How to Properly Structure A Google Ads Campaign in 2024 (Tutorial & Real Examples)

Summary

This video tutorial guides viewers on optimizing Google Ads campaigns for better results by embracing the shift from search-based to intent-based advertising. It explains the importance of adapting to Google's AI-driven understanding of user intent, which allows ads to show for similar search terms. The video suggests structuring campaigns with single-intent ad groups, using dynamic keyword insertion for ad headlines, and recommends using phrase match over broad or exact match types. It also touches on the simplification of campaign management with fewer ad groups and the use of an optimization checklist for ongoing improvement.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Google Ads has shifted from search-based to intent-based targeting, allowing ads to show up for related search terms even if they don't match the exact keyword.
• 📈 The change to intent-based targeting means that ads can appear for different variations of a search term, which requires a restructure of ad campaigns to manage and compensate for varied search intent.
• 📝 It's crucial to adjust ad headlines to match the intent of the search terms to avoid dissonance and maintain a high click-through rate (CTR).
• 🛠️ The old method of single-keyword ad groups is no longer effective due to the new intent-based system, which necessitates a move towards broader ad group structures.
• 🔑 The concept of 'single intent ad groups' is introduced, where similar keywords are grouped together under one ad group to streamline campaign management.
• 🔄 Dynamic keyword insertion is recommended to create customizable headlines that can adapt to the triggering keyword, ensuring relevance and improving CTR.
• 📊 Using a tool like AdWords Wrapper can help manage keywords more efficiently by wrapping them in the desired match type, such as phrase match, for better control.
• 📈 Phrase match is suggested as a balanced match type that allows for flexibility while still maintaining relevance, unlike broad match which can be too broad.
• 📝 The script recommends creating multiple ads per ad group to allow Google to test and optimize the best performing ads, typically suggesting three ads per group.
• 📋 An optimization checklist is mentioned as a useful tool for managing and tracking the performance of Google Ads campaigns on a regular basis.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to guide viewers on how to structure their Google Ads campaign for the best results, particularly emphasizing the shift from search-based to intent-based advertising.

What is the significance of the switch from search-based to intent-based in Google Ads?

The switch to intent-based advertising in Google Ads allows ads to appear for related search terms that may not be an exact match, broadening the potential reach of ads and making it more adaptive to user intent.

Why is it important to adjust campaigns to manage different keyword variations?

Adjusting campaigns to manage different keyword variations is important because Google's AI interprets many similar phrases as having the same intent, which can affect ad visibility and click-through rates if not properly optimized.

What is the recommended approach for structuring ad groups in the new intent-based system?

The recommended approach is to use single intent ad groups, which involve grouping keywords that are semantically similar under one ad group, allowing for more efficient management and optimization.

How does dynamic keyword insertion help in creating ad headlines?

Dynamic keyword insertion helps in creating ad headlines by automatically inserting the triggered keyword into the headline, making it more relevant to the user's search query and potentially increasing click-through rates.

What is the recommended number of ads per ad group?

It is recommended to have three ads per ad group to allow Google to test and optimize effectively, providing enough data for A/B testing without overwhelming the advertiser.

Why is using phrase match considered better than broad match in many scenarios?

Phrase match is considered better than broad match in many scenarios because it offers a balance between reach and relevance. It allows for some flexibility in search terms while still maintaining a connection to the intended keyword.

How can advertisers optimize their landing pages in the context of intent-based advertising?

Advertisers can optimize their landing pages by ensuring that the content is relevant to the keywords and ad copy, even if not every single keyword needs to be represented. The focus should be on addressing the user's intent.

What is the benefit of reducing the number of ad groups from hundreds to just a few?

Reducing the number of ad groups from hundreds to just a few simplifies campaign management, makes optimization easier, and allows for more efficient use of resources and quicker analysis of campaign performance.

What tool is recommended for managing keywords in Google Ads?

The tool recommended for managing keywords in Google Ads is AdWords Wrapper, which can be accessed at adwordsrapper.com. It helps in wrapping keywords effectively for better campaign performance.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Transition to Intent-Based Advertising in Google Ads

The speaker introduces the shift from search-based to intent-based advertising in Google Ads, explaining how Google's AI interprets similar search queries as having the same intent. This change affects how ads are displayed, as they can now appear for a broader range of related search terms, even in exact match scenarios. The video emphasizes the need to adapt campaign structures to manage this new dynamic, focusing on creating headlines that resonate with the user's intent rather than specific keywords. The speaker recommends using dynamic keyword insertion to generate customizable headlines that align with the user's search intent, enhancing click-through rates and reducing ad costs.

