Industry · Small Businesses & The Self-Employed

Freelance Google Ads & Meta Ads For Small Businesses

You carry the whole business and your ad budget has to pay off: advertising should bring in customers and show what each euro brings back.

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Google PartnerSuperMalter (top 10%)61 five-star reviews on Malt and LinkedIn100+ clients

Businesses In The EU, In Numbers

Businesses as Eurostat measures them, all sizes together: the average number of people per business shows how small most of them are. Then the month when customers search Google most for a place nearby, a quote or a business that is open.

Industry, Construction And Market Services
NACE code B-S
Industry, construction and market services (except public administration and defence; compulsory social security; activities of membership organisations)
34,188,564 companies in the EU
Eurostat publishes no final figure for this country.
- 4.9 people per company on average
- 10.4% of companies created during the year

Source: Eurostat, business demography (dataset bd_size), EU-27, NACE code B-S, 2024 data updated on 2 October 2026. See the raw data. People per company: calculated from the number of people employed and the number of companies published by Eurostat.

The Google Search Calendar

Index 100 = the most searched month of each line. Searches in the United Kingdom, in English, from October 2025 to September 2026.

Local Searches
Quote Requests
Open Now

Most searched month: local searches in March, quote requests in January and March, open now in December. Local Searches: March brings 9 times the searches of October.

Source: Google Ads Keyword Planner, monthly search volumes in the United Kingdom, in English, from October 2025 to September 2026, retrieved on 14 October 2026 from Théo Maupilé's Google Ads account. Searches measured: “near me”, “nearby”, “near me now”, “close to me”, “free quote”, “free estimate”, “request a quote”, “open now”, “open today”, “open on sunday” and “open sunday”. Method: each line adds up its searches, then takes the value 100 in its highest month. Google rounds the volumes it returns: the line shows the rhythm of demand, not an exact volume.

See the chart data

Month	Local Searches	Quote Requests	Open Now
October 2025	11	99	61
November 2025	39	90	55
December 2025	16	73	100
January 2026	68	100	60
February 2026	32	86	42
March 2026	100	100	46
April 2026	68	85	68
May 2026	68	85	58
June 2026	68	81	49
July 2026	71	71	54
August 2026	69	82	56
September 2026	69	70	49

The Price Of A Click At The Top Of Google

What advertisers paid to appear at the top of the results, for the most searched query of each line, in the United Kingdom.

Local Searches “near me”€0.70 to €4.48
Quote Requests “free quote”€6.38 to €24.88
Open Now “open now”€0.51 to €1.52

Source: Google Ads Keyword Planner, top of page bid, low range and high range, in euros, in the United Kingdom, retrieved on 14 October 2026 from Théo Maupilé's Google Ads account. According to Google, the range runs from the 20th to the 80th bid out of 100: about 6 bids in 10 fall between the two amounts. It is an observed range, not a price list: the price of each click is set in an auction.

Small Businesses & The Self-Employed · United Kingdom

Where Is Your Audience?

Your audience moves from one app to the next within the same day: they search on Google, watch YouTube, browse Discover and Gmail, scroll Instagram and Facebook, ask ChatGPT for advice. Tap an app to see where your ad meets them, and what the ad platforms measure in your industry.

SearchingGoogle · Maps
WatchingYouTube
DiscoveringDiscover · Gmail · Web
ScrollingFacebook · Instagram
AskingChatGPT

Searchinggoogle.com · Google app

Google

They type their need in their own words. This is when intent is at its clearest: your ad answers a question they have just asked.

880searches a month for “free quote”, in the UK

Searches a month in your industry, in the UK

“free quote”880

“near me”110,000

“open now”2,400

Source: Google Keyword Planner, searches in the United Kingdom, in English, monthly average from October 2025 to September 2026, estimated and rounded by Google, pulled on 14 October 2026.

Where Your Ad Appears

Google Search results
Google Images
Google Maps and the Maps app

Source: Google Ads Help, where Search ads can appear, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Found On Google

SearchingGoogle Maps · Maps app

Google MapsSearching Nearby

They look for a place near them and compare options on the map. Your ad shows your address and phone number, beside, above or below the search results.

