15 Google Ads Campaign Settings That Must Get Your Attention Right Away

There are numerous Google Ads campaign options, and there is a lot of contradictory information available regarding how to put them up.

Even if you select high intent keywords and create excellent advertising, the wrong settings will hinder your results.

stop gif

You can get messed up by poor settings.

I'm here to dispel myths and demonstrate the ideal option for each parameter in your Google Ads campaign.

Furthermore, we update this article regularly so that you won't see images of the previous Google Adwords interface.

How to Change Campaign Settings in Google Ads

You must know where to find campaign settings in Google Ads (previously Google Adwords) before you can modify them.

Log in to your Google Ads account first. Then, select Settings from the page's left-hand menu.

Navigation for Google Ads campaign settings

Click the setting you wish to modify after choosing the campaign you want to work in.

choices for Google Ads campaign settings

Make your adjustments and remember to hit save when finished.

Let's now enter the campaign settings.

1. Campaign Objective.

Since this is technically a campaign setting, I'll discuss it even though, to be honest, it doesn't really matter which option you select if you know what you're doing.

Set your campaign goal first when you start a new campaign.

You can choose from one of seven settings that Google Ads offers you.

Every campaign goal stands for a particular set of guidelines designed to help you manage your Google Ads campaign more effectively. The performance of your account is unaffected by the target you choose. Later on, though, it will restrict the choices for ad formats.

Each objective is listed inside a box in the aforementioned screenshot. Hovering over each will reveal additional details.

Here is a brief explanation of what each campaign goal accomplishes.

•Sales - Offers suggestions for modifying your budgeting and bidding techniques in order to attract more potential consumers' clicks.

•Leads: Offers suggestions for enhancing audience targeting, ad extensions, and leads.

Website Traffic - Guides you through the process of setting up dynamically produced headlines, extensions, and bidding techniques that can improve traffic.

•Consideration of Products and Brands - Offers guidance on automated bidding, targeting, and visually appealing ads that encourage interaction.

•Brand Awareness and Reach - Advice on how to come up with eye-catching visual ads and bid tactics that will draw in more viewers.

•App Promotion - Recommends adjustments to bidding tactics that can boost clicks and possibly app downloads

•Focus on in-person visits and promotions at neighborhood stores.

•Campaign Creation Without Goal Guidance - Create your own path.

Remember that campaign objectives and the advice they offer may or may not be useful or accurate. They can even be outright deceptive at times. Therefore, proceed with caution before following Google's suggestions.

2. Type of Campaign

Okay, so this setting is important. Once you decide on a campaign type, you cannot change it. Make sure you choose the correct campaign type because you cannot switch from a display campaign to a search campaign or vice versa.

You should start with the Search network if you're like most advertisers.

You can display your advertisements on Google.com, Google's search partner websites, and the display network by choosing the search network as your campaign type. However, whenever you're setting up a search campaign, always choose not to use display.

It's critical to understand that visitors from various networks are at various phases of the buying cycle. Basically, compared to visitors from the search network who are prepared to make a purchase, it is difficult to convert visitors who click on a display ad utilizing a high threat offer.

It's acceptable to initially incorporate search partner websites. You may then review your advertisements data a few weeks later to evaluate how Search partners stack up against Google. You can always turn it off if you notice that search partners are negatively impacting your performance.

3.Networks 

Additionally, choosing a campaign type automatically restricts you to a specific network. As a result, the purpose of this section is mainly to tell you about each network than to suggest a setup.

Within the Google Ads umbrella are five different networks to choose from. Before choosing a campaign kind, consider the following basic breakdown of each.

•Search: Your text ads are displayed on Google.com and other search partners.

•Display - Displays your banner adverts on tens of thousands of websites.

•Shopping - This feature enables you to prioritize product-based ads over other ad kinds in search results.

•Your video advertisements are played on YouTube and other affiliate websites.

•App - Promote mobile apps for iOS or Android.

Each network has a distinct function and enables you to display your adverts everywhere your potential customers might congregate. Due to this and numerous other factors, Google Ads is now the most popular PPC platform for advertisers globally.

4. The name of your campaign

Although giving your Google Ads campaign a name may seem unnecessary, sticking to a framework can help you stay organized as your account expands.

Your campaign names should be as straightforward as possible in this situation.

For instance, you could create a campaign called Office Chairs and include ad groups for office chairs in it.