05:01

🛠 Structuring Ad Campaigns with Intent-Based Groups

The speaker provides a strategy for structuring ad campaigns under the new intent-based system. They suggest creating single-intent ad groups, which consolidate keywords with similar meanings, such as 'plumbers near me' and 'local plumbers.' This approach simplifies campaign management compared to the traditional method of using single-keyword ad groups. The speaker also discusses the use of dynamic keyword insertion in ad copy to target a variety of keywords with a single headline, which can improve click-through rates. Additionally, they touch on the importance of having dedicated landing pages that align with the broad intent of the keywords, even if they don't need to match every specific keyword.

10:02

📝 Creating Responsive Search Ads with Dynamic Keyword Insertion

The speaker demonstrates how to create responsive search ads using dynamic keyword insertion. They guide viewers through the process of setting up ad groups with phrase match keywords and then creating ads that can dynamically adapt their headlines based on the user's search query. The video shows how to use the keyword insertion feature to automatically generate headlines that include the user's search terms, making ads more relevant and likely to be clicked. The speaker also recommends creating multiple ads per ad group to allow Google to test and optimize ad performance effectively. Finally, they discuss the benefits of using phrase match over broad or exact match types for better control and performance in intent-based advertising.

Keywords

💡Google Ads

Google Ads is a platform offered by Google where advertisers can display their ads to users. In the video, it's the main focus as the speaker discusses how to structure campaigns for optimal results. The script mentions various strategies and changes in Google Ads that affect how ads are displayed.

💡Campaign Structure

Campaign structure refers to the organization of an advertising campaign within Google Ads. The video provides guidance on structuring campaigns to achieve the best results, such as grouping keywords and creating ad groups that align with user intent.

💡Keywords

Keywords are the words or phrases that users type into search engines, which advertisers target in their Google Ads campaigns. The script emphasizes the importance of finding the right keywords for a campaign and adjusting campaigns to accommodate changes in how Google matches keywords to search queries.

💡Intent-Based

Intent-based advertising is a strategy where ads are shown based on the user's search intent rather than exact keyword matches. The video discusses Google's shift towards intent-based matching, allowing ads to show up for similar search queries even if the exact keywords aren't used.

💡Dynamic Keyword Insertion

Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI) is a feature in Google Ads that automatically inserts keywords into ad headlines. The video explains how DKI can be used to create more relevant ad headlines that match the user's search query, improving click-through rates.

💡Ad Groups

Ad groups are subsets of a campaign that contain ads which target similar keywords. The script recommends creating single-intent ad groups, which group keywords that have the same user intent, to streamline campaign management.

💡Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Click-Through Rate is a metric that measures the number of times an ad is clicked divided by the number of times it's shown. The video mentions that a dissonance between ad headlines and search queries can lower CTR, which in turn can increase ad costs.

💡Landing Page

A landing page is the web page that users land on after clicking an ad. The video suggests that while it's beneficial to have dedicated landing pages for ads, they don't need to be as precisely targeted as before due to the intent-based nature of Google Ads.

💡Responsive Search Ad

Responsive Search Ads are a type of ad format in Google Ads that automatically rotate different ad headlines and descriptions to find the most effective combination. The video demonstrates how to create these ads, which can adapt to the user's search query.

💡Phrase Match

Phrase match is a keyword match type in Google Ads that allows ads to show for search queries that contain the keyword phrase in order, but with other words potentially in between. The script suggests using phrase match over broad or exact match for better flexibility.

💡Search Term Analysis

Search Term Analysis is a feature in Google Ads that shows the actual search queries that triggered the ads. The video advises reviewing search term analysis to add new keywords and optimize campaigns.

Highlights

Introduction to structuring campaigns in Google Ads for optimal results.

Emphasis on the importance of understanding recent changes in Google Ads for effective campaign structuring.

Discussion on the shift from search-based to intent-based advertising in Google Ads.

Explanation of how Google's AI interprets user intent, allowing ads to appear for similar search terms.

The impact of intent-based advertising on the need for dynamic headlines that match user intent.

Advice on adjusting campaigns to manage variations in search terms and maintain high click-through rates.

