In the realm of PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising, a myriad of factors contribute to success. One of the key elements is optimising ad placement and targeting. However, achieving this is only possible through a crucial factor: an organised account and campaign structure within Google Ads/
An efficient account structure plays a pivotal role in enhancing campaign performance, enabling advertisers to effectively manage and optimise their Google Ads endeavors. By carefully arranging campaigns, ad groups, ads, keywords, and targeting methods, advertisers can improve performance reporting, streamline change management, and unlock the full potential of their advertising efforts.
This article will demystify the concept of account structure within Google Ads, shedding light on its importance and providing practical insights on how to build a solid foundation for future success. Whether you’re a newcomer exploring Google Ads or an experienced advertiser looking to refine your strategies, this comprehensive guide will equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to excel.
If you have not yet opened a Google Ads account, check out this article How to Setup a Google Ads Account
What is account structure for Google Ads?
Google Ads account structure revolves around the organisation of campaigns, ad groups, ads, keywords, and targeting methods to enhance performance reporting and simplify change management. As each AdWords account varies in industry and company size, there is no one-size-fits-all structure.
The core framework of a Google account is straightforward. It consists of the account itself, housing campaigns, and within those campaigns, there are ad groups. Campaigns represent the different objectives pursued through ads, while ad groups serve as the means to achieve those objectives, such as utilising Google’s Display Network or Search Network.
A well-structured account determines how various ad groups in different campaigns effectively target specific audiences for specific purposes. Clear account structure is essential to avoid confusion about the roles of ad groups in different campaigns and to streamline the management of individual ads. For example, locating and removing a single managed placement from a display campaign or deleting an underperforming search ad becomes significantly easier when the structure is organised.
Account organisation involves optimising the usage of ad groups across campaigns, ensuring precise targeting for specific objectives in a structured and segmented approach. Without a solid account structure, it’s easy to become perplexed about the purposes of ad groups within different campaigns, leading to challenges in managing individual ads. Having a well-defined structure makes it much simpler to locate and remove specific elements, such as removing a managed placement or deleting an underperforming search ad.
In summary, a robust Google Ads account structure is crucial for effective campaign management, clear reporting, and successful ad targeting. By aligning campaigns, ad groups, and objectives, advertisers can optimise their advertising efforts and achieve better results.
Account Size
Optimising the size of your Google Ads accounts is vital for effective reporting, optimisation, and change management. Balancing account size ensures accurate performance tracking and resource allocation.
Small accounts lack sufficient data for accurate reporting and optimisation decisions. Inadequate segmentation makes it challenging to pinpoint areas for improvement.
Conversely, large accounts hamper productivity and agility. Updates and adjustments become time-consuming, hindering timely responses to market dynamics.
Finding the optimal account size allows for comprehensive reporting and efficient management. Well-organised campaigns and ad groups enable focused optimisation and effective resource allocation.
In conclusion, strike a balance in account size to maximise advertising effectiveness. Avoid extremes and aim for accurate reporting, efficient optimisation, and agile management. Position yourself for success with Google Ads by achieving this balance.
How to set up your account structure for Google Ads
There are three different levels of account structure, each requiring their own setup.
Structuring your account:
Structuring your account is the initial step in establishing a well-organized Google Ads setup. This process involves creating a solid foundation for your advertising campaigns and ensuring that your account is structured in a logical and efficient manner. Let’s dive into the details of structuring your account:
Structuring your campaigns:
This is where you set up campaigns based on the type of campaign (such as Search Network or Display Network), as well as the purpose of the campaign. For instance, you can set up campaigns based on targeting different locations, as well as campaigns based on branded keywords and non-branded keywords. You also set the budget for your campaign here, meaning that you can create campaigns with different bidding options, allowing you to change budgeting tactics to incorporate features like automated bidding.
Structuring your ad groups:
Under each campaign, you will have a number of ad groups that each contribute to the campaign’s overall budget. While there’s no hard limit, you don’t want to create too many ad groups per campaign as it can make it more difficult to manage and can stretch the budget of the campaign to the point that no ad group is funded adequately enough. A recommended amount is 7-10 ad groups per campaign and 2-3 ads per group. Here, you also set the ad or ad text, landing pages, and the keywords or placements that cause the ad to appear.
Tips for good account structure for Google AdWords
Hopefully, you understand how your account is structured, as well as how to build the basics of each campaign with a set amount of different ad groups beneath it. But how do you structure your account well?
Create campaigns based on objectives:
The different types of campaigns each lend themselves well to different kinds of marketing objectives and tactics. If you’re looking to target customers looking for your specific products and services, a Search Network Only campaign. If you want to build brand awareness, then Display Network Only campaigns might be the best option. Depending on how crucial different strategies are, this lets you determine how much budget you should lend to the campaign.
