (a call asset or a click-to-call button on your site)
• Clicks on your WhatsApp button on the landing page
• Form submissions or purchases, if you have them

WhatsApp clicks aren't sales, so keep a simple sheet of which chats turned into orders, the same way I describe in my click-to-WhatsApp ads guide. If you have a website, connect it to Google Search Console too. It shows you which searches already find you for free, and that often gives you better ad keywords.

Step 9: Choose a simple bid strategy

Google's bid strategy guide says Maximize Clicks can be useful for new campaigns that don't have enough conversion data yet. You set the budget and Google tries to get as many clicks as possible. You can also set a maximum cost-per-click limit for the campaign, which stops Google from paying silly amounts for one click.

Once your conversion tracking has recorded a steady flow of real leads, you can test Maximize Conversions. Google's conversion measurement page says Smart Bidding strategies need a standard 7 to 14 day learning phase, and that frequent changes to budgets, targets or conversion goals reset that learning. So when you switch, leave it alone for two weeks.

Your first two weeks: a 15-minute routine

After launch, resist the urge to change things every hour. Every two or three days, open the campaign and do this:

1. Open the search terms report. Google's search terms report page puts it under Insights and reports, then Search terms. It shows the real searches that triggered your ads.
2. Add the junk as negatives. Tick the irrelevant searches and choose Add as negative keyword. Google's negative keyword ideas page notes that these are added as negative exact match by default, so if you want to block a whole theme, edit the match type.
3. Add the winners as keywords. If a search brought a call or a lead and isn't in your list yet, add it as a phrase or exact match keyword.
4. Check the calls and chats. Did people actually contact you? What did they ask? Put the answers into your ads and landing page.
5. Only then touch the budget. If the searches are good and leads are coming, raise the budget a little. If they aren't, fix keywords and the page first.

Mistakes I'd avoid on a small budget

• Letting Google build a Smart campaign when you wanted a Search campaign
• Leaving search partners and Display ticked in your first Search campaign
• Targeting the whole country when you only serve one city
• Running broad match keywords on a new account with no conversion tracking
• Sending every click to your home page
• Launching without a negative keyword list
• Judging the campaign after two days, or changing bids every day

Google Ads works best alongside your free visibility, not instead of it. If you haven't set up your Google Business Profile yet, do that first, and go through my local SEO checklist so the people who see your ad and then search your name find a business that looks trustworthy.

You'll find more guides like this on my blog, and more about me on my home page.

FAQ

Is there a minimum budget for Google Ads in Pakistan or India?

Google's help pages say the average daily budget is entirely up to you, so there's no official minimum to worry about. On some days Google can spend up to twice your daily budget, but you won't be charged more than 30.4 times the daily budget in a month.

How can I pay for Google Ads from Pakistan?

Google's payment methods page lists Visa and Mastercard credit cards and Visa or Mastercard debit cards for Pakistan, on postpay or prepay. Prepaid cards aren't accepted for postpay. Make sure your bank has enabled the card for international online payments.

Can I pay for Google Ads with UPI in India?

Yes, for prepayments. Google says you can use UPI if you have an Indian billing address and bank account, chose INR as your Google Ads currency, use the prepay setting, and your bank account is registered for UPI. NetBanking prepayments are also available.

Which keyword match type should a beginner use?

Google makes broad match the default and recommends using it with Smart Bidding. On a new account with a small budget and no conversion data yet, phrase and exact match give you more control while you learn which searches bring customers.

What are negative keywords in Google Ads?

They're words that stop your ad from showing on searches you don't want, like jobs, free or course. Negative keywords don't match close variants, so add singular and plural versions yourself.

How long should I run a new Google Ads campaign before judging it?

Give it at least two weeks of steady running before big changes. Google says Smart Bidding strategies have a 7 to 14 day learning phase, and frequent budget or goal changes reset it.

Keep reading

• Keyword research for beginners using free tools
• Meta ads for beginners: your first campaign on a small budget
• Google Search Console for beginners: see what your customers search
• Google Business Profile setup in Pakistan, step by step
• Local SEO checklist for small businesses in Pakistan and India
• How to use ChatGPT for Google Ads: keywords, ad copy and negative keywords
• See all posts on the blog
• Back to my home page