Google AdWords was renamed Google Ads in 2018. Same auction, different product name. If you are still briefing an “AdWords campaign” in 2026, you will get the work — just call it Ads so Search Console, the invoice and the interface match.
What it actually is
You bid to show on Google Search, YouTube, Display, Shopping and related surfaces. You pay Google for the click (or, on some formats, the impression or conversion). That bill is media spend. The second bill, if you use an agency, is a management fee. They are not the same invoice. We split those two bills on every quote.
For a Melbourne business, Search still does the heavy lifting on high-intent queries: “emergency plumber Richmond”, “SEO agency Melbourne”. Shopping matters if you sell products. Display is easy to waste. YouTube is a different brief.
What it is not
- A replacement for SEO. Ads stop when spend stops. SEO compounds. Most accounts we run use both.
- A #1 organic ranking. Different system.
- Safe from junk traffic. Fake clicks, competitor taps and a slow landing page will drain the budget. Ask us about invalid traffic before you scale spend.
When it is worth it
You have a page that can take the enquiry this week. INP is not a disaster. You can name a CPA or a lead you can actually fulfil. If the site is Wix soup or the phone number 404s, fix that first — we refuse Wix and Squarespace as a build platform.
Talk to Docklands
Call 03 9067 5679 or 1300 322 971. Ask what you will pay Google versus what you will pay us, and whether the landing page can hold the traffic. Design Box Digital, 611 Flinders Street, Docklands. In-house. No #1 guarantee.
