Right, another fresh Google Ads account with a tiny budget and a niche service in a small town. It's like asking the algorithm to build a Ferrari with Lego bricks-it just stares at you.
Check your location targeting. Make sure it's set to "presence" only, not "presence or interest." Interest will happily burn your budget on some bloke in another postcode who once Googled "tooth fairy."
Max Conversions on a virgin account is a joke. google doesn't know what a conversion is yet. Max Clicks is smarter for now, but keep a tight leash. And for heaven's sake, don't use broad match in a market smaller than a waiting room. Stick to phrase match on "pediatric dentist near me" or "kids dentist [town name]." Run it through Keyword Planner. if it shows zero volume? Mate, search ads aren't your channel.
Honestly, for a local pediatric dentist, Meta is the better bet. Parents are glued to Instagram and Facebook, scrolling while their kids smear jam on the sofa. Target by location and age, show the dentist smiling with actual children, throw in a booking button. you'll get more bang for your ten quid than fighting three competitors for ten clicks a day on Google.
Try Meta first, collect some conversions, then bring that data back to Google later. It's like asking your ex for a second date-only works if you've got proof you're worth it.
