google ads & ppc management

Google Ads agency that turns clicks into enquiries, not just traffic

We run Google Ads on your account, with matching landing pages and clear cost per enquiry.

350+ Projects delivered
60+ Five-star Google reviews
20+ Years building & ranking websites
50+ Businesses helped to implement AI
SonyVodafoneSymantecXP PowerSonardyne
where paid search fails

Google Ads fails when clicks never become enquiries

Paid search fails when you pay for clicks that never enquire, track the wrong things, and get reports that hide what each pound actually bought.

[ 01 ]

Paying for clicks that never enquire

Traffic goes up while the phone and inbox stay quiet. You are bidding on the wrong searches, or the page after the click does not make it easy to get in touch.

01Empty clicks
[ 02 ]

Conversion tracking that counts nothing or everything

If tracking is broken you optimise blind. If it counts page views as leads you think you are winning while the pipeline is empty.

02Blind tracking
[ 03 ]

Broad match burning the budget on the wrong searches

Loose match types and thin negative lists spend money on job seekers, DIY queries and competitors' brand names you never meant to buy.

03Budget burn
[ 04 ]

Ads that send people to the homepage

A click lands on a general homepage and the visitor has to hunt for the offer. Most leave. The ad and the page never matched.

04Wrong landing
[ 05 ]

An agency that never shows the account

You pay a fee and get screenshots. You cannot log in, change a bid, or take the account with you if you leave.

05Hidden account
[ 06 ]

Reports that hide cost per enquiry

Click and impression charts look busy. They do not tell you what a lead cost, or whether the month was worth it.

06Vanity reports
what is ppc

What is PPC?

PPC means pay-per-click: you bid to show ads on search results, and you pay when someone clicks. In the UK that usually means Google Ads. It fits when you need enquiries this quarter, sell something people already search for, and can afford a fair test budget. It is not a fit if you have no landing page, no budget for a fair test, or want guaranteed results.

Code23 is a strong fit when

  • UK businesses that need enquiries this quarter and sell something people already type into Google.
  • Teams with a live site who can point ads at clear service or product pages.
  • Ecommerce and B2B firms ready to set a test budget and measure cost per enquiry.
  • Owners who want to keep their own Google Ads account and see every change.

We may not be the right fit when

  • Anyone with no landing page or nowhere for the click to go.
  • Anyone with no budget for a fair test of the searches that matter.
  • Anyone wanting a guaranteed number of leads or a fixed cost per lead before the account has been seen.
choosing an agency

Evidence to check before you choose

  • 01 Ask who owns the Google Ads account when the work starts and if you leave.
  • 02 Ask what they charge and how: media spend to Google, management fee, and what is included.
  • 03 Ask what counts as a conversion, and how they prove the tracking is honest.
  • 04 Ask whether you will see every change in the account, not only a monthly PDF.
what we do

Google Ads management, end to end

Search campaigns

Keyword and negative keyword lists, ad copy and extensions, bids and budgets aimed at the searches that can become enquiries.

Google Shopping and Performance Max for ecommerce

Product feeds, Shopping campaigns and Performance Max where ecommerce demand is real and the catalogue can support it.

Landing pages that match the ad

We build the pages the ads land on, so the promise in the ad is the first thing on the page. No homepage dumps.

Conversion tracking and measurement

GA4, Google Ads and PostHog wired so every enquiry is a real conversion. You see what each pound did.

Negative keywords and budget control

Weekly cuts to waste, match-type discipline and spend ceilings so the budget stays on searches worth buying.

Reporting: cost per enquiry, not clicks

A monthly report you can read in five minutes: spend, enquiries, cost per enquiry, and what we change next.

How we work

First we read the account, then we cut the waste

Six steps from a free account review to a monthly report on cost per enquiry. You always know what we measured, what we changed, and what comes next.

Step 1

01 - Read the account and the numbers

We open the Google Ads account, GA4 and the landing pages. Wasted spend, missing tracking and the three changes to make first.

Scanning market
51.4360°N / 1.0651°W 6 signals

Step 2

02 - Agree what a lead is worth

Before we spend more, we agree what an enquiry is worth to you and what a fair test budget looks like.

Spec 02 / grid 8px
Scope locked 1390px

Step 3

03 - Build campaigns and the pages they land on

Search structure, keywords, ads and landing pages that match. You own the account the whole time.

Sprint 03
Working software Week 2

Step 4

04 - Track every enquiry

Conversion tracking in Google Ads, GA4 and the form so cost per enquiry is real, not a guess.

Audit: release 2.4
0 critical 6 checks passed

Step 5

05 - Cut waste weekly

Negatives, search-term reviews and budget moves every week so spend stays on searches that can enquire.