4 networkswhere location assets can show your address: the Search Network, the Display Network, YouTube and Google Maps

Where Your Ad Appears

Search results on Google Maps
Maps app
Search Network, with your address and phone number

Source: Google Ads Help, about location assets, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Found On Maps

Watchingyoutube.com · YouTube app

YouTube

They watch a video they chose. Your ad plays before or during that video, or shows up in their suggestions: your brand gets known before the need is put into words.

6 sthe bumper format: a short message your audience sees in full

Where Your Ad Appears

Before or during a video (in-stream)
Home feed, search and suggestions (in-feed)
YouTube Shorts
6-second bumper

Source: Google Ads Help, video ad formats, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Seen On YouTube

DiscoveringGoogle app · Discover feed

Discover

They browse the feed of articles and videos the Google app suggests. Your ad slips in as one card among the others: they discover your offer before they even look for it.

3 feedsa single Demand Gen campaign places your ad in Discover, in Gmail and in YouTube’s feeds

Where Your Ad Appears

Discover feed
Gmail inbox
YouTube home and “What to watch next”

Source: Google Ads Help, campaign types, read on 16 October 2026.

Show Up In Discover

Discoveringgmail.com · Gmail app

GmailReading Emails

They open their inbox. Your ad shows among their messages, with your brand as the sender and your offer as the subject.

4Google Ads campaign types can place your ad in Gmail: Display, Shopping, Demand Gen and Performance Max

Where Your Ad Appears

Gmail inbox

Source: Google Ads Help, campaign types, read on 16 October 2026.

Show Up In Gmail

Discoveringmillions of websites and apps

Websites and appsReading An Article

They read an article or use an app. Your banner shows next to the content: your brand stays top of mind, and people who already visited your site see you again.

Millionsof websites and apps where a Display campaign can show your ad, on top of YouTube

Where Your Ad Appears

Websites
Mobile apps
YouTube

Source: Google Ads Help, create a Display campaign, read on 16 October 2026.

Stay Visible Across The Web

Scrollingfacebook.com · Facebook app

FacebookCatching Up

They catch up with friends, groups and their local area. Your ad slots into that feed, or into Marketplace when they look for something nearby.

35.2 to 41.5 millionpeople aged 18 and over reachable in the UK on Facebook

The whole country’s audience, platform by platform

Instagram31.1 to 36.6 million

Facebook35.2 to 41.5 million

Source: Meta, audience size estimate from the Marketing API, one platform at a time (reach optimisation), aged 18 and over, United Kingdom, pulled on 16 October 2026. A Meta estimate, best read as an order of magnitude.

Where Your Ad Appears

Feed
Stories
Marketplace
Video feed
Search results

Source: Meta, Marketing API, placement targeting, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Seen On Facebook

Scrollinginstagram.com · Instagram app

Instagram

They scroll their feed, stories and reels to unwind. The image takes the first step: your offer gets discovered here, and people who already visited your site find you again.

31.1 to 36.6 millionpeople aged 18 and over reachable in the UK on Instagram

The whole country’s audience, platform by platform

Instagram31.1 to 36.6 million

Facebook35.2 to 41.5 million

Where Your Ad Appears

Feed
Stories
Reels
Explore
Search results

Source: Meta, Marketing API, placement targeting, read on 16 October 2026.

Get Discovered On Instagram

Askingchatgpt.com · ChatGPT app

ChatGPT

They ask their question and read a full answer. The ad appears below that answer when the topic of the conversation matches what you offer: the need is already detailed, constraints included.

31European countries in the expansion announced by OpenAI, France and Spain included

Where Your Ad Appears

Below the answer, in the conversation

Source: OpenAI, ad platform documentation, conversation context targeting, Expansion and eligibility pulled on 1 September 2026, targeting read again on 16 October 2026.

Be Present On ChatGPT

Small Business Marketing With Google Ads & Meta Ads

I'm Théo, a freelance Paid Media specialist with 100+ clients on Google Ads & Meta Ads. These clients are small and medium-sized businesses and larger companies, in France and in Spain. A small business needs the same care as a large account, with a budget that has to pay off before it grows: campaigns focused on what you sell best, and measurement that ties each euro to the leads it brings in. I work directly with you.