Recommendation to use single intent ad groups for streamlined campaign management.

Introduction to dynamic keyword insertion for creating customizable headlines based on user search terms.

The significance of using dedicated landing pages that align with user intent.

Practical demonstration of how to structure ad groups and utilize dynamic keyword insertion.

Guidance on selecting the appropriate match types for keywords in ad groups.

Advantages of using phrase match over broad or exact match types.

Importance of regular review and optimization of search terms, ad copy, and landing pages.

Recommendation to create multiple ads per ad group for Google to test and optimize.

Final thoughts on the simplification of ad group management with intent-based advertising.

Encouragement to utilize provided resources like the Google Ads optimization checklist for ongoing campaign improvement.

Transcripts

ladies and gentlemen in today's video

I'm going to walk you through how to

structure your campaign inside Google

ads for the best results we have made

part one of this video of essentially

how to find the proper keywords for this

uh campaign that we're going to be using

and structuring so if you haven't

checked that video out you might want to

go ahead and do that just so you're up

to date with that but this video alone

is a great way to figure out the best

way to actually structure your campaign

so you can get the best results and save

yourself a whole bunch of time because

there's been a lot of changes recently

in Google ads and a lot of the stuff

that used to work no longer works and

I'm going to discuss that in this video

and what I want to discuss first is the

massive switch in Google ads from

essentially search base to intent based

and Google is doing this more and more

and what I mean by this is intent base

essentially allows your ads to appear

for if someone types in plumber near me

or local plumber near me in Google's

artificial intelligence is mined it

means the exact same thing and your ad

is still going to be viable to pop up

which is a massive change from where it

used to be especially when we were

talking about exact match where if you

typed in you know local plumber near me

with an s on it your ad wouldn't be

viable to pop up if that specific

keyword didn't have an s on the end of

it so this is a massive change and I can

show you in a version of this on

Google's actual site which says lawn

mowing service was the keyword they were

targeting but as you can see even in

exact match which is the strictest match

type we have you can still pop up for a

completely different search term which

is grass cutting service near me now I

know in a lot of people's minds they go

yeah it means the exact same thing but

this is a massive change that you need

to be very careful and very

understanding about because this

essentially means that no matter what

keywords we are targeting you are still

going to come up with a whole bunch of

different variations so we need to

adjust our campaigns to be able to

manage and compensate for that because

if we're not able to generate headlines

that immediately match those keywords

we're targeting that creates a large

dissonance between the actual customers

problem and our our headline meaning

they're less likely to click on it

meaning or click through rate goes down

meaning our ad costs could increase

because our cost per click could go up

there's a lot of stuff here that we need

to adjust for now I know all this sounds

super complicated and it is to a certain

extent but it's going to be pretty

simple on the solution here essentially

way back when we had single keyword ad

groups like I was talking about you

would have plumbers near me plumber near

me expert Plumbing near you but because

all of this is Now intent based you

could pop up for local plumbers or

plumbers in my city

so all of these headlines and even if

you created a specific landing page it

no longer works because you're just

going to be able to pop up for a whole

bunch of other stuff so we need to adapt

for that so how do we adapt for that how

do we make our account structure look

different and this is a great great

diagram and it's from oxidant.com if you

haven't checked out this website you

definitely should they make great blog

posts and is by far the best I've seen

on the topic and essentially what they

recommend and what I recommend too is

single intent ad groups and that instead

of intent they said intention but I like

intent better

um but essentially what this means is

grouping ad groups using fewer ad groups

so you could do plumber local or plumber

near me as the actual ad group title and

then as you can see we have a whole

bunch of keywords in here that are

plumbers near me nearest Plumbers Local

plumbers plumbers in my area a plumber

in my ZIP code plumber in my city

all of these things essentially mean the

exact same thing in Google's ai's mind

now how do we adjust our ad copy because

there's a whole bunch of different

keywords how do we target all of that we

want to be as specific as possible

therefore we have the highest

click-through rate and when someone sees

our ad they go yeah that's exactly my

problem what do we do and it's very

simple we use something called Dynamic

keyword and insertion which essentially

allows you to generate a headline via

your keyword so we're going to actually

aim for more keywords in this ad group

because we want our headlines to be as

customizable as possible and essentially

when someone types in and triggers one

of these keywords this keyword will then

appear as one of our headlines and this

can be very very useful because this

