Agency insights
Thoughts and lessons on client selection, burnout, pricing, and modernising legacy accounts, from someone who's run a Google Ads for years.
The cost of zero.
Published April 2021. Last updated July 2026.
Every small business owner needs to understand the cost of zero before they next invest in marketing.
It does not matter what medium it is: Google Ads, Facebook, LinkedIn, magazines, radio, or anything else. The reason these campaigns fail so often is never as obvious as you might think.
Peter Carruthers and I talk about how a single zero in the equation causes the entire process to fail.
Most Google Ads Problems Aren't Google Ads Problems
If my writing resonates with you, I'd like to give you a copy of my book, Profitable Google Ads. The book was written for business owners, but many PPC professionals have found it valuable too.
Before you download it, what describes you best?
Related articles
106 quotes. 17 sales.
I’ve long believed Google Ads is only profitable when the processes around it work. One of the most important is how quotes turn into sales.
The data gap between advertising and sales
Many businesses can’t answer a basic question: Did this ad actually make us money? Why is something so important invisible inside the software that runs the business? The reason is simple. Advertising systems are designed to measure marketing activity. Business systems are designed to manage operations and finances. Neither system was designed to understand the full journey from ad click to revenue.
Why many RCICs don’t know if their Google Ads are profitable
Google Ads can be a reliable source of new clients for Canadian immigration lawyers and consultants. The ads bring enquiries. But there is one question many firms can't answer: Are those leads actually turning into paying clients?
The invisible Google Ads problem: zero-second calls
There is an invisible problem that could be draining your ad budget or causing you to miss sales. If you use a call tracking platform for call assets or landing page numbers, you might be at risk.
Why the phone rings but the workshop stays empty
I spoke recently with my friend Liam Lezra, who knows more about marketing for auto repair shops than anyone I know. Our conversation turned to a problem he runs into often.
Computer code rusts
It decays when people change things without understanding how systems are connected. And this makes life very difficult for anyone managing Google Ads. You end up basing important decisions on distorted data.
Topics you'll find on this site
Conversion tracking
Understand what happens after someone clicks your advert. Subjects include offline conversions, CRM integration, attribution, auditability and marketing instrumentation.
Essays and thinking
Articles about marketing, engineering, AI and problem solving that don't fit neatly into the other topics. These are some of the ideas and experiences that have shaped how I think.
Google Ads for lead generation
Learn how to use Google Ads to generate profitable leads. Subjects include campaign strategy, bidding, targeting, optimisation and the challenges of running lead generation campaigns.
Landing pages
Things I've learned about high-converting landing pages. Subjects include copywriting, page structure, forms, trust, conversion rate optimisation and user experience.
Lead quality
Understand why some leads become customers while others don't. Subjects include diagnosing poor leads, qualification, filtering junk leads and improving the feedback you send to Google Ads.
Sales Process
What happens after a lead has been generated determines if Google Ads is profitable. Subjects include first contact, follow-up, quoting, lead nurturing and turning more enquiries into customers.
© 2026 Pete Bowen