For beginners who want to start advertising on Google but don't know where to begin, this guide walks through the latest 2026 Google Ads setup process step by step. Following these instructions, you can complete everything from account registration to publishing your first campaign in as little as 1 hour.
From starting with modest budgets of ¥30,000 per month to leveraging Performance Max (P-MAX) campaigns and setting up tracking, we cover all the essentials needed for your initial advertising journey.
Preparation before launching Google Ads
Prerequisites
- A Google Account (free)
- A credit or debit card (for billing)
- A website (landing page or corporate site)
- An advertising budget (from ¥30,000/month)
- Information on the product or service you want to promote
Helpful assets to have ready
- A website with Google Analytics 4 (GA4) already configured
- Google Tag Manager implementation
- Conversion tag placement
Step-by-step guide to opening a Google Ads account
Step 1: Sign in with your Google Account
Visit https://ads.google.com and sign in using your Google Account. If you already use Gmail, you can use that same account.
Step 2: Smart Mode vs. Expert Mode
During initial sign-in, you will be prompted to choose between Smart Mode and Expert Mode.
Always choose "Expert Mode."
- Smart Mode: Features are restricted, making iterative improvements difficult
- Expert Mode: Grants full access to all features and granular adjustments
Step 3: Registering billing details
- Country: Japan
- Currency: JPY (Japanese Yen)
- Time zone: (GMT+09:00) Japan Standard Time
- Billing address
- Payment method: Credit card
Caution: These settings cannot be modified later. Enter them carefully.
Setting up your initial campaign (Search Ads)
For first-time advertisers, starting with Search Ads is the simplest path and provides the clearest visibility into performance.
Step 1: Campaign creation
- Navigate to Campaigns → "+ New Campaign"
- Goal: Select "Website traffic"
- Campaign type: Select "Search"
- Campaign name: Choose an easily identifiable name (e.g., "0411_Search_Test")
Step 2: Setting your bidding strategy
For beginners, evaluate bidding strategies in the following recommended order:
- Maximize Clicks: Ideal for the initial phase when performance data is unavailable
- Maximize Conversions: Suitable once conversion tracking is operational
- Target CPA (tCPA): After accumulating sufficient learning data (50+ conversions)
- Target ROAS (tROAS): For e-commerce businesses
For the first month, we recommend "Maximize Clicks" with a maximum CPC bid limit.
Step 3: Setting your budget
For a monthly budget of ¥30,000:
1日あたりの予算 = 月予算 ÷ 30.4
3万円 ÷ 30.4 = 約 987円/日Because Google manages budgets on a monthly basis, daily spending fluctuations are completely normal.
Step 4: Setting up targeting
Location:
- Set broadly at first (all of Japan or major metropolitan areas)
- Narrow the geographic focus once data accumulates
Language:
- Select "Japanese"
Audiences:
- Select "Observation" (monitors performance without restricting reach)
- Switch to targeted delivery after gathering data
Step 5: Keyword setup
Keyword selection tips for beginners:
- Target search volumes between 100 and 1,000
- Start with the "Phrase match" match type
- Incorporate plenty of long-tail (multi-word) terms
- Always include brand keywords (your business name)
Keyword examples:
フレーズ一致:
"Web制作 費用"
"ホームページ制作 相場"
"コーポレートサイト リニューアル"
除外キーワード:
"無料"
"自作"
"テンプレート"Step 6: Crafting ad copy
For Responsive Search Ads (RSA) in Google Ads, provide the following components:
Headlines (up to 15, max 30 characters each):
- Always enter at least 10 headlines
- Include your keywords
- Highlight unique differentiators
Descriptions (up to 4, max 90 characters each):
- Value proposition of your product or service
- Clear calls to action (e.g., "Free Consultation," "30-Day Guarantee")
Example:
見出し:
1. 中小企業向けWeb制作
2. 30万円から始めるHP制作
3. 2026年最新トレンド対応
4. 無料相談実施中
5. コーポレートサイト制作
... 合計15個
説明文:
1. 中小企業の経営者に最適なホームページ制作。30万円から本格的なサイトを。
2. 費用対効果を重視したWeb戦略。Googleの最新SEOに対応。無料相談受付中。Step 7: Configuring ad assets
To enhance ad performance, be sure to set up the following assets (formerly ad extensions):
- Sitelinks: Links to related pages (minimum 4)
- Callouts: Bullet points highlighting key benefits (e.g., "Free Estimates," "Fast 3-Day Turnaround")
- Structured snippets: Lists of services, features, or plans
- Call assets: When phone inquiries are accepted
- Location assets: When operating a physical storefront
Configuring conversion tracking
To accurately evaluate advertising performance, setting up conversion tracking is essential.
Required measurement tools
- Google Analytics 4（GA4）
- Google Tag Manager（GTM）
- Google Ads Conversion Tracking
Conversion types
- Contact form submissions: Tracked upon reaching the thank-you page
- Phone calls: Call conversions tracked via Google Ads
- Resource downloads: Tracked upon completing the download
- Purchases: Tracked on the purchase confirmation page of an e-commerce site
Setup procedure using GTM
- Create a Google Ads conversion tag in GTM
- Configure the trigger as "Page View - Thank You Page"
- Register the Conversion ID and label in your Google Ads conversion settings
- Perform test conversions (navigate to the thank-you page to verify tracking)
For details, please refer to 5 Essential GA4 Metrics: An Introduction to Web Analytics.
