Priya runs “Sweet Dreams Bakery” in Pune. Arjun is her childhood friend who now owns a digital marketing agency in Mumbai. Here’s their detailed conversation that explains well, how Google Ads work:
The Struggle
Priya: “Arjun, I’m really worried. My bakery has been running for 2 years now. We make the most delicious chocolate truffle cakes and traditional mithai, but hardly anyone knows about us. There’s a big chain bakery srore that opened nearby, and they’re taking all our customers.”
Arjun: “Priya, I remember how passionate you were about baking in college. Let me help you. Have you heard of Google Ads?”
Priya: “I’ve heard the name, but I understand that it very expensive? And complicated?” Is that true ?
Arjun: Not really, especially when you understand how it workd. “Let me explain with a simple story. Imagine you’re at Crawford Market in Mumbai on a busy Saturday…”
How Google Ads Works Behind the Scenes
Arjun continues: “In Crawford Market, when someone asks ‘Where can I find fresh roses?’, multiple flower vendors start shouting to get that customer’s attention. Google Ads works similarly, but in a digital way, and much faster and smarter.”
Here’s what happens in just 0.2 seconds after you search in Google :
Step 1: The Search • Rahul in Pune searches “best birthday cake delivery near me” • Google identifies this as a high-intent purchase query for someone wanting to buy birthday cakes
Step 2: The Auction• Your bakery ad competes with few other local bakeries • Google checks: your bid amount, ad quality, website relevance • It’s not just about highest bidder – Google rewards relevant, useful ads
Step 3: The Display • Winner gets top position above organic results • Your ad shows: “Sweet Dreams Bakery – Fresh Birthday Cakes Delivered in 2 Hours”
Step 4: The Payment • You only pay ₹25 when Rahul clicks your ad • If 100 people see your ad but only 3 click, you pay for just 3 clicks, ie ₹ 75
Priya: “So it’s like having a smart salesperson who only charges when they bring interested customers to my door?”
Arjun: “Exactly! And unlike that salesperson getting paid for only shouting in the market about your cakes. Your ‘digital salesperson’ knows exactly who’s looking for cakes right now.”
Real-World Example: Priya’s First Campaign
Arjun: “Let me show you what happened with Kavya’s boutique in Bangalore. She was in the same situation as you.”
Kavya’s Story: • Business: Custom sarees and lehengas • Problem: Only 2-3 customers per month from word-of-mouth • Solution: Started Google Ads targeting “wedding lehenga Bangalore” • Investment: ₹15,000 per month • Results in first month: 23 inquiries, 8 orders, ₹1,20,000 revenue
Priya: “That sounds too good to be true!”
Arjun: “I’ll be honest – it didn’t work immediately. First week, she got clicks but no orders. It’s like people walking into your shop, but did not buy.
We realized her website took too long to load and didn’t show prices clearly. Also the images on her website were not that impressive , so we changed to the ones which looked way more appealing. After fixing that, orders started flowing.”
BUT, Is Google Ads Right for Your Bakery?
Priya: “But how do I know if it’ll work for my bakery specifically?”
Arjun: “Great question! Let’s check the ‘Google Ads Readiness Test’ for your business:”
✅ Search Demand Check:• Are people in your area, searching on Google for cakes ? Here’s what it looks like ( this data can be got for FREE from Google )
“Birthday cake Pune” – 2,300 monthly searches • “Wedding cake near me” – 1,800 monthly searches • “Online cake delivery” – 4,100 monthly searches
Verdict: High demand exists!
✅ Business Readiness Check: • Can you handle 20-30 more orders per month? • Do you have delivery system in place? • Is your website mobile-friendly? • Can you invest ₹12,000-18,000 monthly for 3 months?
If you answer yes to the above, then you are likely to grow your business via Google Ads
Google Ads vs Other Digital Marketing channels, like Facebook / Insta / etc
Google Ads = Fishing in a pond full of hungry fish • People searching “cake delivery now” want to buy TODAY • High purchase intent = better conversion rates • It’s Like setting up shop outside a wedding hall during wedding season or setting a medicine shop inside the hospital
Facebook/Instagram Ads = Teaching fish to be hungry • Showing cake photos to people scrolling casually • Building brand awareness over time • Like putting up a billboard on a highway – people see it but aren’t necessarily hungry
YouTube Ads = Entertainment fishing • People watching videos for fun, not shopping • Good for brand building, slower for sales
WhatsApp Marketing = Direct fishing • Works if you already have customer numbers • Great for repeat customers, limited for new customer acquisition
Google Ads “similar to” Demand Fulfilment vs Other forms of Digital Ads “similar to” Demand Generation
The Implementation Journey
Priya: “OK, I’m convinced. But how do we actually start?”
