Google Ads Mastery Curriculum

Introduction to Google Ads

- Understanding Google Ads and its importance in digital marketing

- Overview of different types of Google Ads (Search, Display, YouTube, etc.)
- Setting up a Google Ads account

Understanding Google Ads and its importance in digital

marketing

● 99,000 searches every single second

● 8.5 billion searches a day
● Formerly known as Google AdWords
● Ads appear on Google's search engine and other Google properties
● Pay-per-click (PPC) model
● Supplying the demand - Search ads | Generating the demand - Display ads,
YouTube ads
● Inbound traffic - High quality (With filters like location, interests, etc. the ads become
of even higher quality)
● Measurable results - Track impressions, clicks, conversions, etc.

History

Google Ads started in 2000

Initially, advertisers paid a monthly fee, and Google set up and managed their campaigns.
Over time, Google AdWords evolved, offering more control to advertisers and introducing
features like keyword targeting and cost-per-click pricing

Over the years, Google Ads has become more sophisticated. It now includes features like
automated bidding, machine learning for ad optimization, and integration with other Google
tools like Analytics and My Business
How Google Ads work? The science behind the technology

The Ad Auction System

Every time a user performs a search on Google or visits a site that shows ads through
Google's Display Network, an ad auction takes place. This auction determines which ads will
appear for that specific query or on that webpage, and in what order.

Participating in the Auction

Advertisers bid on keywords they want their ads to show up for. This bid is the maximum
amount they're willing to pay for a click on their ad (Cost-Per-Click, or CPC). However, they
often pay less than this amount, depending on the competition and other factors.

Determining Ad Rank

Ad Rank = Max CPC * Quality Score

The position of an ad is determined by its Ad Rank. This is not just based on the bid amount.
Google also considers the ad's Quality Score, which reflects its relevance to the search
query, the quality of the landing page, and the expected click-through rate (CTR).

Real-Time Bidding

The auction process happens in real-time, often within a fraction of a second, as a user
performs a search or loads a webpage.

Quality Score

Quality Score is a rating on a scale from 1 to 10 that Google assigns to each of your
keywords. It's calculated based on the relevance of your ad to the user, the expected CTR,
and the quality of your landing page.
Google aims to provide the most relevant search results and ads to its users. Therefore, a
higher Quality Score can lead to lower costs and better ad positions, as Google rewards ads
that provide a good user experience.

Google ads vs Facebook ads

Google ads (search ads) Facebook ads

Pros Inbound Outbound

People who are actually searching Wide audience

for your keyword

Demand based targeting + Demand Generation

Demand Generation

Multiple actions (sitelinks) Single action

Demand and supply Ad fatigue

No Negative sentiment Negative sentiment

Consistent results Inconsistent results

Cons NA Social proof (likes, comments, shares)

Higher CPC Low CPC

Competition is high Competition is low

Basic text or images with display Ad formats (visual storytelling)

ads

Character limits Adequate Character Limits

Different Types of Google Ads

Now that we understand what Google Ads is, let's explore the various types of ads you can
create on this platform. Each type serves a different purpose and is suitable for different
marketing goals.

Search Ads

Text ads that appear on Google's search results pages

Display Ads

Display Ads can appear on websites, apps, and videos across the Internet, not just on
Google search results. They can be in the form of images, videos, or rich media

Videos Ads

Ads played on YouTube videos and YouTube’s search results

Smart Ads

Promote your Google Business Profile

Shopping Ads

These ads showcase your products directly in Google's search results and include a photo,
title, price, and your store name

App Ads

These ads help in driving app installations and engagement

With App Ads, you don't need to design individual ads. Instead, provide some text, a starting
bid, and languages, and Google uses these to automatically create your ads

Setting Up a Google Ads Account

20k Promotions
Keyword Research and Selection

- Principles of Effective Keyword Research

- Tools for keyword research (Google Keyword Planner, etc.)
- Understanding keyword match types (broad, phrase, exact)

Principles of Effective Keyword Research

Effective keyword research is vital as it directly impacts the reach and effectiveness of your
campaigns

Understanding Your Audience

https://docs.google.com/document/d/
1D1BT06fo8rTLUUVpD05T6Hu5GV39GdtbEQhY9ra1LcQ/edit?usp=sharing

Relevance
Choose keywords relevant to your products or services. Irrelevant keywords can lead to
unqualified traffic and wasted ad spend

Search Volume and Competition

Consider the search volume and competition for each keyword. High-volume keywords are
desirable, but they may also be highly competitive. Finding a balance is key.

