Google Ads Account Structure

Proper organization of your Google Ads account is important for effectively managing digital advertising campaigns. The way accounts, campaigns, ad groups and keywords are structured can either streamline optimization efforts or lead to duplication of work. Therefore, taking time upfront to thoughtfully design your account structure pays off in the long run.

Determine how many Google Ads accounts make the most sense based on your business needs.

Sometimes separate accounts work better for distinct brands, products, or international locations. However, too many accounts can fragment data and efforts. Experiment to see what structure allows simplified management versus granular controls.

Next, decide on your campaign architecture.

Common approaches include seasonal campaigns, separate campaigns for different products/services, campaigns targeting mobile versus desktop, or geo-targeted campaigns. The right number of campaigns depends on your optimization cycles and ability to test new creatives or messages independently.

At the campaign level is where most core structuring takes place. Firstly, group similar ad groups together under “umbrella” topics related to your products or services. For instance, create ad groups for specific shoe styles rather than having one ad group for your entire shoe collection. This prevents wasting impressions on irrelevant ads.

Additionally, keep closely related keywords, negative keywords, and match types organized within the same ad groups to maintain relevance. You can then analyze ad group performance individually to make optimizations. However, avoid creating too many ultra-narrow ad groups that receive limited data.

Finally, at the keyword level prioritize your highest volume, highest value keywords at the top of each ad group. Then see how remaining long-tail keywords respond by testing different match types, bid adjustments and quality scores. This structures targeting to focus most budget on your most convertible traffic sources.

In summary, taking time to logically design your Google Ads account upfront based on these best practices will greatly ease ongoing campaign management and fine-tuning. Communicate your structure’s reasoning clearly too for if staff change roles. Most importantly, continuously review performance to see if your framework still optimally supports business and marketing department goals over time.