Arjun: “Here’s exactly what we need to do for your Sweet Dreams Bakery:”
Week 1-2: Foundation • Fix website loading speed (2 seconds from current 8 seconds) • Add clear pricing, delivery areas, phone number • Set up Google My Business properly and order taking website page • Created 5 ad campaigns targeting different cake types
Week 3-4: Testing Phase • Start with ₹400/day budget • Test 12 different ad headlines • Tracked which keywords brought actual orders (not just clicks) • For example, you may discover that people searching for “sugar-free cakes” had highest conversion rate
Month 2-3: Optimization • Once you know what kind of search keywords get maximum customers, increase budget for profitable keywords • Paused campaigns for keywords that weren’t working . Probably people were just looking for information • Added negative keywords (filtered out “free cake recipe” searches) • Created separate campaigns for festivals (Diwali, Christmas) where festival discounts can be given
Advanced Strategies That Made the Difference
Arjun: “The real magic will happen when we you further start more strategic targeting / segementing of your customers :”
Location-Based Magic: • Target people within 7km radius during regular days • Extend to 15km radius during festivals • Higher bids for premium locations like Koregaon Park
Time-Based Intelligence: • Increase Google bids by 40% during evening hours (6-9 PM) so your ads get seen more often during that time • Boost weekend campaigns (wedding cake orders) • Special campaigns during festival seasons
Emotional Targeting: • “Last-minute birthday cake” – emergency orders (higher prices) • “Anniversary cake delivery” – premium positioning • “Kids birthday cake” – fun, colorful designs focus
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Priya: “What mistakes do most bakeries make with Google Ads?”
Arjun: “I see these 5 mistakes repeatedly:”
❌ Mistake 1: Targeting too broad (“cake” instead of “birthday cake delivery Pune”) ❌ Mistake 2: Sending traffic to homepage instead of specific cake category page ❌ Mistake 3: Not tracking phone calls (many customers call instead of ordering online) ❌ Mistake 4: Giving up after 2 weeks if no immediate results ❌ Mistake 5: Not responding quickly to inquiries (customers order elsewhere)
Investment Reality Check
Priya: “Be honest – how much should I really budget?”
Arjun: “Here’s the realistic investment breakdown:”
Minimum Starting Budget: • Google Ads: ₹15,000/month • Website improvements: ₹25,000 (one-time) • Professional photos: ₹8,000 (one-time) • Management (if outsourced): ₹12,000/month
Expected Timeline: • Month 1: Learning phase, break-even if lucky • Month 2: Start seeing positive ROI • Month 3+: Profitable scaling
Priya: “That’s less than what I was paying for newspaper ads that nobody reads!”
The Bigger Picture
6 months later, Priya calls Arjun:
Priya: “You won’t believe this! We’re now supplying cakes to 3 hotels in Pune. A food blogger with 50K followers ordered from us and posted a review. We’re opening a second location next month!”
Arjun: “That’s the power of being found by the right people at the right time. Google Ads didn’t just bring you customers – it brought you business growth opportunities you never imagined.”
Key Takeaways for Any Business
1. Intent Matters Most • Google Ads connects you with people actively searching for your product • Higher conversion rates than any other digital platform
2. Start Small, Scale Smart • Begin with ₹15,000/month budget • Test, learn, optimize, then increase investment
3. Beyond Just Sales • Builds brand recognition in your local area • Creates opportunities for partnerships and bulk orders • Establishes you as a market leader
4. Measurable Everything • Track every rupee spent and every rupee earned • No guesswork – clear data on what works
5. Competitive Advantage • Many local businesses still don’t use Google Ads properly • First-mover advantage in your area
The Bottom Line
Priya’s advice to other small business owners: “Google Ads isn’t just advertising – it’s like having a crystal ball that shows you exactly who wants to buy from you, when they want to buy, and how much they’re willing to spend. It transformed my small bakery into the most sought-after cake destination in Pune.”
If traditional marketing is like throwing pamphlets from a helicopter hoping someone interested will pick them up, Google Ads is like having a personal assistant who finds people looking for exactly what you offer and brings them directly to your store with money in hand.