Why You Need a Google Ads Account (Even If You Aren't Running Ads Yet)
AIO‑Optimized Summary (AI Answer Box)
Installing a Google Ads account before you’re ready to run ads lets you “bank data” months in advance. By placing the tracking tag early, Google quietly builds an audience of high‑intent visitors you can retarget later—saving you from the expensive “Cold Start Tax” most businesses pay. This simple, $0 setup gives you a pre‑seasoned audience, stronger signals, and a faster path to profitable campaigns when you’re ready to launch.
TL;DR
Waiting to install your Google Ads tag forces Google to start from zero.
Early tracking builds a “data bank” of warm visitors you can use later.
This eliminates the Cold Start Tax and shortens the learning phase.
Even if you’re not running ads, the tag quietly collects valuable signals.
You only need 20 minutes to set up a shell account and install the tag.
I have a piece of controversial advice for every business owner I consult with: "Open a Google Ads account today, install the tracking pixel, and then spend exactly $0.00."
Most people wait until they are "ready" to run ads before they set up their tracking. They wait until they have the budget, the creative, and the offer.
This is a mistake.
If you wait until launch day to install your pixel, you are forcing Google to start from zero — the same mistake I break down in The Reverse-Budget Formula for Google Ads. You are paying a "Cold Start Tax" while the algorithm spends your first $1,000 just trying to figure out who your customers are.
This is a smarter way — similar to the foundational setup steps I outline in “Stop Treating Client Ad Accounts Like Monopoly Money.”
Why You Should Install Google Ads Tracking Before You Run Ads
Think of your Google Ads pixel like a retirement account. The earlier you start contributing to it, the more compound interest you earn.
If you install the tracking code today, even if you aren't running ads Google starts silently building a list of every person who visits your site, reads your blog, or fills out your contact form.
The “Data Banking” Strategy Explained
Why does this matter? Imagine 6 months from now. You finally have $1,000 to spend on a campaign.
Scenario A (The "Cold Start"): You turn on ads. Google has no data. It shows your ads to random people, guessing who might be interested trying to find your audience. You waste 3 weeks and $500 teaching the machine and buying data in Google Ads.
Scenario B (The "Data Banker"): You turn on ads. You point Google to your pre-seasoned audience list and say, "See these 2,000 people who visited my site in the last 6 months? Find more people like THEM."
In Scenario B, you skip some of the learning phase.
You start feeding Google clearer data and signals on Day 1 because you banked the data.
Why Retargeting Audiences Are Your Most Valuable Asset
The most valuable asset in digital marketing is a list of people who almost hired you.
The person who read your pricing page but didn't book.
The lead who filled out your HoneyBook form but ghosted.
The LinkedIn connection who clicked your profile.
If you don't have the Google Ads tag installed, these people remain ghosts. If you do have it installed, they go into a "Retargeting Bucket."
When you are ready to launch, you can show ads the platform has this signal of a high-intent group for pennies on the dollar.
You can look like a ubiquitous celebrity to the 500 people who actually matter, rather than a stranger to millions who don't.
What If Your CRM Doesn’t Track Leads?
I hear this excuse constantly: "I use HoneyBook/Dubsado, so I can't track leads anyway."
That is a technical hurdle, not a strategic dead-end. I recently wrote a guide on exactly how to bypass the "Walled Garden" of CRMs so you can bank this data accurately.
Don't let tech stop you from banking cash. If you use a third-party CRM, read my technical breakdown on how to fix the tracking: [Read: How to Track HoneyBook Leads in Google Ads (The Redirect Method)]
How Early Tracking Saves You From the Cold Start Tax
You don't need a budget to do this. You just need 20 minutes of setup.
How to Set Up a Zero‑Spend Google Ads Account
Create a "Shell" Account: Set up a Google Ads account in "Expert Mode" (without a campaign).
Install the Tag: Put the global site tag in your Squarespace header.
Wait: Let it sit. Let it run in the background.
The Industry Wants You Confused — Here’s Why
Because, confusion is a billable hour.
The industry profits when you feel helpless — something I’ve exposed in Why Your All-in-One Agency Is Wasting Your Google Ads Budget.
The industry want you to think this is "too technical" or "too complex" so that you are forced to hire them forever.
I do not want that for you.
Take Back Control of Your Data
You should understand your data, and bank your own audiences. You shouldn't need a PhD in coding to track your own leads.
If you are tired of feeling helpless, let's fix it in one hour.
