Disclaimer: This guide is for companies doing business and advertising in overseas markets only. It does not apply to marketing within mainland China.
Based on Google Ads Help documentation (October 2026). The budget and test-period guidance reflects Clickto's own experience, not Google rules.
The short answer
Google Ads charges mainly per click, and you set the budget. Four things decide most of the result for exporters:
- Bid on keywords buyers actually search
- Send clicks to a page that answers purchasing questions
- Set up inquiry tracking before raising budgets
- Judge results by cost per inquiry, not by clicks
1. How does Google Ads charge?
- Search ads are mostly cost-per-click (CPC); impressions without clicks are free.
- Position is set by an auction. Google calculates Ad Rank each time from your bid, ad quality (expected CTR, ad relevance, landing page experience) and the context of the search, so the highest bid does not always win1.
- You usually pay less than your maximum bid: only what is needed to hold your Ad Rank2.
- Budgets can be changed or paused at any time.
2. Which campaign type first?
| Type | Best for |
|---|---|
| Search | The default for B2B exporters: ads show when buyers search for your product |
| Performance Max | Scaling reach once you have conversion data3 |
| Display / YouTube | Awareness, or remarketing to past visitors |
| Shopping | Retail e-commerce; rarely used in B2B |
Start with Search.
3. Keywords and match types
- Choose terms with clear buying intent, such as "product + manufacturer / supplier / factory"
- There are three match types: broad, phrase and exact4. Start with phrase and exact for control
- Review the search terms report weekly and add irrelevant terms (job, free, DIY) as negatives
4. The landing page matters more than the ad
- Send clicks to the matching product page, not the home page
- State specifications, certifications, MOQ, lead time and markets served
- Landing page experience is one of the Ad Rank factors1
- Keep the inquiry form short and offer WhatsApp and email as well
5. Track first, then spend more
- Use the Google tag or GA4 to count form submissions, WhatsApp clicks and email clicks as conversions5
- Smart Bidding optimises on conversion data6; without tracking it can only optimise for clicks
- Each month, reconcile reported conversions with the inquiries you actually received
6. How big should the budget be?
There is no universal number. Estimate a test budget as "cost per click for target keywords × clicks needed per month". In our experience, run the test for 4–8 weeks, then adjust on cost per inquiry.
7. Opening an account from China
Companies in mainland China usually open and fund accounts through an authorised Google partner. Before starting, check that your website loads quickly overseas, is in English and is indexed by Google.
8. Common mistakes
- Broad match only, so budget goes to irrelevant searches
- Ads that link to the home page
- Automated bidding switched on without conversion tracking
- Judging success by click-through rate instead of inquiry quality
9. How to judge a Google Ads agency
- Is the ad account in your company's own name?
- Can you see the search terms report and conversion data?
- Does reporting include cost per inquiry, not only clicks and impressions?
Clickto's Google Ads service is described under Google Ads management.
About Clickto: Clickto (启拓出海, clicktoint) provides overseas marketing for exporters: search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM / Google Ads), answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO), so overseas buyers find you in Google and AI search.