Long-Tail Keywords
Don't overlook long-tail keywords. These are longer, more specific phrases that can attract
more qualified leads and often have less competition.
Tools for Keyword Research

Google Keyword Planner

The Google Keyword Planner is a free tool that provides keyword ideas and traffic estimates.

Use it to discover new keywords, see how often keywords are searched, and understand
how the search volume changes over time.

Keyword Research

Access the tool via your Google Ads account. You can start with a seed word, phrase, or
URL related to your business.

Selecting Broad Match in keywords and seeing the search terms

Competitor Keyword Research

Fetch keywords from URL related to your competitor’s business.

Understanding Keyword Match Types

Broad Match

Broad match is the default match type that reaches the widest audience. Your ad may show
on searches that include misspellings, synonyms, related searches, and other relevant
variations.

While broad match can increase traffic, it might not always be the most targeted approach.

Phrase Match

Phrase match offers a balance between reach and precision. Your ad will appear on
searches that match a phrase, or close variations of that phrase, with additional words
before or after.

Phrase match is useful for targeting more specific queries while maintaining a decent reach.

Exact Match

Exact match is the most targeted option. Your ads will show on searches that match the
exact term or are close variations of that exact term.

While this match type ensures high relevance, it might limit the traffic volume.

https://www.keywordmatchtypetool.com/
Conversions and Google Tag

- What is Google Tag and How It Works

- Setting Up a Conversion Event
- Advanced Conversion Tracking Concepts

What is Google Tag and How It Works

The Google Tag, previously known as the Global Site Tag (gtag.js), is a JavaScript tagging
framework. It simplifies the process of sending data to Google Analytics, Google Ads, and
more.

The tag works by placing a snippet of JavaScript code on every page of your website. This
code collects and sends data to Google about how users interact with your site.

Sample Code

<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->

<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?
id=GA_MEASUREMENT_ID"></script>
<script>
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
gtag('js', new Date());

gtag('config', 'GA_MEASUREMENT_ID');
</script>

Replace 'GA_MEASUREMENT_ID' with your actual Google tracking ID

Setting Up a Conversion Event

A conversion event in Google Ads is a specific action you want to track, like a purchase,
sign-up, or form submission.
Setting Up

In your Google Ads account, go to 'Tools & Settings', then 'Conversions'. Click on '+ New
Conversion Action' and choose your source."
Follow the prompts to define the type of conversion you're tracking, such as website actions,
phone calls, or app downloads.

If you don’t set up one, then you cannot use automated conversion bidding options.

Also, if the ad account doesn’t get this data, then the ad account/gtag won’t mature.

Website, App, Call, etc.

Categories of Conversion Events

Different Categories

Purchase/Sale: Transactions on your website

Sign-up: User registrations or subscriptions
Lead: Form submissions or inquiries
Engagement: Page views, video views
Outbound Click: Track any button clicks

Values Associated with Conversion Events

Assigning values to conversions is important for measuring ROI. For e-commerce, this could
be the purchase amount. For other types of conversions, assign a value based on their
importance to your business.

DEMO
Attribution Window

Data-driven attribution

This method uses Google's machine learning algorithms to analyze the entire conversion
path and assign credit to each touchpoint (ad, website visit, etc.) based on its estimated
contribution to the conversion.

Last-click attribution

This traditional model gives all the credit for a conversion to the last ad or website interaction
a user had before converting.

Choosing the right attribution model

Data-driven: If you have a large enough dataset and want a more accurate understanding of
your conversion journey, data-driven attribution can be a good choice.

Last-click: If you're new to Google Ads, have limited data, or prefer a simpler approach,
last-click attribution might be a better option.

Advanced Conversion Tracking Concepts

Click-Through Conversion Window

Definition and Importance

The Click-Through Conversion Window refers to the period during which a conversion is
credited to a Google Ads click. It's the timeframe between when a user clicks on your ad and
when they complete a conversion action, like a purchase or sign-up.

