Realistic monthly budgets by objective
Phase 1: Test (30 days)
- Budget: $500-2,000
- Goal: Validate that ads generate leads
- Expected leads: 5-20
Phase 2: Scale (90 days)
- Budget: $2,000-5,000/month
- Goal: Generate consistent leads
- Expected leads: 20-50/month
Phase 3: Optimize (6+ months)
- Budget: $5,000-15,000/month
- Goal: Dominate your market
- Expected leads: 50-150/month
Budget by industry
| Industry | Recommended Monthly Budget |
|---|---|
| Local services (plumbing, HVAC) | $2,000-5,000 |
| SaaS / Software | $5,000-15,000 |
| E-commerce | $3,000-10,000 |
| B2B Services | $5,000-20,000 |
ROI expectations
- Month 1: Break-even or negative (learning phase)
- Month 2-3: 1-2x ROI typical
- Month 4+: 2-5x ROI with optimization
Related guides
- Cost per lead benchmarks by industry
- Google Ads for contractors: strategy guide
- PPC vs SEO: Cost comparison
- Google Ads management services