allows us to not have to write a whole

bunch of headlines and I'll show you in

a second how to do Dynamic keyword

insertions in case you didn't know but

that's essentially how we're going to

structure our ads as you can see this

saves us a whole bunch of time plumbers

that are affordable and as you can see

cheap plumbers affordable Plumbing all

of this stuff means the exact same thing

in the customer's mind in Google's ai's

mind and we're going to use Dynamic

keyword insertion one thing this doesn't

show is the actual landing page I do

definitely recommend using a dedicated

landing page but it doesn't have to be

as precise as it used to be where you

need every single different keyword in

there you can again use the same tactic

here on your landing page as you did the

keywords and the ad copy going within 10

base if you're looking for a local

plumber you could have a headline that

says local plumber near me or something

like that that has you know quite a few

of the keywords in here but it doesn't

have to go through absolutely everything

that's what I would recommend I would

add a dedicated landing page to all of

these you could also put affordable

plumbers as a landing page certified

plumbers as a landing page and emergency

plumbers as a landing page and your

account will do a lot better than the

single keyword ad groups which used to

take absolutely forever you'd have two

or three hundred ad groups now you're

probably going to have you know three to

six ad groups it's going to be

significantly less than what you used to

have so what we're going to do is come

back to our original keywords over here

and these are all the keywords we picked

out in the last video and as you can see

a lot of these keywords mean the exact

same thing and best HVAC companies near

me heating and air companies near me

eating an air near me repair companies

repair companies companies near me

contractor you get the point a lot of

this means the exact same thing what I

would do in the case of HVAC is I would

look at HVAC companies and heating and

cooling companies and essentially put

them into one ad group so what I'm going

to do is I'm just going to title this

HVAC company and then I'm going to take

all of these that essentially look near

the same

so we'll do this HVAC company near me

here a company near me

Heating and Air

repair I'm gonna put repair into its own

category I'm going to differentiate

installation

um repair into separate categories

because I do think they are different

and they deserve their own category

there uh he and cooling companies near

me that's fine repair near me so and we

can delete these by the way we'll get

rid of that just we'll get rid of that

that's fine desk can go into here I'm

eating companies near me cool delete

HVAC contractor

I think you could probably get away with

that for right now I'm just gonna leave

it uh maintenance HVAC installation HVAC

under me that could definitely go over

here

repair I think service could also go

there services

yeah and I think I think that's pretty

good I think you could

you know what let's put HVAC Tech in

there and let's put HVAC contractor in

there as well because they essentially

mean the exact same thing however if

someone were looking for installation

versus repair those are two different

things and

you know what we could do I might get

rid of best HVAC company near me and

I'll put that in top rated so we could

do best reviewed highest rated uh best

HVAC company so I'm going to keep that

out of here and essentially now we have

one ad group and this is HVAC company we

could do

we'll extend this a little bit

let's do HVAC install this could be

another one

and of course if you want to add more

keywords you absolutely can we honestly

don't have that many ones here we'll do

we'll just come up with a few extract

installation we'll do near me

HVAC

installation service

HVAC

um yeah I think that should be fine and

then we'll do another one for repair so

you get what I mean and we'll do repair

and

and honestly I might even put

maintenance in here as well uh because

most of this since it's dynamically

inserted uh maintenance and the

additional headlines that are going to

pop up so think for example

two-year guarantee 24 7 service and

these are all reasons to buy and then a

call to action call now for a free quote

as essentially all that is the exact

same here uh you could add HVAC

maintenance into its own ad group but as

you can see Google is becoming much more

lenient uh with what keywords you can

Target now once we have our ad groups

here what do we do and we're going to

come over here to our actual ad group

here I already created a little campaign

here and what we're going to do is

actually add our keywords in here so I'm

going to take all of these and what

actual match type should we enter them

in as and when we see here if we just

pasted them like this they'd all come in

as broad match broad match in most

scenarios is much too vague especially

if you don't have a ton of data to back

it up with I actually recommend using a

tool called AdWords wrapper it's called

adwordsrapper.com it's absolutely

awesome you can paste your keywords in

here hit wrap keywords and then we're

just going to scroll down to phrase

match and pick phrase match phrase match

as a reason is the best match type in my

opinion for most scenarios as it allows

you to have a decent amount of leniency

without being too completely crazy and

going off the deep end with broad match

as you can see here as it says lawn

mowing service you can also pop up for

lawn aeration prices which is very very

different but with phrase match you can

