Kestrel sets up and manages search campaigns, Local Services Ads where available, and your Google Business Profile for independent RIAs.
Google Ads puts your firm in front of people already searching for an advisor. Kestrel sets up and manages search campaigns, Local Services Ads where available, and your Google Business Profile for independent RIAs, and reports on qualified inquiries instead of clicks.
Someone who types "fee-only financial planner near me" or "RIA for business owners" has already decided to look for help. Google Ads places your firm in that moment, in the markets where you serve clients.
Search Ads are text ads at the top of the results page and suit firms that want to reach a defined market or drive visits to a specific page. Local Services Ads appear in a different format, with Google's screening and verification behind them, and suit firms serving a local area. We recommend one starting format and revisit it as results come in.
A click is easy to count. We report on what your team cares about: inquiries that fit your ideal client, booked first meetings, and cost per meeting.
Ad spend is paid directly to Google and is separate from our management fee. We recommend a starting budget after reviewing your markets and goals.
Ad copy and landing pages go to your compliance reviewer before launch. We target the states and metro areas where your firm is registered to serve clients, and your team confirms that list before we build.
Independent, fee-only RIAs with a defined ideal client, a website that can convert, and a team ready to answer new inquiries promptly.
How much should a financial advisor spend on Google Ads? The right budget depends on your markets, your ideal client, and how much one new household is worth to the firm. Kestrel recommends a starting budget after reviewing those factors.
What is the difference between Google Search Ads and Local Services Ads? Search Ads are text ads that appear when someone searches a phrase you bid on. Local Services Ads appear at the top of local results with Google's screening and verification behind them. Search Ads reach a defined market, and Local Services Ads reach people searching for local providers.
Does a financial advisor need a Google Business Profile? A Google Business Profile helps your firm appear in Google Maps and local search results with accurate information. Kestrel sets up and verifies the profile, and your firm completes the verification steps Google requires.
Who owns the Google Ads account? Your firm owns the account and the billing. Kestrel manages it on your behalf.
How long before Google Ads produce inquiries? Ads can start producing inquiries once they launch. The first months go toward learning which keywords and messages bring the right people, and we agree on the review dates with you before launch.
What counts as a qualified inquiry? We define a qualified inquiry with you before launch, based on your ideal client's investable assets, location, and service needs. That definition drives how we tag leads and report results.
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A 30-minute call with Sarah Falcon. We talk through where your clients come from today and where you want growth to come from.
Last updated 2026-10-08
Sarah Falcon leads Kestrel and has spent 20+ years in marketing across technology, B2B, direct-to-consumer, and financial services. Sarah on LinkedIn