Yes, Australian businesses can absolutely run Google Ads campaigns themselves. Google Ads is a self-service, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform where you bid on keywords to display your ads to potential customers searching on Google Search, YouTube, and across the Google Display Network.
As of December 2025, the platform operates on an auction system. Advertisers set bids, and Google determines ad placement based on that bid amount, ad quality, and relevance to the user’s search query. Campaign structures now include Performance Max campaigns, which utilise Google’s AI to optimise bids and ad placements across all Google advertising channels. Smart Bidding strategies, like Target CPA and Target ROAS, are widely available and leverage machine learning. Google Ads Editor, a downloadable desktop application, allows for bulk edits and offline campaign management. Australian businesses are subject to the same Google Ads policies as global advertisers, including those relating to prohibited content and advertising financial products. Pricing is determined by your bids and the competition for keywords; there are no upfront platform fees, but ad spend is charged per click or impression. In 2026, Google is rolling out enhanced conversion modelling features to provide more accurate data even with limited conversion volume.
Ultimately, Google Ads functions as an automated auction system where advertisers compete for ad space based on bids, quality, and relevance.