Why It Matters

This window is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of your ads. It helps in attributing
conversions correctly to the specific ads that drove them, giving you insights into which ads
are performing well.
Customization and Best Practices

In Google Ads, you can customize the length of this window. The default is 30 days, but it
can be adjusted depending on your business cycle and the typical customer decision-making
process.

If you have a longer sales cycle, like in B2B industries, you might extend the window to 60 or
90 days.

For fast consumer decisions, like in retail, a shorter window (like 7 days) might be more
appropriate.

Engaged-View Conversion Window

Definition and Application

Engaged-View Conversion Window is a concept used primarily in video and display

advertising. It refers to the period after a user views (but doesn’t click) your video ad during
which a conversion is still attributed to that view.
Like click-through conversions, this window is customizable. The standard is 7 days for
Engaged-View Conversions, but it should be tailored to your specific advertising goals and
user behavior.

View-Through Conversions

Definition and Relevance

View-Through Conversions occur when a user sees an ad but does not click on it, and later
performs a conversion action. This is particularly relevant in display and video advertising
where visual impressions can influence user behavior.

How It's Tracked

Google Ads tracks view-through conversions by using cookies. When a user sees an ad (but
doesn’t click) and later visits the advertiser's site and converts, this is counted as a view-
through conversion.

The conversion window for view-through conversions can be customized. The default is 1
day for Display Network ads, but it can be adjusted based on your understanding of the
customer journey.

Enhanced Conversions

Enhanced Conversions are a feature in Google Ads that improves the accuracy of your
conversion measurement and unlocks more advanced bidding strategies.

How does it work?

- You implement a conversion tracking tag on your website that captures first-party
customer data.
- Google securely hashes this data and sends it to their servers.
- Google matches the hashed data with existing Google accounts, preserving user
privacy.
- Conversions are then tracked across devices and browsers for logged-in users.
Campaign Structure and Organization

- Understanding campaign, ad group, and ad hierarchy

- Organizing campaigns for optimal management and performance
- Tips for structuring ad groups

Understanding campaign, ad group, and ad hierarchy

The way you structure your campaigns can significantly impact their performance and
manageability

Less complex = Less Flexibility

More complex = More Flexibility

Campaign
Ad group
Ad
Review
Campaign Level

● Set your budget

● Choose campaign types (like Search or Display)
● Conversion Goal
● Bidding Strategy
● Network Selection
● Targeting and Audience Selection

Ad groups
● Keywords

Ads

● Final URL
● Display Path
● Headlines
● Description
● Extensions
○ Sitelinks
○ Callouts
○ Call extension

Organizing campaigns for optimal management and

performance

Goal Alignment

Ensure each campaign aligns with a specific business goal or target audience.

This clarity helps in monitoring and optimizing for the best results.
Budget Allocation

Distribute your budget across campaigns based on their importance and performance.

Higher-performing or more crucial campaigns might warrant a larger share of the budget.

Tips for Structuring Ad Groups

Themed Ad Groups

For example, in a campaign for hiking boots you could have separate ad groups for hiking
boots for men, hiking boots for women, hiking boots for kids, etc. Each ad group would have
its specific set of keywords and ads relevant to that product.

If you have one more product, ex: camping tents, promote it in a different campaign

Relevance is Key

Keep ad groups tightly themed. This means grouping together keywords that are closely
related. The more relevant your ad group’s theme, the more effective your ads will be.

The Number of Keywords: 7 themed keywords per ad group

Too many keywords can dilute the theme and make it harder to create relevant ads.

Ads
Ad Copy Variations: Create multiple versions of ads in each ad group to test which
messages resonate best with your audience. Use A/B testing to refine your ad copy over
time.
Creating Compelling Ad Copy

- Writing effective ad headlines and descriptions

- Utilizing ad extensions
- Best practices for engaging and persuasive ad copy

Writing effective ad headlines and descriptions

Understanding the Importance

The headline is the first thing users see. It needs to grab attention and encourage them to
read more. An effective headline is clear, relevant, and enticing.