Deploy: production Live
Uptime 100.00% v1.0.0

Step 6

06 - Report cost per enquiry monthly

One report you can read in five minutes: spend, enquiries, cost per enquiry, and what we change next.

Release cadence
v1.0 v1.4 v2.0
Shipping weekly +340%
ads console

One console for spend, enquiries and waste cuts

Sample of how we watch Google Ads work: search terms reviewed, waste cut, conversions tied to spend. Sample data only.

SAMPLE DATA
Ads OS · SAMPLE DATA

Search terms with cost and conversions

Commercial search terms with week-on-week spend and enquiry changes. Sample data for the console fixture.

SAMPLE DATA
Ads console
Search terms reviewed 128 Waste cut 34
agent.spend · watching search terms, conversions and budget
google ads agency uk £42 → £28 CPL
ppc management reading 12 → 19 leads
free website builder jobs Blocked
woocommerce shopping feed Feed live
homepage dump landing Replaced
why code23

Six reasons to trust Code23 with your Google Ads

[ 01 ]

60+ five-star Google reviews

Every one is a named client reviewing us on Google, not a quote we picked. Read them before you book anything, then hold us to the same standard.

[ 02 ]

Budget caps and negative keywords from day one

Daily spend limits, a negative keyword list and conversion tracking go in before the first ad runs, so the account cannot quietly burn money while it learns.

[ 03 ]

350+ projects launched

Websites, SaaS platforms, marketplaces and ecommerce builds shipped for UK businesses. Paid search sits on work we have delivered hundreds of times.

[ 04 ]

Running our own Google Ads campaigns since 2026 with published spend ceilings

We publish the campaign plan, budgets and auction ceilings we use on our own account before we run the same discipline for you.

[ 05 ]

We build the landing pages, so the ad and the page match

The promise in the ad is the first thing on the page. We build those pages in the same codebase that serves your site.

[ 06 ]

Your account stays yours

We work in your Google Ads account. You can see every change, and you keep the account if we stop.

ppc vs seo

PPC vs SEO: which first?

Paid search buys enquiries now. SEO compounds organic demand over time. Here is the job-by-job difference, and when to use each.

When AI consultancy can help and when a business may be ready to build
The signal Google Ads SEO
Speed Traffic and enquiries can start within days of a live campaign. Rankings and organic enquiries usually need months to settle.
What you pay for Each click, plus the management work to keep spend on the right searches. The work to earn rankings: technical fixes, content and links over time.
What you own The Google Ads account, the conversion data and the landing pages we build. The rankings, the content and the technical foundation of the site.
What happens when you stop Paid traffic stops when spend stops. The account and pages remain yours. Organic traffic can keep arriving, though it drifts without ongoing care.
Measurement Spend, clicks, enquiries and cost per enquiry in the ads account and GA4. Rankings, Search Console clicks and organic enquiries over months.
Best for Demand you need this quarter for searches people already type. Compounding organic demand you want to own for years.
Conceptual photograph comparing paid search ads with organic search rankings on a dark desk
the full guide

SEO vs PPC: which should a UK business pay for first?

PPC buys clicks and enquiries while you spend. SEO earns rankings you can keep compounding. Same buyers, different speed, cost and ownership.

Guide · 8 min read

published work

Sites we already build, support and improve

ECOMMERCE GROWTH PARTNERSHIP

A long-term ecommerce partnership delivering 40% sales growth

Williamson Tea

“Pleasure to work with and very happy about the design element, general service and performance of Code23.”

Ed Magor portrait
Ed Magor Director, Williamson Tea
Williamson Tea project

Verified client review

Williamson Tea / Project evidence

In their own words.

“Pleasure to work with and very happy about the design element, general service and performance of Code23.

Full review / 1 paragraph
WEBSITE SUPPORT & GROWTH

An ongoing WordPress partnership for a UK vending leader

Connect Vending
Connect Vending project
PLATFORM EVOLUTION & SUPPORT

A global product platform supported as its catalogue and locales evolve

XP Power
XP Power project

verified reviews

On the record, on Google

Real reviews from our Google Business profile.

Google 60+ reviews →

We've recently completed Phase 1 of a bespoke business valuation tool with James at Code23, and I've been extremely impressed. He has taken the time to understand both the commercial and technical requirements, communicated clearly throughout, and delivered a well-thought-out system with a high level of flexibility. The admin dashboard, in particular, gives us full control over the scoring and valuation logic, which was a key requirement. I'm looking forward to working with James on Phase 2 and would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone looking for bespoke software development – Jason Atkins, Director, Lansley Commercial

Jason Atkins portrait
Jason Atkins Lansley Commercial

We couldn’t be happier with the service from Code23. They were a pleasure to work with—friendly, professional, and really took the time to understand our needs. They met our brief perfectly, delivering a website that looks great and performs exactly as we envisioned, all at excellent value for money. What sets Code23 apart is their aftercare. Knowing they are on hand to monitor and maintain our website means we never have to worry about its performance. Their ongoing support gives us complete peace of mind, and we’d highly recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable and skilled web development team

Dan Isterling portrait
Dan Isterling Premier Community

It has truly been a fantastic experience working with the Code23 team. Every part of the process from the scoping and onboarding down to the design and implementation of our website was handled excellently. The quality of service delivered by the team is globally top standard and I couldn't be more satisfied with the final outcome.

