Launching Google Ads With No Conversion Data? Start With These Campaign Settings
Avoid burning your budget on day one. Learn the exact campaign settings needed to collect clean data and exit the learning phase quickly in a brand-new Google Ads account.
Launching Google Ads in a brand-new account is where most advertisers burn money—not because Google Ads “doesn’t work,” but because the campaign is set up to fail from day one.
When you have little or no conversion data, Google’s automation doesn’t have enough signals to optimize intelligently. The goal of a new account isn’t perfection; it’s collecting clean, high-intent data as quickly as possible so you can move into profitable optimization.
Start With a Search Campaign (Not Performance Max)
When creating a new campaign, choose “Create a campaign without guidance” and select Search. While Performance Max can work well later, Search gives you full keyword control and faster feedback loops. It is the quickest way to learn what people actually type before they convert.
Conversion Tracking Is Non-Negotiable
Before launching anything, conversion tracking must be set up via Google Tag Manager, GA4, or native Google Ads conversions. If Google doesn’t know what a conversion looks like, every optimization decision is blind. Traffic without data is just an expensive experiment.
Start With Maximize Clicks (Yes, Really)
This is where most advertisers get it wrong. In a new account, do not start with Maximize Conversions because Google has nothing to optimize toward yet. Instead, start with Maximize Clicks, with two caveats:
- Only Use Phrase and Exact Match: Avoid Broad Match entirely. You must control intent manually.
- The Switch: Move to Maximize Conversions only after the account (not just the campaign) has reached roughly 20–30 conversions.
Turn Off Search Partners and the Display Network
Always uncheck Search Partners and the Display Network. These networks often drive low-quality traffic early on. If Google strongly “recommends” it during a fresh setup, you should usually question it.
Fix Your Location Targeting (The Money Saver)
Under Location options, select: Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations.
Never use “Presence or interest.” If you don’t fix this, Google may show your local ads to people thousands of miles away who once searched for your city. For local services, keep your radius tight (10–20 miles) to ensure high conversion rates.
Keep Broad Match and Auto-Assets Off
- Broad Match: Leave it off until you know which queries convert and you are already running a conversion-based bidding strategy.
- Automatically Created Assets: Turn these off. Control your messaging rather than letting Google pull headlines from your site that might be irrelevant or reference competitors.
Use Ad Scheduling Strategically
If your goal is phone calls, only run ads during business hours. Missed calls rarely convert. If you can’t respond to a lead within 5 minutes, you shouldn’t be paying for that click.
Exclude Brand and Competitor Terms
Exclude your own brand to avoid wasting money on organic traffic you would have received anyway. Also, exclude competitor names initially; these clicks are often accidental and far more expensive. If you want to target competitors, do it in a dedicated, separate campaign.
Key Takeaways
- Control Intent: Use phrase/exact match and “Presence” only location targeting.
- Gather Data: Use Maximize Clicks to prime the pump.
- Pivot: Switch to Maximize Conversions once you have ~20–30 conversions.
- Refine: Observe audiences and use exclusions to keep data clean.