Tips for Headlines

Use this hierarchy

● Keyword
● USP
● CTA

Pro tip: Pin Headlines

Be Concise and Direct

Keep your headlines short and to the point. Google typically allows 30 characters for a
headline, so make every word count.

Include Keywords

Use keywords that match the user’s search query to improve relevance and Quality Score.
Highlight Benefits

Tell users what they can expect by clicking on your ad. Focus on what sets you apart from
competitors.

CTA

Persuade the user to click on the ad.

Pro tip: You can create up to 15 headlines and in RSA, it might show up to 3

Writing Descriptions

The Role of Descriptions

The description complements your headline by providing more information. Here, you can
elaborate on your offer, benefits, and include a call to action.

Tips for Descriptions

Be Clear and Persuasive

Provide clear details about your product or service. Use persuasive language to encourage
action.

Include Keywords and Call to Action

Direct users on what to do next - ‘Buy now’, ‘Learn more’, ‘Sign up today’. A strong call to
action increases click-through rates.

Use All Available Space

Google typically allows two 90-character description fields. Use this space effectively to
convey your message.
Pro tip: Use ChatGPT or other AI model
Pro tip: You can create up to 4 descriptions and in RSA, it might show up to 2

Utilizing ad extensions
Ad extensions expand your ad with additional information and can significantly improve its
performance. They increase the size of your ads, making them more visible and providing
more value to users.

Types of Ad Extensions

Sitelink Extensions

Add links to specific pages on your website, like ‘Contact Us’, ‘Special Offers’.

Key Features and Usage

Direct Navigation

These extensions allow you to direct potential customers to key areas of your site, such as
product pages, contact information, or special promotions.

Customizable Description

You have the option to add a brief description under each sitelink, giving users more context
about where the link will take them.

Callout Extensions

Include additional selling points

Key Features and Usage

Enhancing Ad Copy
Callouts can be used to supplement your main ad message with additional details like ‘Free
Shipping’, ‘24/7 Customer Support’, or ‘Award-Winning Service’.

Flexibility

You can add multiple callouts to your ads, and Google will rotate them depending on the
search context and performance.

Structured Snippets

Highlight specific aspects of your products or services, such as ‘Destinations’, ‘Brands’,

‘Courses’.

Key Features and Usage

Categories

Google provides several 'headers' like ‘Brands’, ‘Services’, ‘Courses’, under which you can
list relevant items or offerings.

Contextual Information

These snippets provide additional context about your products or services, helping users
make informed decisions.

Call Extension

A Call Extension in Google Ads allows you to add a phone number to your ads. This feature
is especially useful for businesses where direct phone calls are a significant part of the
customer journey or sales process.

How Call Extension Works

Visibility
When your ad appears on a search results page, the call extension will show your business
phone number alongside your ad text. On mobile devices, this becomes a clickable button,
enabling users to call your business directly from the ad.

You can specify when you want the call extension to appear, such as only on mobile devices
or during your business hours.

Benefits of Using Call Extension

● Direct Customer Contact

● Increased Engagement
● Tracking and Analytics

Best Practices for Engaging and Persuasive Ad Copy

Understand Your Audience

Know who you’re writing for. Your ad copy should speak directly to the needs and interests
of your target audience.

Use Emotional Triggers

Emotionally resonant copy can be more effective. Use language that evokes curiosity,
excitement, happiness, or even urgency.

Test and Refine

Continuously test different versions of your headlines and descriptions. Use A/B testing to
determine what works best and refine your copy based on data.
Understanding Google Ads Metrics

- Categorization of Google Ads Metrics

- Why Ad Rank Isn’t Shown
- Budgeting

Categorization of Google Ads Metrics

Metrics in Google Ads provide invaluable insights into the performance of your campaigns,
guiding your decision-making and optimization strategies.

Performance Metrics

Impressions

How often your ad is seen by users.

Importance: Measures the reach of your ad.
How to improve: Broaden Targeting, Increase Budget, Keyword Expansion

Clicks

Number of times your ad is clicked.

Importance: Indicates user engagement and initial response to your ad.
How to improve: Compelling Ad Copy, Ad Extensions, Optimize for High-Performing
Keywords

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Percentage of impressions that led to a click.

