Table of contents

1. Why Google Ads works differently in Riviera Maya
2. Search vs PMax: the real difference
3. When Search wins (use cases + examples)
4. When PMax wins (and when it burns money)
5. The minimum tracking setup (so Google can optimize)
6. Practical account structure (starter build)
7. Keywords, negatives, and local intent (the checklist)
8. Landing pages that convert Google traffic
9. Common mistakes (and fixes)
10. FAQs
11. CTA: request a Google Ads + funnel diagnosis

1) Why Google Ads works differently in Cancun & Riviera Maya

Google is intent-driven. In local markets, many searches are:

• urgent ("near me", "open now", "same day")
• price-sensitive ("cost", "price", "best")
• location-specific ("Cancun", "Playa del Carmen", "Tulum")
• service-specific ("whitening", "Botox", "condo for sale", "airport transfer")

Translation: If your offer solves a clear, urgent need, Search Ads can produce high-quality leads fast—if your tracking and follow-up system can handle them.

2) Search vs Performance Max: the real difference

Google Search Ads

• You choose keywords and control intent
• You see query data (what people actually searched)
• You can sculpt traffic and filter low-quality leads
• Best for: local service businesses with clear "I want X" demand

Performance Max (PMax)

• Google uses automation across networks (Search, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Maps)
• You provide assets (creative, copy, feeds/signals)
• It can scale—but it needs clean conversion signals
• Best for: businesses with stable conversion tracking and enough data

Rule: If you can't track conversions properly (bookings/sales), PMax becomes a black box.

3) When Search wins (local intent that prints leads)

Search is the default winner when:

• your customers are already searching for the service
• you need controlled lead quality
• you want visibility into queries + negatives
• you operate in a competitive category where precision matters

Examples of Search-led industries in Riviera Maya

• Clinics (dental, aesthetics, wellness)
• Real estate buyers/renters ("condo for sale Playa del Carmen")
• Tours/transport ("private driver Cancun", "airport transfer")
• Premium services (law, accounting, education)

"Search intent ladder"

High intent keywords include:

• "book", "appointment", "price", "cost", "near me", "best", "open now"

If you're not bidding around these, you're missing the hottest traffic.

4) When PMax wins (and when it burns money)

PMax can win when:

• you already have Search running and want incremental volume
• you have strong conversion tracking (real leads/booking events)
• you have good assets (images, videos, headlines)
• you can evaluate lead quality (not just volume)

PMax burns money when:

• conversions are misconfigured (counting WhatsApp clicks as "sales")
• you don't have enough data to train it
• your landing page is weak and Google "sprays" impressions
• you don't measure lead quality downstream

Practical rule: Start with Search, build clean conversion signals, then test PMax with strict measurement.

5) The minimum tracking setup (so Google optimizes correctly)

Google is only as smart as the conversion signals you feed it.

Minimum conversion events for local lead gen

• generate_lead (form submit)
• phone_call / phone_click (tap to call)
• whatsapp_click (only if you can follow it to booked/qualified outcome)
• booking_submit (if applicable)

Quality signals (the missing piece)

If possible, differentiate:

• Lead (raw) vs Qualified Lead (CPQL) vs Booking vs Sale

Even if you start manually, define it. Otherwise you optimize for noise.

6) Practical account structure (starter build)

This structure is simple, controllable, and scalable.

Campaign 1 — Brand Search

• keywords with your brand + variations
• protect your brand traffic

Campaign 2 — Non-brand Search (core intent)

• service + location ("aesthetic clinic Cancun", "dentist Playa del Carmen")
• use phrase/exact first

Campaign 3 — Competitor / Alternative (optional)

• only if you can handle it ethically and legally
• careful messaging

Campaign 4 — Retargeting (Display/YouTube) (optional)

• only if you have enough traffic + tracking

Campaign 5 — PMax (test, later)

• only after conversion tracking is stable
• run it as an experiment, not your foundation

7) Keywords, negatives, and local intent (the checklist)

Keyword checklist (do this first)

• Service + location ("dentist Cancun", "real estate Tulum")
• "price/cost" modifiers
• "book/appointment" modifiers
• "near me" variants
• Spanish + English queries (Riviera Maya has both)

Negative keywords (protect your budget)

Add negatives for:

• jobs, careers, salary
• free, cheap (if premium)
• DIY, tutorial
• irrelevant locations
• unrelated services

If you don't run negatives, Search will take your money happily.

8) Landing pages that convert Google traffic

Google traffic is intent-rich but impatient.

Your landing page must:

• match the exact query intent
• show price framing or process clarity (reduce uncertainty)
• provide trust fast (reviews, location, credentials)
• offer a single conversion path (form + WhatsApp secondary)

Simple landing structure (works)

• H1: service + location
• 3 benefit bullets
• proof (reviews/testimonials)
• "how it works" steps
• FAQ objections (price, timing, trust)
• CTA (request diagnosis / quote / booking)

9) Common mistakes (and fixes)

Mistake: using broad match with no negatives

Fix: start with phrase/exact + build negatives weekly.

Mistake: optimizing for clicks instead of leads

Fix: conversion-based bidding only after tracking is clean.

Mistake: counting WhatsApp clicks as "conversions"

Fix: track WhatsApp clicks, but optimize for lead/booking where possible.

Mistake: sending all traffic to the homepage

Fix: use dedicated service pages/landings for each intent.

Mistake: no operational follow-up system

Fix: WhatsApp→CRM + SLA + scripts + cadence (or your leads die).

10) FAQs

11) Want a Google Ads + funnel diagnosis (24h)?

If you're in Cancun / Playa del Carmen / Tulum and want to know which channel will perform best for your offer:

Or email: strategylab@rivelcompanies.com