Samuel Elili portrait
Samuel Elili Redwire Group

I have worked with Code23 and their team for over 5 years across 3 different projects ranging from mobile app development to custom WordPress websites. Together the team bring a level of expertise and professionalism I have not seen anywhere else... The results achieved have really helped to grow our business. I highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a custom project to be completed on time and in budget.

Alexander Campbell portrait
Alexander Campbell EnjoyCBD

We worked with Code23 for a complete rebuild of our music related website. Excellent customer service and quality throughout and the build they have now completed is fantastic - exceeded all expectations across the board. Fantastic company with a dynamic and motivated team who are great to work with. Would highly recommend!

Nathan Fullbrook portrait
Nathan Fullbrook Jamma Music

Joe and the team at code23 have done a fantastic job helping us design and build our new website. I feel they really captured the quality of the Draks brand. Would highly recommend.

Louise Sellar portrait
Louise Sellar Draks
About Code23

Reading-based. Shipping since 2005.

Code23 is a Reading, Berkshire agency that has built websites since 2005 and runs Google Ads on our own account with published spend ceilings. We manage paid search on your account, build the landing pages, and report cost per enquiry.

Meet Code23
Est. 2005 Reading, UK Hands-on senior team
The Code23 team working together in the Reading studio
Fig. 01 - The team, Reading studio Theale studio
James, founder of Code23
Fig. 02 - James, founder EST. 2005
A product review session at Code23
Fig. 03 - Product review WK 34 / 2026

guides

Google Ads guides

SEO vs PPC, what paid search costs beside organic, and how we think about enquiries rather than vanity clicks.

View all posts
faq

Google Ads and PPC questions

What is PPC?

PPC means pay-per-click: you bid to show ads on search results, and you pay when someone clicks. In the UK that usually means Google Ads. You choose the searches, write the ads, point them at landing pages, set a budget, then watch clicks, cost and enquiries in the ads account and in your analytics.

How much does Google Ads cost in the UK?

Two separate costs. Ad spend is what you pay Google for clicks; you set it and it goes straight to Google, and how much you need depends on your market and what a lead is worth. Our management fee for running the account is from £1,850 a month, confirmed after the free Google Ads review. The review itself is free and takes 48 hours.

Is PPC worth it?

It is worth it when people already search for what you sell, you can send them to a page that asks for the enquiry, and you can measure cost per enquiry honestly. It is not worth it if tracking is broken, the landing page is the homepage, or the budget cannot cover a fair test of the searches that matter.

How much should I spend on Google Ads to start?

Start with enough to learn: enough clicks on your main commercial searches to see whether enquiries arrive and what they cost. For many UK service firms that means a few hundred pounds a month as a test, not a promise of results. We agree a fair test budget after the review, based on your market and what a lead is worth.

Do you manage the account or own it?

We manage. The Google Ads account stays yours. You can see every change, and you keep the account if we stop. We never lock media spend or conversion data behind an agency-owned account.

What is a good cost per lead?

It depends on what a lead is worth to you and how often leads become customers. We work it out with you: agree the value of an enquiry, measure real conversions, then judge cost per enquiry against that number. There is no single UK figure that fits every market.

Google Ads or SEO first?

Choose Google Ads when you need enquiries this quarter for searches people already type. Choose SEO when you want compounding organic demand you can own for years. Many UK businesses run both: paid search buys pipeline now while SEO builds the pages that earn the same phrases over time. Our SEO vs PPC guide walks through the trade-offs.

Do you do Google Shopping?

Yes. For ecommerce we set up Google Shopping and Performance Max where the product feed and catalogue can support them, alongside search campaigns for the queries that still need text ads.

How quickly can campaigns start?

After the free review and access to the account, a first set of search campaigns and matching landing pages can usually go live within a couple of weeks. Tracking has to be honest before we scale spend. Exact timing depends on what the review finds and how fast approvals land.

get started

Speak to us for your free Google Ads review

The free review reads your account and sends a one-page report on wasted spend, missing conversion tracking and the three changes to make first, within 48 hours. No call needed. Talk to us about managing the account once you have seen the report.