Importance: A key indicator of ad relevance and effectiveness.
How to improve: Relevant and Engaging Ads, Targeted Keywords, A/B Testing
Conversions

Number of times a desired action (like a purchase) is completed.

Importance: Directly measures the success of your ad in achieving its primary goal.
How to improve: Optimize Landing Pages, Targeted Ad Copy, Use Remarketing

Conversion Rate

Percentage of clicks that result in a conversion.

Importance: Indicates the effectiveness of your ad in driving the desired action.
How to improve: User Experience, Refine Targeting, Clear Value Proposition

Conversion Value

Total value derived from conversions.

Importance: Helps in assessing the financial impact of your ads.
How to improve: Upsell and Cross-Sell, Target Higher-Value Audiences, Promote Higher-
Value Products/Services

Cost Metrics

Cost Per Click (CPC)

The average cost for each click on your ad.

Importance: Crucial for budget management and understanding the cost-effectiveness of
your ad.
How to improve: Improve Quality Score, Adjust Keyword Bidding, Use Negative Keywords

Cost Per Conversion

Average cost of acquiring a conversion.
Importance: Key in evaluating the financial efficiency of your advertising efforts.
How to improve: Increase Conversion Rates, Optimize Bidding Strategies, Improve Ad
Relevance and Targeting

Competitive Metrics

Search Absolute Top Impression Rate

Shows how often your ad is displayed in the most prominent (1st) position.
Importance: Indicates your ad's visibility and competitive standing.
How to improve: Increase Bids, Improve Quality Scores, Optimize for High-Value Keywords

Search Top Impression Rate

Frequency of your ad appearing in top positions above organic search results.

Importance: A measure of ad prominence and visibility.
How to improve: Budget Increase, Competitive Bidding, Keyword Optimization

Search Impression Share

Your share of impressions compared to the total available for your keywords.
Importance: Reflects your ad’s competitiveness in the market.

Click Share

The share of clicks your ad receives out of the total possible.

Importance: Helps understand your ad's effectiveness in attracting clicks in comparison to
competitors.
How to improve: Ad Optimization, Targeting Adjustments, Competitive Analysis
Quality and Relevance Metrics

Quality Score

A diagnostic rating based on keyword relevance, ad relevance, and landing page

experience.
Importance: Influences ad position and cost-efficiency.

Ad Rank

Determines your ad position for each auction, based on bid amount, ad quality, and
expected impact of extensions.
Importance: Directly affects your ad’s visibility and chances of receiving clicks.

Optimization Metrics

Optimization Score

An estimate of how well your Google Ads account is set to perform.

Importance: Provides actionable recommendations for improving account performance.

Why Ad Rank Isn’t Shown

Not shown due to its dynamic calculation for each auction, influenced by varying factors like
competition, user context, and your ad's quality.

Budgeting

Daily budget - Only campaign level

Factors to consider when setting your budget

Campaign goals: Are you aiming for brand awareness, website traffic, leads, or sales?

Target audience size: A larger audience generally requires a higher budget to reach them
effectively.

Competition level: Higher competition for your keywords means potentially higher bids and
a larger budget needed to achieve desired results.

Average cost-per-click (CPC): Research the average CPC for your target keywords to
estimate the cost of each click.

Conversion rate and value: Consider your average conversion rate and the value of each
conversion to understand your return on investment (ROI) potential.

Over delivery charges

30.4 billing cycle. Upto 2x can happen but if it goes beyond 2x Google will refund.
Measuring Ad Performance

UTM parameters for Lead Generation

● UTM parameters are short text codes that you add to URLs (or links) to help you
track the performance of a web page or campaign.

● Since this is a manual tracking approach, the tracking is 100% accurate.

● This is last-touch attribution while Facebook ads attribution is first-touch

● https://blog.hootsuite.com/pinterest-statistics-for-business/?
utm_source=facebook_hootsuite+%28default
%29&utm_medium=owned_social&utm_term=1abab4ca-a0bf-4d2d-96a2-
1f77eb6d8fc1&utm_campaign=all-alwayson-none-glo-en----social_hootsuite—

Campaign source

Examples: Google ads, facebook, twitter, blog, newsletter, etc.

