Why Google Ads Still Matters

With 8.5 billion searches per day, Google remains the largest advertising platform. Unlike social ads that interrupt, Google ads capture intent—people actively searching for solutions.

The average business makes $2 for every $1 spent on Google Ads. But success requires understanding the platform's unique mechanics.

Google Ads Structure

Three-level hierarchy:

Level	What It Controls
Account	Billing, access, settings
Campaign	Objective, budget, network, location
Ad Group	Keywords, ads, audience

Campaign Types

Type	Best For	Ad Format
Search	Capturing intent	Text ads
Display	Awareness, retargeting	Image banners
Performance Max	Full-funnel automation	Multi-format
Video	YouTube reach	Video ads
Shopping	E-commerce products	Product listings
Discovery	Feed placements	Image + text

Setting Up Your First Search Campaign

Step 1: Choose Your Objective

Google offers:

Sales: Drive purchases
Leads: Capture contact info
Website Traffic: Get visitors

Step 2: Set Budget

Start with:

Daily budget: $20-50 for testing
Bidding strategy: Maximize Clicks (with CPC cap)

Step 3: Select Keywords

Match types control when ads appear:

Match Type	Symbol	Example	Triggers For
Broad	None	running shoes	jogging sneakers, athletic footwear
Phrase	" "	"running shoes"	best running shoes, running shoes sale
Exact	[ ]	[running shoes]	running shoes only

Pro tip: Start with phrase match for balance of reach and control.

Step 4: Write Ad Copy

Responsive Search Ads (RSA) include:

Headlines: Up to 15, 30 chars each
Descriptions: Up to 4, 90 chars each

Google rotates combinations automatically.

Headline Formula:

Position	Purpose	Example
1-2	Include keyword	"Best Running Shoes 2026"
3-5	Benefit/USP	"Free Shipping & Returns"
6-8	Social proof	"50,000+ Happy Runners"
9-12	CTA/urgency	"Shop Today - Sale Ends"

Quality Score: The Hidden Multiplier

Quality Score (1-10) affects your costs and positions:

Quality Score	CPC Impact	Ad Position
1-3	+200-400%	Lower
4-6	Baseline	Average
7-10	-16 to 50%	Higher

How to Improve Quality Score:

Relevance: Keywords in ad copy
Landing page: Match ad promise
CTR: Write compelling headlines

Case Study: E-commerce Brand Cuts CPA by 62%

An online shoe retailer restructured their Google Ads:

Before:

One campaign with 500 keywords
All broad match
Generic ad copy

After:

10 campaigns by product category
Phrase and exact match
Specific ad copy per category

Results:

Metric	Before	After	Change
CPA	$68	$26	-62%
CTR	1.8%	4.2%	+133%
Quality Score	4	8	+100%
ROAS	2.1x	5.4x	+157%

Negative Keywords: Save Money Instantly

Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches.

Common Negative Keywords by Industry:

Industry	Negative Keywords
B2B	free, cheap, jobs, salary, tutorial
Premium Retail	discount, cheap, wholesale, used
Services	DIY, how to, guide, template

Google Ads vs Other Platforms

Factor	Google	Meta	TikTok
Intent
High (searching)	Low (browsing)	Low (entertainment)
Avg CTR	3-5%	0.9-1.5%	1.5-3%
Avg CPC	$1-2	$0.50-1.50	$0.25-0.50
Best For	High-intent products	Awareness + retargeting	Younger audiences

Common Google Ads Mistakes

1. Too Many Keywords per Ad Group

❌ 50+ keywords in one ad group

✅ 10-20 tightly themed keywords per ad group

2. Ignoring Search Terms Report

❌ Never checking what queries trigger your ads

✅ Weekly review to add negative keywords

3. No Conversion Tracking

❌ Optimizing for clicks instead of conversions

✅ Set up conversion tracking before launching

4. Broad Match Everything

❌ All broad match keywords

✅ Mix of phrase, exact, and broad match modifier

Google Ads Checklist

✅ Conversion tracking installed
✅ Campaign structured by product/service
✅ 10-20 keywords per ad group
✅ 8-15 headlines per RSA
✅ Negative keywords added
✅ Landing page matches ad promise
✅ Daily budget set appropriately
✅ Bidding strategy chosen

Related Guides

Need to research what ads work in your industry? AdLibrary lets you search millions of ads across Google, Meta, TikTok, and more.

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