Be the first name customers see when they're ready to buy.
People searching on Google are already looking for what you sell. We set up, run and report on Google Ads, tracked all the way to the call, form or WhatsApp message. Tell us about your business and get a clear plan with no obligation.
- You see every rand: ad budget is paid straight to Google from your own account
- Tracked to real enquiries, not just clicks
- Plain-language monthly reports with cost per lead
- No lock-in contract. You own your account and data
Thank you, friend.
Your Google Ads request is with us. A person will read it and reply within one working day.
- We review your answers and look at your website and search results.
- We reach out with a few sharp questions.
- You get a written plan with budget split, expected cost per lead range and our fee.
Grapevine Digital manages Google Ads for businesses in South Africa and abroad. We research what your customers search for, build the campaigns and the pages they land on, track every call, form and WhatsApp tap, and report in plain language. You pay Google for the ad budget directly and pay us a separate management fee. No lock-in. Read the complete cost guide or get a free quote.
How a Google Ad turns into a customer
When someone searches, Google runs an instant auction between advertisers. The winners are chosen on bid, ad quality and how relevant the landing page is. You pay only when someone clicks.
- Search: "emergency plumber Cape Town"
- Auction: your ad competes on bid and quality
- Click: the visitor lands on your page
- Enquiry: a call, form or WhatsApp message
- Follow-up: a fast reply turns it into a customer, see lead funnel
Everything it takes to run ads that pay
Keyword research
We find what your customers actually type, group it by intent and rule out searches that waste money.
Ads that get clicked
Clear headlines and descriptions written for your offer, tested against each other.
Negative keywords
We block irrelevant searches from day one and keep adding to the list as data comes in.
Landing pages
Pages built to convert the click, from a quick fix on your site to a purpose-built page. See websites.
Conversion tracking
Calls, forms and WhatsApp taps measured, so we optimise for leads, not clicks.
Location and schedule
Target the suburbs, cities or countries you serve, at the hours you can answer.
Ongoing optimisation
Weekly checks on search terms, bids and ad copy, cutting waste and shifting budget to what works.
Monthly report
Leads, cost per lead, what we changed and what we'll do next, in plain language.
Follow-up set-up
Instant replies and a simple pipeline so the leads you pay for don't go cold.
Which Google Ads campaigns suit you?
We start simple and add more only when the data supports it.
| Campaign | Best for | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Search | Most service businesses and a good first campaign | Text ads shown when people search your keywords |
| Performance Max | Stores and businesses with strong conversion data | Google places ads across Search, Maps, YouTube and more automatically |
| Shopping | Online stores with a product feed | Product images and prices shown in search results |
| Local and Maps | Businesses customers visit or call locally | Ads and listings shown to people searching nearby |
| Display and YouTube | Re-engaging past visitors, brand awareness | Visual ads shown across websites and video |
Two costs, kept separate and clear
Many agencies hide the ad budget inside their fee. We don't. You pay Google for clicks from your own account, and you pay us to manage them. Both are written into your proposal.
| Cost | Paid to | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ad budget | You set it. Charged to your account. | |
| Management fee | Grapevine | Fixed monthly, agreed up front |
| Set-up | Grapevine | Once-off: research, build, tracking |
Ads budget estimator
Illustration only. Real costs per click and enquiry rates vary a lot by industry and competition.
The first 90 days
Google Ads isn't instant magic. Here's the honest timeline.
Week 1
Research, account set-up, tracking and first campaigns built and approved by you.
Weeks 2 to 4
Ads go live. Data comes in and we prune wasted searches fast.
Month 2
We test new ad copy and pages, and move budget to what produces leads.
Month 3
Stable cost per lead. We review, then scale up or keep tuning.
The numbers we report on
Clicks look good on paper, but they don't pay bills. These do.
Enquiries
Calls, forms and WhatsApp taps, counted properly.
Cost per lead
What each enquiry costs you, trending over time.
Conversion rate
The share of visitors who enquire, a measure of page quality.
Lead quality
With your feedback, which leads become customers.
Why most Google Ads accounts waste money
Sending ads to the home page
Visitors land on a generic page and leave. A focused page for each service converts far better.
No real conversion tracking
Without it, nobody knows which ads earn money. Optimisation becomes guesswork.
Broad keywords, no exclusions
Paying for "free", "jobs" and "DIY" searches that never become customers.
Slow follow-up
Leads contacted after an hour are far colder than those contacted in minutes.
Set and forget
Accounts need weekly attention. Search terms, competitors and prices keep shifting.
Agency owns the account
If you leave, you lose history and data. Yours should always be in your name.
Google Ads works best when
- People already search for what you sell
- A new customer is worth enough to cover the cost of winning one
- You can answer enquiries quickly
- You have, or will build, a page that converts
- You can commit to the ad budget for at least three months
- Nobody searches for your product yet
- Very thin margins and one-off low-value sales
- A tiny budget that can't gather useful data
- You expect overnight results or guaranteed sales
- You want to run it without tracking
Examples by industry
Emergency call-outs
Ads for urgent searches, shown only in your service area and call-ready on mobile.
Consultation bookings
High-intent searches lead to a trust-building page and a short booking form.
Shopping and remarketing
Product listings plus ads that bring back people who nearly bought.
What we commit to in writing
Before any money is spent, you get a plain-language agreement.
Doing it yourself, or with Grapevine
- Smart campaigns that spend on weak searches
- No tracking beyond clicks
- Hours a week learning and fixing it
- Nobody to question your assumptions
- Intent-led campaigns with tight targeting
- Every enquiry tracked and attributed
- Weekly optimisation by specialists
- A plain-language report and a call each month
Google Ads questions
More in our guides, or ask us directly.
How much do Google Ads cost in South Africa?
Two parts: the ad budget you pay Google and our management fee. Many small businesses start between a few thousand and a few tens of thousands of rand a month in ad spend. Read the full cost guide.
How quickly will I get leads?
Ads can send visitors within a day or two of approval. Expect several weeks of tuning before your cost per lead settles.
Is there a minimum ad budget?
There's no official minimum, but below a few thousand rand a month there's too little data for ads to improve. Our form explains our minimum.
Do I own the Google Ads account?
Yes. We work inside an account in your name, and you can see everything.
Do you guarantee results?
No honest agency can. We guarantee transparency, tracking and steady improvement, and we measure everything.
Do I need a new website?
Not always. If your current pages convert, we'll use them. If not, we'll recommend fixes or a focused landing page. See websites.
Can you run ads for my competitors too?
No. We don't run ads for direct competitors in the same area at the same time.
What's the contract length?
Month to month after set-up. We'd rather earn your renewal each month.
Keep reading
Ready for ads that pay for themselves?
Tell us about your business and get a clear plan, with no obligation.