The Google Ads Blueprint

The economic frame

Google Ads is an auction for intent. You win not by bidding most but by converting best: traffic quality × conversion rate × close rate. Manage all three; most accounts manage one.

Structure by intent

• High intent: "service + location" and "near me" terms get exact/phrase campaigns with their own budget.
• Research intent: "how much", "cost", "vs" queries — cheaper education clicks, remarketing collects them.
• Brand: cheap insurance against competitors bidding your name.
• Performance Max: layered on once clean conversion data exists — never the foundation of a fresh account.

Negatives: the money-saver

The search terms report is where budgets go to die or be saved. Weekly: mine it, negative anything unqualified (jobs, free, DIY, competitor names you don’t want). A mature negative list is a competitive asset.

Ads and assets

• Responsive ads with distinct headlines — benefits, proof, locality, urgency; don’t spin synonyms.
• Fill every relevant asset: sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, location, call.
• Judge ads on conversion rate at acceptable volume, not CTR.

Tracking you can trust

• One primary conversion action per funnel stage; everything else secondary.
• Call tracking with duration thresholds (a 12-second call is not a lead).
• Enhanced conversions and consent mode configured properly.

The weekly rhythm

1. Search terms review + negatives (15 min).
2. Budget check vs. pacing and CPL targets (10 min).
3. One test decision: ad, audience, bid or page (never five at once).
4. Note what changed — you can’t attribute what you don’t log.