UTM code: utm_source

Sample code: utm_source=google+ads

Campaign medium

Examples: search, display, etc.

UTM code: utm_medium

Sample code: utm_medium=search

Campaign name

Examples: blackfriday, free_trial

UTM code: utm_campaign

Sample code: utm_campaign=blackfriday

Campaign term

Examples: digital_marketing, online_marketing

UTM code: utm_term

Sample code: utm_term=digital_marketing

Campaign content

Examples: video_ad, image_ad_1, image_ad_2, slideshow_ad_1

UTM code: utm_content

Sample code: utm_content=video_ad

● We can get going with just 3 parameters

2 ways to do it

● Google ads dashboard

○ https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6305348
○ {lpurl}?
utm_source=Google+ads&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaignid}&
utm_term={keyword}&utm_content={creative}
 ● Campaign URL builder from Google analytics
○ https://ga-dev-tools.google/campaign-url-builder/
● Only possible when you can have hidden fields in forms that can fetch UTM
parameters

How?
● Build landing page with Elementor forms
● Insert hidden fields with get utm parameters action
● OR use the email URL option and use Phython code module
● Send data via webhook to CRM
● Get sales data
● Map manually using vlookup
Optimising Ad Performance

Utilizing Google Ads Insights

Auction Insights

The auction insights report lets you compare your performance with other advertisers who
are participating in the same auctions that you are.

You can check for ad account level, campaign level, ad group level according to your date
range.

Impression Share

Impression share is the number of impressions that you have received divided by the
estimated number of impressions that you were eligible to receive.

Your ad should have the max %

Overlap Rate

Overlap rate is how often another advertiser’s ad received an impression in the same
auction that your ad also received an impression.

This list gives your nearest competitor. Do proper competitor research of this list and see
where you can do better.

Your overlap will be NA because you cannot overlap your ad with your ads.
Position above rate

Position above rate is how often another advertiser’s ad in the same auction is shown in a
higher position than yours, when both of your ads were shown at the same time.

Top of page rate

Top of page rate is how often your ad was shown at the top of the page when compared to
competitors in search results.

Abs. Top of the page rate

Search absolute top impression rate is the percentage of your impressions that are shown
as the very first ad above the organic search results.

Outranking share

Outranking share is how often your ad ranked higher in the auction than another advertiser’s
ad, or if your ad was shown when theirs was not.

Competitor Research

- Manual Research (See more ads from this advertiser)

- Only for verified advertisers
- https://adstransparency.google.com/

Ad Preview and Diagnosis

Detailed diagnosis of auctions

Stop looking for your ad in the SERP, your impressions will increase, but clicks will reduce
and your CTR will drop which will impact your QS.

Your competitor will also be doing the same.

Content and Formatting Issues

● Disapproved content
● Missing ad components
● Keyword mismatch
● Low ad rank
● Grammatical errors

Targeting and Delivery Issues

● Location targeting errors

● Device targeting issues
● Network targeting inconsistencies
● Scheduling conflicts
● Budget limitations

Technical Issues

● Invalid website URLs

● Account suspension

Ad Scheduling, Location Targeting, Ad Rotation

Run your ads during times when your target audience is most active or when conversions
are higher.

Focus on geographical areas that yield the best results.

Ad schedule

Ad Rotation

● Optimise for best performing ads

● Rotate ads indefinitely

Clicks, CTR, Conversion rate

Start with ‘Rotate ads indefinitely’ (to test all ads) and then once you have winning ads go for
‘Optimise for best performing ads’

Reducing Cost Per Click (CPC)

Use of Negative Keywords

Regularly update your list of negative keywords to exclude irrelevant search terms. This
prevents your ads from showing up in unrelated searches, reducing wasted clicks.

It also helps in targeting more qualified traffic, leading to a better click-through rate (CTR)
and potentially lower CPC.

Traffic Sculpting

Adding Negative keywords in other ad groups to avoid overlap

Ad groups Keywords Negative Keywords

Shoes Shoes for sale Premium shoes for sale

Premium Shoes Premium shoes for sale Shoes for sale

Refining Keyword Strategy

Focus on long-tail keywords. These are less competitive and can often result in lower CPCs.

