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AI & Growth

Google Ads + AI: A Simple, Profitable Acquisition Playbook for SMBs

Launch a lean, testable paid engine in days—not months—and use AI to do the heavy lifting.

Launch a lean, testable paid engine in days—not months—and use AI to do the heavy lifting.

If you’ve built something great but struggle to get customers, this playbook shows a simple, repeatable way to validate demand, launch ads, measure results, and scale—without wasting budget. It’s designed for local service businesses and B2B SMBs (dentists, clinics, home services, fitness, SaaS tools, etc.).

Why this works

  1. Start with intent: Win buyers already searching for you on Google.
  2. Keep pages simple: One page, one offer, one call‑to‑action.
  3. Measure from day one: Track clicks → sign‑ups → paying customers.
  4. Let AI speed the grunt work: Research, write, and produce creative faster.

Step 1: Validate demand in 30 minutes

  • Find real searches: Use a keyword tool (e.g., Keywords Everywhere) to confirm people are looking for your offer. Don’t fear "small" volume—niche keywords can be highly profitable.
  • Scan forums: Search Reddit/Quora for pain points and keyword language customers actually use.
  • Decide your first offer: Define one high‑value outcome (e.g., Book a whitening consult, Get a free quote, Start 7‑day trial).

Deliverable: A short list of 5–10 exact phrases people search that match your offer.

Step 2: Spin up a lean landing page (1 hour)

Rules of thumb

  • No top navigation; reduce exits.
  • Above the fold: clear headline that mirrors your keyword, a short benefit subhead, proof, and a primary CTA.
  • Secondary trust signals: badges, concise FAQs, 1–3 testimonials.

Example layout

  • H1: Emergency Dentist in Palo Alto – Seen Today
  • Subhead: Same‑day pain relief. Transparent pricing. Insurance friendly.
  • CTA: Call now or Book a 15‑min triage call
  • Proof: “4.9★ from 327 patients” + logos/insurers
  • Tiny FAQ: Hours, insurance, financing, parking

You can build this in Webflow, Framer, Lovable, or even a simple HTML block. For fast validation, embed a Tally or Typeform as the CTA.

Deliverable: One landing page per keyword theme.

Step 3: Launch a Google Search campaign that actually learns

  1. Campaign objective: Start with Website traffic (Clicks). This collects real search terms and lowers the data you need to optimize early.
  2. Location targeting: Countries/regions where you operate. Use Presence (people in your location), not Presence or interest.
  3. Match types: Add your terms as Phrase match first ("emergency dentist palo alto"). Layer Exact match later for your winners. Use Negative keywords to block irrelevant clicks (e.g., "jobs," "school").
  4. Ad groups: Group tightly by intent (e.g., Emergency, Implants, Whitening). 3–5 ads each.
  5. Ad copy: Mirror the keyword in your Headline 1 and your landing page H1. Promise the outcome; show 1–2 proof points; one CTA.
  6. Budget: Start small (e.g., $25–$50/day). Aim for 10–20 clicks/term/week to learn.

Deliverable: One search campaign with 2–4 tightly themed ad groups and matching pages.

Step 4: Track what matters with Google Tag Manager (GTM)

Set up events so Google & Meta can optimize to real outcomes.

  • Install GTM site‑wide (head + body).

  • Define events:

    • page_view (auto)
    • lead_submit (form submit or Book now click)
    • call_click (tap‑to‑call on mobile)
    • purchase or payment_success (for SaaS/e‑commerce)

  • Push events to the data layer on the action (e.g., form success), trigger a tag in GTM, and connect that conversion to Google Ads & Meta Ads.

  • Start by optimizing to a higher‑funnel event (e.g., lead submit) until you have enough volume (15–30+ per week), then switch to deeper events (e.g., payment_success).

Deliverable: Verified conversions in Google Ads & Meta Ads managers.

Step 5: Layer in Meta (Facebook/Instagram) with AI‑assisted creative

Search captures demand; social creates it. On Meta, great creative wins.

Make 10–20 short videos quickly with AI

  • Use Perplexity/ChatGPT to extract pain points & write 10 hook variations.
  • Use HeyGen (avatar) + ElevenLabs (voice) to produce UGC‑style explainer videos fast. Edit in CapCut/Descript (tight pacing, captions, on‑screen headline).
  • Try Instagram’s Trial Reels to test reach organically, then promote winners.

High‑performing script template (40–60 seconds)

  1. Hook (5s): Call out the audience + pain ("If you’re scared of implant costs…")
  2. Problem (10s): Agitate with specifics customers say online.
  3. Vision (10s): Paint the desired future.
  4. Bridge (10–20s): Your offer is the path (what, for whom, proof).
  5. CTA (5s): One clear action.

Deliverable: 8–12 video variations live; cut losers, double‑down on winners.

Step 6: Do the math (so you know what you can pay to grow)

  • ARPU (Average revenue per user): e.g., $150 per new patient visit
  • LTV (Lifetime value): e.g., $1,200 over 12–24 months
  • Target CAC (what you can afford to acquire a customer): typically ≤ 20–30% of LTV. With $1,200 LTV, you can pay $240–$360 CAC profitably.
  • Translate CAC to CPL (cost per lead) using your close rate. If you close 25% of leads, your target CPL is ~$60–$90.

Now you have guardrails for bids/budgets and when to scale.

Step 7: Weekly optimization rhythm (60–90 minutes)

Monday

  • Scan search terms → add negatives → add 1–2 new exact/phrase keywords
  • Duplicate best ad, test a new hook/benefit

Wednesday

  • Review conversions by campaign/ad → pause 0‑click ads or expensive losers
  • Refresh 2 creatives on Meta (new hook or proof element)

Friday

  • Confirm call recordings/form quality
  • Move budget from losers → winners
  • Ship one new landing page tailored to an emerging keyword

Step 8: Sample quick‑start bundles you can copy

For a dental practice

  • Keywords: "emergency dentist near me", "same‑day crown Palo Alto", "dental implants Palo Alto"
  • Page themes: Emergency | Implants | Veneers | Whitening
  • Offers: Same‑day emergency slot, Free 10‑min consult, $99 New‑Patient Special
  • Proof: Before/after photos, Google rating, insurer logos

For a B2B SaaS

  • Keywords: Problem‑specific long‑tails (e.g., "YouTube channel email extractor")
  • Page themes: Each core job‑to‑be‑done as its own page
  • Offers: Free 7‑day trial, Request demo, Use on 100 rows free
  • Proof: ROI math, case study tiles, logos

7‑Day Launch Plan

Day 1: Validate 10 keywords; draft one‑page offer & page copy.

Day 2: Build the landing page; embed form/booking; add trust.

Day 3: Set up Google Ads (Clicks). Phrase‑match 10 terms. Location = Presence.

Day 4: Install GTM; wire up lead_submit conversion to Google & Meta.

Day 5: Produce 8 short videos with AI; publish 4 as Trial Reels.

Day 6: Launch Meta Conversion campaign with 4 best creatives.

Day 7: Review search terms & conversions; add negatives; iterate.

Common pitfalls to avoid

  • Mixed messages: Keyword, ad headline, and page H1 must match.
  • Too many options: One page = one action.
  • No conversions set up: If platforms can’t see your goals, they can’t optimize.
  • Creative fatigue: Refresh weekly; retire losers; remix winners.

Want help?

Prism implements this exact system end‑to‑end for SMBs: research, pages, ads, AI creative, and measurement—set up in days, then improved weekly. If you’d like us to build and manage this growth engine for you, get in touch.

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