First-month management and optimization
Week 1: Initial data collection
- Leave campaigns untouched for the first week after publishing
- Accumulate learning data until reaching at least 100 clicks
- Monitor impressions and click-through rates (CTR)
Week 2: Initial optimizations
Optimization focus:
- Replace ad copy with CTR below 3%
- Review keywords with CPC exceeding ¥500 (check if bids are overly high)
- Add negative keywords (exclude irrelevant search queries)
Weeks 3–4: Full-scale adjustments
- Pause underperforming keywords
- Granularly segment ad groups
- Refine bidding strategies based on accumulated conversion data
Transitioning to Performance Max (P-MAX) campaigns (intermediate)
Performance Max (P-MAX) is the mainstream 2026 campaign type where Google's AI automatically optimizes across all ad inventory (Search, Display, YouTube, and Discover).
When to adopt P-MAX
- After consistently generating 30–50+ conversions per month with Search Ads
- Conversion tracking is reliably functioning
- Monthly advertising budget is ¥300,000 or higher
P-MAX considerations
- Initial data is required during the learning period (typically 2–4 weeks)
- Learning struggles to progress if the budget is too small
- Granular search query visibility is limited
Common mistakes and practical countermeasures
Mistake 1: Budget overruns
Cause: Bids soar beyond the daily budget
Countermeasure: Strictly configure a "Daily budget" and also set a maximum CPC
Mistake 2: Showing ads for irrelevant searches
Cause: The match type is "broad match," making targeting too broad
Countermeasure: Use "phrase match" or "exact match," and add negative keywords
Mistake 3: Zero conversions
Cause: Conversion tracking is not configured, or the landing page is weak
Countermeasure: First verify incoming traffic in GA4, while simultaneously working on landing page improvements
Mistake 4: Ad copy is not getting clicks
Cause: The copy is weak or fails to differentiate
Countermeasure: Analyze competitor ads and switch to a unique value proposition
Mistake 5: Giving up too early
Cause: Deciding it is ineffective after just one month
Countermeasure: Continue for at least three months. Treat the first month as a learning period
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the minimum budget to get started with Google Ads?
A. In theory, you can start from ¥1,000 per month, but realistically, ¥30,000 to ¥50,000 per month is recommended. Spending less will not generate statistically significant data, making it impossible to run improvement cycles.
Q. Can a beginner manage campaigns alone?
A. Yes, but there is a learning curve. At a minimum, you must understand the following:
- Bid strategies (4 to 5 types)
- Match types (exact match, phrase match, broad match)
- Quality Score
- Negative keywords
- Conversion tracking
You can manage campaigns through self-study if you can dedicate about 10 hours a month to learning.
Q. Should I start with Google Ads or Yahoo! Ads?
A. Start with Google Ads.
- Search market share: Google 75% > Yahoo 25%
- Feature richness: Google Ads is overwhelmingly superior
- Learning resources: Google has far more information available
- International reach: Google only
Consider Yahoo! Ads as an additional channel once you achieve results with Google Ads.
Q. Should I use Performance Max (P-MAX) right from the start?
A. No, beginners should start with Search ads. Performance Max requires machine learning data, so it will not be effective during early stages when conversion volume is low. First achieve at least 30 conversions per month with Search ads before expanding into Performance Max.
Q. Should I outsource ad management to an agency?
A. Outsourcing is cost-effective if your monthly ad spend is ¥300,000 or more; otherwise, in-house management is better. Agency fees typically run 15% to 20% of ad spend, making an agency unviable on a ¥30,000 monthly budget. For details, see How to Choose an Ad Management Agency.
Q. Will the results disappear if I pause the ads?
A. Yes, results drop to zero immediately. This is the biggest drawback of search advertising. If you want to build long-term assets, we strongly recommend pursuing SEO strategies alongside advertising. For details, see The Complete Guide to SEO Strategy for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses.
Conclusion: Start small and optimize with data
The key to success with Google Ads is to start small and make improvements while monitoring data. You do not need to aim for perfection from day one.
Five actions you can start today:
- Open a Google Ads account (30 minutes)
- Link it with GA4 (30 minutes)
- Create a test campaign with a budget of ¥30,000 per month (1 hour)
- Collect data for one week without touching the setup
- Start the improvement cycle from week two onward
Ad management is a skill that "anyone can master with practice." Treat the first month as an investment in learning and proceed methodically.
Related articles
- The Complete Guide to Google Ads Costs — Budget planning details
- Search Advertising Cost Benchmarks — Market pricing details
- Getting Started with Search Ads: Setup Guide for Achieving Results from ¥50,000/Month — Practical setup workflow
Free 30-minute consultation — Supporting your first steps in ad management
If you feel unsure about managing ads for the first time, take advantage of our free 30-minute consultation.
- Support for account setup
- Consultation on designing your first campaign
- Sounding board for setting budgets and targets
Zero sales pitch. Feel free to use it for learning and gathering information.