pop up for stuff that is pretty much the

same intent and that's what we're going

for and when we see keywords that are

similar we can add them to our ad group

especially once we see them in our

Search terms pop up we can do that and

uh make sure to please be going over

your search term analysis and adding new

keywords dynamically inserted headlines

once we've done all this we can just go

down here to save and now we have added

all of our phrase match keywords into

our account what we can do now is come

over here to ads and hit create add

we're going to hit responsive search ad

and I'm going to show you how to create

a dynamically inserted keyword please

enter in the actual final URL here I'm

not going to take the time to explain

all of this because I have in many other

videos and I'll link up a whole bunch

look for how to write headlines

um not too difficult and I created an

entire video on this but what we're

going to do is if you hit shift and then

hit this and enter in this little sign

here

um you're gonna see keyword insertion

this is absolutely amazing and this is

going to be the future of Google ads for

in my opinion for a long time because

automatically generated headlines with

enough strictness to ensure that they

don't get out of hand and they're not

going crazy and Google's just not

picking random stuff off your website is

the best way to go it just it line uh

we're just going to enter in what was

this accurate was uh let's do the local

HVAC

company

and

yeah I think local HVAC companies find

local HVAC

um all right you know what let's get fun

looking for

question mark there we go that's cool

because there's a question and it stands

out but essentially this is going to be

the default text if none of our actual

keywords generate a headline no none of

them actually trigger any of this so

when we look in all of these if someone

typed in something that isn't close

enough to this Google is just going to

default back to looking for local a

Tracker looking for HVAC but if it does

trigger a keyword from this list it will

then replace this keyword over here with

this headline so it's going to be very

very closely related make sure to go

through all of these and fill out the

headlines I have an entire tutorial on

how to actually teach all of this I'll

link that up above

um it's a great tutorial and you should

definitely fill out all of these now how

many ads should you have and this is Up

For Debate but I normally recommend

three ads for every single ad group the

reason for that is essentially allows

Google to test to the best of its

abilities and you can make the case that

essentially uh less ads equals a quicker

optimization time which is true however

most people are not going to go into

Google ads and constantly be updating

their ads so I normally recommend for

most accounts just add three ads and

then once you get around to actually

switching up these ads and a b testing

them you're going to have a lot more

data to work with because most people

are just not going to you know change

out all these headlines just for you

know sake of laziness but that's how

many ads I would recommend once we have

our ads completely made our keywords are

in there and then our landing page set

up we're essentially good to go our

account should start looking like this

and then we can start adding in even

more ad group so I would do the exact

same with HVAC install I'd put this in

phrase match I put this in HVAC repair

and some people you could use exact

match as well instead of phrase match I

like phrase match just because it's so

much more lenient and you can generate a

lot of results very quickly with it I

think it's a great in between broad

match and exact match I just think it's

a great balance as of this moment but

it's up to you I would go ahead I would

continue making HVAC installation and

then create HVAC repair and then if you

wanted to go even further and you needed

more Search terms and more ad groups you

could go in and look up you know AC that

could be an entire ad group in itself so

AC repair AC installation and then also

furnace installation that's another

service most HVAC guys do so that's

something you could definitely do and

then you could have you know three to

five maybe even six ad groups here and

it's a lot less than those single

keyword ad groups which is really nice

you're not looking at two or three

hundred ad groups you're looking at

three to six ad groups keep it nice and

simple add more keywords and you should

be good to go your account will start to

look like this and again single intent

ad groups are the way to go at least at

this moment inside Google ads or your

best bet and you're going to see the

best results it's also a lot easier to

optimize all these uh since you're going

to see so many more results so many more

Impressions and it's a lot easier to

optimize you know three to six ad groups

as opposed to two to three hundred ad

groups it's just so much easier now one

thing I should mention is our Google ads

optimization checklist if you're looking

at optimizing all of these keywords and

AD groups and you know landing pages we

have an optimization checklist I'll link

it down below it's completely free and

watching through on what to do on a

weekly monthly and three month basis it

also allows you to jot down your results

to make sure you're making progress

inside Google ads so you're seeing

better results now if you have any

comments questions or concerns about the

video leave a comment down below I will

do my best to answer it other than that

you guys have a wonderful day and take

care I wish you all well

[Music]