The 3 Paid Media Projects For Small Businesses

An Owner Who Does Everything

In the EU, more than 94% of businesses in industry, construction and market services employ fewer than 10 people (Eurostat, 2024). You sell, deliver and manage at the same time, so advertising has to run on clear decisions that take little of your time.

Know What Each Euro Brings Back

In a small business, an ad budget is weighed like a new hire or new equipment. Calls, quote requests and sales are linked to the campaign that brought them, so you decide on real numbers.

Competing With Larger Companies

On the same Google searches, you meet companies with much bigger budgets. Your strength is elsewhere, in your area and your specialty: campaigns focus on that ground.

The Method, Applied To Small Businesses

1
Choosing The Offers To Push
What you sell, to whom, in which area and with what margin: together we pick the offers that deserve the budget.
2
Every Contact Counted
Call, form, quote request, online purchase: every contact is counted and linked to the campaign that brought it.
3
Few Campaigns, Well Targeted
One campaign per offer and per area, so the budget stays where you sell best.
4
A Budget Steered With You
A daily budget decided together, then moved week after week toward the offers that bring in the most.

Start With Your Numbers (Free Tools)

Google Ads Cost Estimator →

What your budget can buy in clicks, leads and cost per customer, before you launch the first campaign.

Marketing ROI Calculator →

What each euro spent on advertising brings back, calculated on your margin.

Calculate All My Numbers

Frequently Asked Questions From Small Businesses

How Do I Keep Control Of My Google Ads Budget?

You set an average daily budget for each campaign, and you can change it at any time. For most campaigns, Google never charges more than twice that budget on a single day, or more than 30.4 times that budget in a month. I recommend starting with one or two offers and a precise area, then raising the budget on what brings in customers.

When Should A Small Business Spend More On Ads?

Before the peak: the calendar above shows that in the UK, people search most for places nearby in March, and for quotes in January and March. Your own calendar matters more. I prefer to set the budget around the months when you sell the most, with campaigns ramping up a few weeks before.

Does The Method Work If I'm Self-Employed Or Run A Very Small Business?

Yes. In its Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003, the European Commission defines an SME as a business that employs fewer than 250 people, with an annual turnover of up to 50 million euros or an annual balance sheet total of up to 43 million euros. A micro-enterprise employs fewer than 10 people, with a turnover or balance sheet of up to 2 million euros. The same Recommendation names self-employed persons among enterprises: if you work alone, your business is a micro-enterprise as long as it stays within these limits. From one size to the other, what changes is the number of offers to push and the time you can give.

How Much Of My Time Do The Campaigns Take?

At the start, you give me access to your accounts, and I send you my onboarding document to go into the detail of your business, your market and your positioning. Then I build the strategy and run the campaigns. On your side, the most useful thing is to tell me what happens to the leads you receive, because that is what shows what each euro brings back.

What Happens After You Click

1
7 Questions
A short form: your website, your budget, your goal. Two minutes is all it takes.
2
A 20-Min Call
You walk me through what has already been done, your goals and your challenges. Then we look at how we can work together.
3
Your Access And My Onboarding
You give me access to your accounts, and I send you my onboarding document to go into the detail of your business, your market and your positioning.
4
Building Your Strategy
We start building your strategy from everything you have shared with me.
5
Our Day-To-Day Communication
I adapt to your team's tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gmail or Google Chat for the roadmap and project follow-up. WhatsApp is kept for urgent requests.
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
- Gmail
- Google Chat
- WhatsApp

Let's Talk About Your Company

You walk me through what has already been done, your goals and your challenges. Then we look at how we can work together.

Grow My Small Business

20 minutes
No strings attached
Reply within 24h

Google PartnerSuperMalter (top 10%)61 five-star reviews on Malt and LinkedIn100+ clients

Freelance Google Ads & Meta Ads For Small Businesses

Businesses In The EU, In Numbers