Critical Settings to Check First
1. Disable the Display Network on Search Campaigns
Why: When you create a search campaign, Google automatically opts you into the "Search Partners" network, which includes display placements. These placements often have significantly lower conversion rates and waste budget.
How to disable:
- Go to your Search campaign settings
- Scroll to "Networks"
- Uncheck "Include Google Display Network"
- Consider unchecking "Include Google search partners" if performance is poor
Pro tip: If you want to run display ads, create a separate Display campaign with display-specific creatives and targeting. Don't mix search and display.
2. Analyze Search Terms, Not Just Keywords
The Problem: Many advertisers only look at their keyword list and assume that's what they're bidding on. In reality, your ads trigger for many more search queries, especially with broad and phrase match.
Weekly Search Terms Audit:
- Go to Search Terms Report: Insights & Reports → Search Terms
- Sort by spend: Find expensive irrelevant queries
- Add negative keywords: Block irrelevant traffic immediately
- Harvest winners: Add high-converting queries as exact match keywords
Common culprits to exclude:
- "free", "cheap", "job", "career", "course", "training" (if you're not offering these)
- Competitor names (unless you intentionally bid on them)
- Informational queries like "what is", "how to" (unless you have content for them)
Account Structure Best Practices
Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs) vs Themed Groups
The debate continues, but here's what works in 2026:
Tightly Themed Groups (Recommended)
- 3-5 closely related keywords per ad group
- Same search intent
- Allows for more flexible ad copy testing
- Easier to manage at scale
When to Use SKAGs
- High-value keywords (>$50 CPC)
- Brand terms
- Competitor terms
- When you need ultra-specific ad copy
Campaign Structure by Match Type
Separate campaigns by match type for better control and optimization:
Exact Match Campaign (Highest Priority)
Your proven, high-converting keywords. Highest bids, tightest control.
Budget allocation: 50-60% of total budget
Phrase Match Campaign (Medium Priority)
Expansion with moderate control. Add negatives from search terms report.
Budget allocation: 30-40% of total budget
Broad Match Campaign (Lowest Priority - Optional)
Discovery mode. Only use with Smart Bidding and strict negative keyword lists.
Budget allocation: 10-20% of total budget (test first)
Improving Quality Score
Quality Score affects both your ad rank and CPC. A higher Quality Score means lower costs and better positions. Here's how to improve it:
1. Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR)
How to improve:
- Include keywords in headlines: Use dynamic keyword insertion (DKI) or write keyword-specific ads
- Use emotional triggers: Numbers, questions, urgency, social proof
- Test ad extensions: Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets increase real estate
- Pause low-CTR ads: If CTR is below 5%, test new ad copy
2. Ad Relevance
How to improve:
- Match ad copy to keywords: If keyword is "blue running shoes", mention "blue running shoes" in headline
- Tight ad groups: Don't mix unrelated keywords in the same ad group
- Use all headline and description slots: More relevant content = better relevance score
3. Landing Page Experience
How to improve:
- Page speed: Aim for load time under 2 seconds (use PageSpeed Insights)
- Mobile optimization: 70%+ of traffic is mobile - test on real devices
- Message match: Landing page headline should match ad headline
- Clear CTA: One primary action, above the fold, prominent button
- Relevant content: Deliver what the ad promises - no bait and switch
Bidding Strategy Selection
For New Accounts (0-30 conversions/month)
Not enough data for Smart Bidding yet.
Use: Manual CPC or Maximize Clicks
- Start with manual CPC to understand your cost structure
- Set max CPC based on target CPA (if CPA target is $50, start bids at $5-10)
- Use bid adjustments for devices, locations, audiences
For Growing Accounts (30-100 conversions/month)
Enough data to test Smart Bidding.
Use: Target CPA or Maximize Conversions
- Set target CPA based on your historical average
- Give it 2-4 weeks learning period - don't change targets frequently
- Keep exact match campaigns on manual CPC for control
For Mature Accounts (100+ conversions/month)
Full optimization capabilities.
Use: Target ROAS or Maximize Conversion Value
- If you track revenue, use Target ROAS (aim for 400-600% ROAS)
- Import offline conversions for better optimization
- Use value rules to optimize for high-LTV customers
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not using negative keywords
Without negatives, you'll waste 20-40% of budget on irrelevant clicks. Check search terms weekly.
Mixing search and display
Display network on search campaigns dilutes performance. Always separate.
Ignoring mobile performance
Mobile often has 20-30% lower conversion rate. Adjust bids accordingly or optimize mobile landing pages.
Setting and forgetting
Google Ads requires active management. Review performance at least weekly, search terms daily if spend is high.
Broad match without Smart Bidding
Broad match can waste massive budget without conversion-based bidding. Only use with Target CPA/ROAS.
Weekly Optimization Checklist
Monday: Review search terms, add negatives, harvest winners
Tuesday: Check Quality Scores, pause low-scoring keywords
Wednesday: Review ad performance, test new ad variations
Thursday: Analyze device/location performance, adjust bids
Friday: Review budget pacing, forecast end-of-month performance
Track and Optimize Your Google Ads Performance
Use our free calculators to monitor your metrics, forecast changes, and identify optimization opportunities.