Also, experiment with different match types. Sometimes, phrase or exact match types can
yield lower CPCs compared to broad match.

Improving Quality Score

Enhance the relevance of your ads and the quality of your landing pages. A higher Quality
Score can lead to lower CPCs.

Landing Page Conversion

https://shreyasumesh.com/landing-page-optimisation-checklist

Microsoft Clarity
Targeting and Audiences in Google Ads

- Overview of Targeting Options in Google Ads

- Creating and Using Audience Lists
- Remarketing Strategies and Implementation

Overview of Targeting Options in Google Ads

Location Targeting

Location targeting allows you to display your ads to users in specific geographic locations.
You can target by countries, areas within a country, a radius around a location, or even
location groups like universities or airports.

Pincode, region, city, etc.

Include and Exclude

Demographic Targeting

Demographic targeting lets you refine your audience based on parental status, martial
status, education, etc.

For example, a luxury brand might target higher income brackets, while baby products might
be targeted at new parents.

Age is not directly available in Google Ads for two primary reasons:

1. Protecting children
2. Privacy concerns
Affinity and In-Market Audiences

Affinity Audience

Target users based on their long-term interests and habits.

For example, if you're selling sports equipment, you can target sports enthusiasts.

In-Market Audiences

Reach users based on their recent search and browsing behaviors, indicating they are ‘in the
market’ for specific products or services.

For example, targeting users who are actively searching for a new car.

Creating and Using Audience Lists

Types of Lists

Website and App visitors, YouTube video viewers, Customer list, Google analytics and
Custom Audience List

Custom Combinations

Create custom combinations for more nuanced targeting.

For instance, targeting users who visited a specific product page but did not visit the
checkout page.
Remarketing Strategies and Implementation

Basics of Remarketing

Remarketing is a powerful way to connect with people who previously interacted with your
website or mobile app. It allows you to strategically position your ads in front of these
audiences as they browse Google or its partner websites.

Cost per conversion will be generally less.

Types of Remarketing

● Standard remarketing
● Remarketing lists for search ads
● Dynamic remarketing (mostly used for eCommerce)

Implementing Remarketing

Standard Marketing

Showing ads to past visitors

Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA)

Configure Analytics for RLSA

Link Analytics to Google Ads
Create RLSA (Search Network) Campaigns
Tailor ad copy and bids to resonate with users based on their past website behavior

Dynamic Remarketing
Set Up a Data Feed in Google Merchant Center or Business Profile
Link the data feed to your Google Ads account
Configure Dynamic Remarketing Tags using Google Tag Manager (GTM)
Create Dynamic Remarketing Ads
Bidding and Targeting

Advanced Retargeting

Define Your Stages

Stage 1: Identify the initial user behavior that triggers entry into the sequence (e.g., website
visit)
Stage 2: Define subsequent user behaviors that mark progression through the stages (e.g.,
adding to cart, purchase)
Stage N: Determine the final stage and desired user action (e.g., repeat purchase, referral,
account creation)

Create Remarketing Lists for Each Stage

In Google Analytics, configure remarketing audiences based on the defined user behaviors
for each stage.

Export these audiences to your Google Ads account.

Build Sequential Remarketing Campaigns

Create multiple Display or Search Network campaigns, one for each stage.

Link the corresponding remarketing list to each campaign, ensuring users only see ads
relevant to their current stage.

Design Stage-Specific Ad Creatives and Messaging

Bidding Strategies and Scaling Campaigns

- Bidding Strategies
- Scaling Campaigns
- Google ads Funnel

Bidding Strategies

How much you want to spend is Avg. Daily Budget

But How you want to spend the Avg. Daily Budget is Bidding Strategy

Manual Bidding

Manual CPC (Cost-Per-Click)

You set the maximum amount for a click on your ad. Ideal for when you know exactly how
much each keyword is worth to your business. It requires regular monitoring and adjustment
based on performance data.

Keyword
Ad group
Device, location, and time of day

Enhanced CPC (ECPC)

This is a hybrid approach. You set the base bid, while Google adjusts this bid in real-time if it
believes the click is likely to lead to a sale or conversion.

