Follow these steps to set up your Google Ads account:
1.) Go to Google Ads
Open https://ads.google.com/ in a new tab of your browser – you should see a blue “Start now” button.
2.) Sign in using your Google (Gmail) account
Use the Google / Gmail account you want to associate with your business; if you don’t have one, create one.
3.) Start the setup process
After signing in, Google will typically prompt you to create a first campaign (“guided” setup). This is where you need to opt out if possible.
4.) Switch to Expert Mode (if prompted)
On the setup screen, look for a small link that says “Switch to Expert Mode” (sometimes shown as “Are you a professional marketer?”). Click that to bypass the guided setup.
If you don’t see an option to skip, continue by setting up a “dummy campaign” with basic details until you can get to the Google Ads account dashboard.
5.) Select “Create an account without a campaign”
Once in Expert Mode, you should have the option to “Create an account without a campaign” – choose that to avoid launching ads right away.
6.) Enter required account / billing information
Pick your billing country, time zone, and currency – be sure these are correct, because they cannot be changed later.
Enter payment/billing information if required (Google may ask for a payment method even if you’re not turning ads on immediately).
Fill in any business information (business name, address, etc.) as prompted.
7.) Submit & finish – you’ll land in your Google Ads dashboard
Once you submit and finish the setup, you should be able to access your Ads dashboard and your new account – even if there’s no active campaign yet.
8.) Find and send your 10-digit Google Ads Account ID
In the top-right corner of the dashboard, you’ll see a 10-digit account ID. Copy that and send it to theclickhatch@gmail.com so we can link your account to ours. You still own the account, this just allows us to manage your Google Ads on your behalf.
9.) Add / confirm payment info in Billing section
While you may have already entered payment info, it’s good to double-check under “Billing & payments” to make sure your billing profile is ready.
Important Notes & Realities to Watch For (2026 Update):
-
The ability to skip creating a campaign during initial setup used to exist reliably, but some of our clients have mentioned that the option is harder to find or missing altogether.
-
Clients who don’t see the skip option can simply create a dummy campaign (basic minimal inputs + $1/day budget), then pause or delete it right away – the goal is just to get into the account and get the account ID.
-
Google’s billing requirements now seem stricter: several clients have reported that you can’t complete account setup without adding a payment method first.
-
Because of recent Google Ads interface updates, what shows up for “Smart Mode / Expert Mode / guided setup / campaign wizard” may vary depending on region, account history, or whether you’re using a standard Gmail vs. a business/work Google account.
