3 - Google Ads Hacks to Save You Min 50%

In New Zealand, Google Ads costs break down like this -

• NZD $1.00 – $3.00 per click for low-competition keywords
• NZD $5.00 – $11.00 per click for medium-competition keywords
• NZD $12.00 – $20.00+ per click for highly competitive keywords

But here’s the good news—there are 3 hacks you can use to slash those costs and stretch your budget further.

1. Improve Your Quality Score - Save up to 50%

Think of Google Ads like an auction. Two florists are both bidding for the same customer searching “bouquet of red roses 15% special offer.”

• Good example - The ad headline says “Bouquet of Red Roses – 15% Off Today,” and the landing page shows the same bouquet with the 15% discount front and center plus a big “Buy Now” button. The message is consistent, so Google rewards that ad with cheaper clicks.

• Bad example - The ad promises “Bouquet of Red Roses – 15% Off Today,” but when the customer clicks, the landing page talks about “Red Rose Garden Plants” and makes no mention of the 15% discount. That disconnect frustrates the customer, lowers click-through rates, and signals to Google that your ad isn’t relevant—so your cost per click goes up.

When your ad, keyword, and landing page all match perfectly, it’s like getting a “loyal customer discount” from Google. A strong Quality Score can cut your ad costs by up to 50%, meaning you could pay $5 while your competitor pays $10 for the exact same click.

2. Target High-Volume, Low-Competition Keywords

Picture a busy farmer’s market. Everyone is crowding around the strawberries, driving prices sky-high. But a few stalls over, the blueberries are just as fresh—hardly anyone’s there, and they cost half as much. That’s what low-competition, high-volume keywords are: the bargains of Google Ads.

Most advertisers waste money fighting over the obvious “strawberries.” Smart business owners look for those overlooked “blueberries” that bring in plenty of customers for a fraction of the price.

You can uncover these gems using tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs. Filter for keywords that lots of people search for but fewer competitors bid on.

Long-tail keywords like “emergency plumber Auckland” instead of just “plumber” are cheaper, more specific, and often bring in customers who are ready to buy right now.

3. Use a Funnel or Landing Page (Not Your Website)

Imagine you invite someone into a supermarket to buy milk. Instead of walking them straight to the fridge, you let them wander through every aisle—cereal, toys, cleaning supplies.

By the time they get to the milk, they’re distracted or they’ve left. That’s exactly what happens when you send ad traffic to your homepage.

A landing page or funnel is like walking that person straight to the milk fridge—no distractions, no other aisles. That’s why businesses see up to 6X more conversions when they use dedicated pages instead of their general websites.

To build one, try platforms like ClickFunnels, Leadpages, or even simple WordPress landing page plugins. Keep the page focused on just one action—buy now, book a call, or sign up. Strip away menus and links that take people elsewhere.

Get a free 30-minute strategy session for Google Ads Management for your Christchurch business