A well‑organised Google Ads account is fundamental for efficient budget control, high relevance, robust Quality Scores and reduced costs. We look at some of the best practices for optimal Google Ads campaign structure to ensure streamlined optimisation and performance.
1. Account Level
This is the topmost layer, housing billing details, user access permissions, time zone, auto-tagging, conversion settings and linked platforms such as Google Analytics.
Important settings include thresholds for ad suggestions, inclusion of utm templates, and account structure features like shared negative keywords, budgets, ad extensions, automated rules, and scripts.
Tips:
- Enable Expert Mode rather than Smart Mode for full control;
- Conduct frequent audits to detect optimisation opportunities early;
- Be cautious with Google’s auto-apply suggestions, as they may not always align with a business’s specific strategy.
2. Campaign Layer
Campaigns act as containers for multiple ad groups, each restricted to a single ad type (e.g. Search, Display, Video, Shopping, App, Smart, Discovery).
Budgets, targeting parameters (geographic, language), ad scheduling, bidding strategies, networks and device bids are defined at this level.
Best Practice:
Launch with one to two campaign types. Most advertisers begin with Search and Display and structure them according to website architecture, product categories, or regions.
3. Ad Groups
Ad groups within campaigns organise tightly themed clusters of ads and keyword, typically 10–20 keywords and 2–3 ads per group.
Maintaining tight alignment between keywords, ad copy and landing pages enhances relevancy, click-through rates and Quality Score.
4. Keywords & Match Types
Keyword selection should be guided by thorough research. Match types (broad, phrase, exact, and modified broad) help balance reach with precision.
Limited keyword sets, around 10–20 per ad group, simplify management and boost relevance.
Negative Keywords are crucial for filtering out irrelevant traffic and enhancing ROI.
Quality Score is a key metric tied to ad position and cost. It depends on factors like expected click-through rate, ad relevance, landing page quality, page load speed, geography and device optimisation.
5. Ads & Landing Pages
Use multiple ads per group (typically 2–3) to facilitate A/B testing.
Ad copy should clearly reflect the keywords and convey a strong call-to-action. Choices like responsive search ads broaden reach while targeting relevance.
Landing pages must be highly relevant to ad content, fast-loading, mobile-optimised, secure and designed to convert, as this is essential for an optimal Quality Score and user experience.
6. Ongoing Management
After launch, reviewers should:
- Regularly analyse search terms reports to add negative keywords and refine bid strategies;
- Rotate and test ads continually, leveraging performance data to optimise click-through and conversion rates;
- Apply bid adjustments for devices, locations, and time zones based on measured performance;
- Leverage remarketing and Display campaigns to capitalise on high-intent audiences and expand brand awareness;
- Use automated bidding strategies where appropriate, but stay vigilant and test against manual bids for optimal results.
Summary
A properly structured Google Ads account mirrors a business’s website architecture or product hierarchy and supports precise control at each level.
Structuring with clarity by limiting keywords per ad group, grouping by theme, testing multiple ads and ensuring landing page relevance directly improves Quality Score, lowers cost-per-click and boosts conversions.
Ultimately, ongoing auditing, strategic bid adjustments and data-driven testing are essential to achieve long-term PPC success.
If you want to know more about how implementing an optimal structure can help your business’s Google Ads campaign to succeed, please get in touch.