Your campaigns can also be divided into the following categories:

•Keywords that are closely similar but don't include your brand name or the names of your competitors are known as generic terms.

•Branded Terms are search terms that include your company name.

•Competitor Terms: Keywords that include names of competitors.

The simplest way to accomplish this is to place the category before the name of your campaign. For example, if you offer office chairs with the ULINE brand, you might combine all the keywords associated with those chairs into a brand-new campaign called "ULINE Office Chairs."

Pro Tip: If you're ever unsure whether you need to launch a new campaign or not, start by determining whether these ad groups deserve their own landing page. If the answer is yes, you ought to think about launching a fresh housing campaign. Keep them together for the time being if the answer is no.

5.Locations 

Your campaign's success depends on choosing the appropriate geographic locations to target. Even if you do everything else perfectly, if you choose the incorrect areas to target, none of it will matter.

It doesn't matter how hard you kick if you miss the target, as my karate master used to say.

So let's set up your places properly so that you don't wind up like this unfortunate man.

If you wish to target the entire country, it's alright that Google Ads' default setting is set to the United States. For more precise targeting, choose Enter another location.

From here, enter locations using the search bar or select "Advanced search" to access a myriad of options.

Include or omit places, use radius targeting, and add locations in bulk inside the advanced search window.

The capability to choose locations by clicking straight on the map is one of the least well-kept secrets.

By selecting "Show all areas" in the top-right corner of your map, you can enable this option.

Once you've enabled this functionality, you may customize how the dropdown is used to select places. You have the following selections:

•Postal Codes

•City

• Airport 

•Country

• University

•Neighborhood

•Congressional District

After that, the map will be divided appropriately. Clicking on the locations you want to include or exclude is all that is necessary. Do this to avoid having to look up another zip code whenever you wish to target a region in a foreign place.

Building and Location? Target with a radius

We must mention radius targeting in addition to the other fundamental location parameters.

With Google Ads' radius targeting tool, you may define a targeting area around a particular location.

So when is radius targeting appropriate? Any firm that needs clients to travel to a physical location benefits greatly from radius targeting. Additionally, it is helpful for businesses with a small service area and mobile clientele.

Using radius targeting, you can adjust bid values based on how close or far away your clients are. You may, for instance, raise bids for those who are physically closer to you. By doing this, you can make sure Google presents your company's advertisements to customers who are most likely to make a purchase. For brick and mortar establishments, for instance, we established a 20, 15, 10, 5, and 2-mile ring "bullseye".

But what happens when customers travel up to 40 kilometers to see your physical location? Should you simply add a second 30- or 40-mile ring to your target?

I talk about that inevitable next.

Instructions for Setting Location Targeting for Areas More Than 20 Miles Away

Brick and mortar stores frequently have a wider "client radius" when they are located in large cities or suburban areas that are connected by major highways. Often, businesses prefer a more focused strategy rather than a bigger region in all directions.

Instead of increasing your bullseye radius targeting in this situation, think about exploring cluster targeting.

Where do we start? I'll explain it to you in detail.

Instead of increasing your bullseye radius targeting in this situation, think about exploring cluster targeting.

Where do we start? I'll explain it to you in detail.

Set the radius to 5 miles, activate pin mode, and then let loose.

Seriously, make several clusters along the city's main commuter routes using the same radius targeting technique.

Before I let you go, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Consider your ideal consumer persona as an example. There will be variations in the region you target, such as socioeconomic statuses. Let Google do the legwork to identify which neighborhood in the city best fits your ideal customer.

Then, using your 5-mile pin tool, extend it into suburban areas along major roads where customers still frequent your establishment.

Then, set the radius to 15 miles and enter your precise location. Use a cluster of 10, 5, and 2 miles again. When you view the map you made, you might feel a little perplexed, but Google won't. Giving Google every piece of segmented information it could ask for is the goal.

You'll be happy when you can determine the precise location your consumers come from (and where they don't! ), whether you optimize the campaign yourself or let Google optimize it using an automatic bidding approach.

6.Options for Location

The truth is that Google will still display your advertisement to users worldwide even if you set up the proper location targeting utilizing the advice from the top section.

The good news is that this is an easy fix, but you'll need to broaden the Location selections. The first option, "People in...or who've showed interest in your targeted locations," will be used by default in Google Ads. This setting would make it possible for someone halfway around the world to view and interact with your adverts.

