Word of mouth has been the backbone of small business growth for decades — and for good reason. Happy customers recommending you to their mates is gold. But if your business is still relying only on word of mouth, you might be missing out on a huge opportunity to grow faster. 

Here’s why adding Google Ads to your marketing toolkit can help take your business to the next level. 

Word of mouth has its limits  

While personal recommendations are powerful, they have a natural cap. You can only grow so fast with referrals alone because: 

• It depends on your current customers’ networks.  

• It’s not always consistent or predictable.  

• You have little control over how many new people hear about you.  

If you want to scale your business beyond your immediate circle, you need to reach new customers who don’t yet know you. 

Google Ads puts your business in front of ready-to-buy customers  

Unlike word of mouth, Google Ads helps you reach people who are actively searching for what you offer. When someone googles “best plumber near me” or “organic coffee beans delivery,” your ad can appear right at the top of their search results. 

That means you’re not waiting for customers to find you by chance or recommendation — you’re putting your business front and centre when it matters most. 

You can target exactly who you want  

Google Ads lets you focus your ads on the right people based on location, keywords, time of day, and even device. For example, a local bakery can target people searching within a 10km radius during morning hours, perfect for the breakfast rush. 

This level of targeting means your marketing budget works smarter, not harder. 

Trackable results beat guesswork  

Word of mouth doesn’t give you clear data on how many new customers you’re getting from recommendations. Google Ads provides real-time data on clicks, calls, website visits, and conversions. You can see exactly how your ad spend translates to new business. 

This makes it easier to adjust your campaigns, improve results, and justify your marketing investment. 

It works best when you combine both  

The good news? You don’t need to abandon word of mouth. Combining the trust and goodwill of referrals with the reach and targeting of Google Ads creates a powerful marketing mix. 

Referrals build your reputation and loyalty, while Google Ads bring fresh customers who might never have heard of you otherwise.