Manual CPC
Help increase conversions with Enhanced CPC
Optimize for conversions or Optimize for conversion value
Automated Bidding

Used when there is enough data for the event you’re optimising.

Maximize Clicks

An automated strategy where Google sets bids to get as many clicks as possible within your
budget. This does not consider the quality of clicks, so keep a close eye on the performance.

Ideal for campaigns aimed at driving traffic, especially for new websites or content.

Max CPC cap can also be added

Maximize Conversions

Google automatically optimizes your bid to get the most conversions for your campaign while
spending your budget.

Suitable for campaigns with a specific conversion goal, like sign-ups or purchases,
especially when you’re unsure about the ideal bid amount.

Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)

Set an average amount you'd like to pay for a conversion. Google will optimize bids to
achieve this average across all conversions.

Maximize Conversion Value

When campaign is optimised for multiple conversions.

Google will bid higher for the user who is willing to take a higher effort action (higher conv.
value) and less bid for the user who is willing to take a lower effort action (lower conv. value)
Target Impression Share

It aims to show your ad at a certain position on the search engine results page (SERP) a
specified percentage of the time.

You choose for absolute top of page (above all other ads), top of page (above organic
results), or anywhere on the page.

Google Ads algorithm then automatically adjusts (dynamic bidding) your bids throughout the
day to ensure your ad appears on the SERP as close as possible to your target percentage.

Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)

You set a target return on ad spend, and Google optimizes bids to achieve this return across
all conversions.

Best for advanced campaigns where you can calculate the precise value or profit margin of
conversions.

Scaling Campaigns

Expanding Reach Through Networks

Search Network

Ads can appear near Google Search results and other Google sites when people search for
terms that are relevant to your keywords.

Ex: Ask.com, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Lycos.com, Startpage, Bing (Microsoft), Baidu (China),
Yandex (Russia), WordPress.com, Medium, Quora, Reddit, The New York Times, BBC
News, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Target, Etsy, Booking.com, Expedia, TripAdvisor, Airbnb,
etc.
Display Network

Ads can appear on websites which have opted for Google Adsense.

Ex: Major news websites like CNN, BBC, and The New York Times, Popular blogs and
online magazines like BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, and Vox, YouTube, Hulu, Vimeo, Mobile
apps, etc.

Pro tip: Both of them don’t affect your quality score but get you low-quality or spam leads
especially with display networks. Hence, needs close monitoring.

Automated Rules and Scripts

Rules

Set rules to automate changes in your campaigns based on specific conditions, like pausing
keywords with low CTR or adjusting bids during peak hours.

Use automated rules to manage large-scale campaigns or to make instant adjustments

based on market changes.

Works based on trigger and action (If this then that - IFFTT)

Pro tip: Do not create multiple automated rules without giving it a thought

Scripts

Automate Repetitive Tasks

Bulk editing: Update keywords, ad copy, or bids across multiple campaigns or ad groups
with ease.
Reporting: Generate custom reports on your campaign data, providing deeper insights
beyond standard reports.

Optimization: Set up automated rules to adjust bids, pause underperforming campaigns, or

activate specific actions based on predefined criteria.

Interact with External Data

However, using "Script" requires some technical knowledge of JavaScript

Dynamic Keyword Insertion

Adds the keyword that triggered the ad in the ad copy (headline)

● Keyword Insertion
● Coundown Timer
● Location

Pros: High relevancy, High CTR, High QS

Cons: Grammatical sense, difficult to execute when using Broad Match

Performance Max Campaigns

A holistic automated approach that uses Google’s machine learning to optimize ad

delivery across all of Google’s channels to achieve the campaign’s specified goal.

Since you cannot predict the user journey at your end precisely, leave it to Google.

Google knows if a particular user can be converted via search, display, youtube, etc.

Define clear goals and let Google's AI optimize your campaign. Regularly review
performance across different channels and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Audience Signal
DEMO

Google ads funnel

Each user query can be categorized to user journey

Informational, commercial and transactional in nature

● What kind of shoes are best for running?

● Best Foam Stride running shoes
● Discount code for [Brand X] shoes

BONUS

https://shreyasumesh.com/google-ads-optimisation-checklist