Create campaigns based on your website structure:
If your site has different pages for different services and products, you want to make sure that you’re grouping ads directing customers to those options separately. This can help you adjust budgets and ad placements depending on which products are performing best, and help you create ad groups targeting different audiences based on those options. So, a good starting point for an effective campaign structure is to mirror the website’s structure that is being advertised. By creating campaigns and ad groups around a specific theme, product or service- you can create keyword lists that directly relate to the corresponding ad text and landing pages. For example, a furniture store’s website is likely to have different sections for each type of product, like bedroom furniture and dining room furniture. The website might also have separate sections or pages for each specific product, like a certain bed or model of the table.
Create campaigns based on location and language:
Keywords, ad copy, and more are going to change depending on where you’re targeting your ads. If targeting different locations is important to your business, create separate campaigns for different locations, even if their overall goal is the same.
Name your campaigns appropriately:
Your campaigns and ad groups should be organised so that people can immediately understand the purpose of them even if they have never used them before. For that reason, make sure you’re naming them clearly in an easy-to-understand way.
Benefits for Organising Your Adwords account
Good campaign organisation helps you make changes quickly, target your ads effectively, and ultimately reach your advertising goals. It takes some experience across various industries to be confident that you’re building an optimum structure specific to each account. Hopefully, this guide will help you get going from the basics to intermediate in how you organise accounts.
By creating well-structured campaigns by theme, services, or products, you’ll have an account that’s easy to manage and keep organised. This organisation allows for faster changes and more effective ad targeting.
A well-structured account consists of separate campaigns for each of your product lines, general themes, or types of services you offer. Each campaign contains tightly themed ad groups focusing on one specific product, service, or theme. The ad groups should have specific keyword lists directly related to the associated ad text.
Here are the benefits of good account organisation:
1. Improved Results:
Good account organisation leads to better campaign management, reporting, and change updates. You can quickly determine which ads are generating optimal conversions (such as sales or leads) and traffic.
2. Enhanced Quality Score:
Well-structured campaigns with relevant keywords and ads improve your Quality Score. A higher Quality Score can help you get more value for your advertising budget.
3. Easy Monitoring and Control:
With a well-organised account, you can monitor changes easily and have better control over budgets and costs. This allows for efficient allocation of resources and optimisation of your campaigns.
4. Quick Keyword Localisation:
A structured account enables you to locate specific keywords quickly. This is especially helpful when you need to make adjustments or analyse performance for specific keywords.
5. Easy Campaign Management:
Good account organisation makes it simple to manage and edit your campaigns. With a clear structure, you can easily navigate through campaigns, ad groups, and keywords, saving time and effort.
By implementing a well-structured account organisation, you can streamline your Google Ads campaigns, achieve better performance, and effectively reach your advertising goals.
Ad Group Best Practises
An ad group is a crucial component of a well-structured Google Ads account. It contains one or more ads that target a shared set of keywords. To optimise your ad groups and maximise their effectiveness, consider the following best practices:
1. Organise by Theme or Category:
When setting up ad groups, consider basing them on the sections or categories present on your website. This alignment helps ensure that your ads are relevant to the content on your site and provides a seamless user experience.
2. Common Theme for Ads:
Group your ads within each ad group based on a common theme. This can be the types of products or services you want to advertise. By organising your ads in this manner, you can tailor the messaging and offers to specific audience segments, increasing the chances of conversion.
3. Carefully Name Your Ad Groups:
Choose descriptive and representative names for your ad groups. The names should accurately reflect the keywords contained within them. This practice aids in reporting and optimisation efforts, as it provides clear visibility into the performance of specific ad groups and allows for easier identification and tracking of data.
4. Improve ROI with Optimisation:
Creating tightly themed ad groups enhances the relevancy of your ads. This improved ad relevance contributes to a higher quality score, which is a critical factor in determining ad rank and cost-per-click. By focusing on specific keywords within each ad group and aligning them with targeted ads, you can improve your click-through rates, lower your costs, and ultimately achieve a better return on investment (ROI).
By following these ad group best practices, you can ensure that your ads are well-organised, relevant, and optimised for maximum performance. This approach not only improves the quality score but also enhances the overall effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns.
To learn more check out this article – how to create effective ad groups.
Skag's (Single Keyword Ad Groups)
Skag’s are a long-stand and popular way of organising Ad Groups in Google campaigns.
Checkout this article we have written on SKAG Tips
Conclusion
Investing time and effort into building an organised Google Ads account structure is a fundamental step towards achieving success in PPC advertising. By structuring your account, campaigns, and ad groups based on objectives, themes, and targeted audiences, you can optimise performance, streamline management, and drive better results.
Remember to create campaigns aligned with specific marketing objectives, structure ad groups based on your website’s offerings, and name them in a clear and meaningful manner. With a well-structured account, you’ll have the ability to make changes quickly, target your ads effectively, and gain better control over your budgets and costs.
If you need assistance in optimising your account structure or setting up a new account, consider reaching out to professionals who specialise in Google Ads management. They can provide expert guidance tailored to your business needs, ensuring your account structure is primed for success. Embrace the power of an organised Google Ads account structure and unlock the full potential of your PPC advertising endeavors.