Google Ads can be very daunting if you’ve never used the platform before. As someone who has managed over 500 accounts and hundreds of thousands of dollars across the platform, let me pass along what valuable knowledge I learned when it comes to the best practices to maximize the return on your investment!
Today we’re covering the very basics about Google Ads account setup so you can get up and running. Lets hop right into it!
1. Basic Google Ads Options

There are two types of accounts that can be created. One is a Manager Account, which is created for the purpose of managing multiple accounts. Be sure to stay away from Manager Accounts or this can create confusion with additional options that aren’t relevant to your individual business.
Please keep in mind that you can only have one account per business. If Google finds multiple accounts advertising the same thing, they reserve the right to ban all accounts from advertising on their platform.
2. Google Ads Account Type

The first thing you want to do is name your account. Listed above, I typed in Company Name as an example. If I were running ads for Danton Dynamics, I’d write Danton Dynamics. You can change this name at any point in the future through the account settings.
Next, you need to pick the Account Type. Google offers Smart Campaigns and Google Ads. Smart Campaigns are highly automated accounts that remove a lot of the customization and maintenance you can perform on Google Ads accounts. Any experienced advertiser stays far away from Smart Campaigns, so I highly recommend as someone starting out you avoid Smart Campaigns as well. Learn the correct way to maximize the return on your investment!
3. Other Options & User Access

The next set of options are fairly straight forward. Your account needs to be assigned a country, time zone, the currency your transactions are done in, and any additional users. If you plan on getting help from someone else in your company or are hiring another person to manage your ads, you can invite them as a user and assign them the permissions they need on the account.
4. Billing Setup
The last thing you’ll be asked is to set up a billing method. With a credit card handy, you input your card number, name, expiration date, security number, and zip code.
Moving to the next step will bring you to your fresh account and now you’re ready to set up campaigns, ad groups, ads, and extensions. If you’d like to learn about how to set your daily budget and how to determine how to split your budget into separate campaigns, join me in Google Ads Campaign Creation: Everything You Need to Know.