Simply select "People in these locations" under the second option. This will give you better control over who sees your adverts and save you from wasting money on those outside of your targeted locations.

You can even remove everything outside of your specified areas if you want to be extra cautious.

7. Language Selection

Contrary to popular opinion, even if your ads are written in English, you don't necessarily need to target English speakers.

Instead, aim for every language. Why? since the only language filter you require is your keywords.

For instance, even if "table" and "mesa" refer to the same thing, they register as different search terms. Even if someone types in "mesa" while you're bidding for the English keyword, your ad won't be displayed.

Those whose browser or device settings are for a different language are not included if you set your language to English. People using devices from other countries who might be searching from a different Google domain are likewise excluded (google.au, google.mx, google.fr, etc.).

In the end, you don't want to lose a client because their gadget is from another nation or their settings aren't in English. You'll be guaranteed to keep those opportunities in all languages.

8. Budget

Your daily spending plan is largely irrelevant. But I assume you already knew that.

If creating a budget causes you excruciating worry, start small and gradually increase it. However, keep in mind that you'll be able to develop and see results more quickly the more money you invest.

If you really don't know where to start, there are a few simple formulas you can use to choose a starting daily budget.

Take your maximum CPC (cost per click) and multiply it by ten or twenty, depending on how much money you have available. Let's imagine, for illustration, that your maximum CPC is $5. A starting budget of $50 to $100 each day would be appropriate.

Multiply your daily budget by 30.4 to determine how much you'll spend each month (or the average number of days in a month.) Remember that while Google Ads can spend up to twice your daily allocation in a single day, they will never go over your monthly budget.

Let's use the example of a $50 daily budget. Google Ads could spend up to $100 per day with this budget, but never more than $1520 ($50 x 30.4) every month.

Pro tip: Increasing your daily expenditure will raise your proportion of impressions. Your ad has a higher chance of appearing in search results because you can afford to pay for more clicks in a single day.

9. Conversions

Within Google Ads, you have two options for Conversions settings for your campaign. Using the account-level "include in Conversions' settings" or selecting conversion actions for this campaign are also options.

Don't let this part overwhelm you with confusion. We advise that you use the conversion parameters that are set to default: Utilize "include in Conversions' settings" at the account level.

Why? The default, though, has a few advantages.

1. Your reporting page contains a ton of goodies, such as the types of conversion actions users are performing during the campaign. You can change the scope of your view to see some or all of these conversions.

2. Provides you with a small amount more control over automated bidding. With automated bid strategies, you may instruct Google to optimize certain conversions for your ads.

3. The "Conversions" column provides a clear picture so you can understand what's happening when managing bids manually.

Take this practical use of conversion settings, for instance.

Online sales and call-in orders were shown to be the two primary conversion actions for a floral shop. We counted the number of each conversion type that contributed to the overall conversion numbers in reporting using the account-level "include in Conversions' settings" default. Furthermore, we provide values to every conversion action. As a consequence, we were able to identify which conversion type contributed the most value (ROAS) to the campaign and adjust our strategy accordingly.

In conclusion, the Conversions reporting column can include useful conversion action data by default. Having access to that information also enables Google or you to make better bid judgments.

Speaking of offers...

10. Bidding Technique

There are currently nine alternative bidding tactics available, which can be extremely confusing. Focus on the manual and automated bidding tactics for the time being.

Manual: You choose how much to pay for clicks and establish your own keyword-level bids. Manual CPC is one of your manual bidding tactic choices.

Automated: Based on the information they gather, Google automatically modifies your offers. Additionally, they determine the cost of clicks.

The use of automated bidding techniques is promoted as a time-saving alternative to spending hours manually modifying your bids. Furthermore, Google has significantly improved these techniques, which rely on real-time signals with which we frequently can't compete. for additional advice on utilizing automated bidding techniques.

Even while automated bidding will save you time, there are a few circumstances when human bid settings may still be the most beneficial.

1. You've got a fresh account. New accounts also have no conversion data, which is necessary if you want to maximize your advertising budget and reduce your cost per click (CPC). Before implementing an automated or Smart Bidding method, give your account a month or two to gather the necessary data.

2. There is an epidemic of automated bidding. If you notice that an automatic bidding strategy is diverging from your objective, manual CPC is always an alternative. Simply reverse the switch to regain better control.

To enable manual bidding, you'll need to make a few minor modifications because Google Ads will by default use an automated bidding approach.

Select a bid plan immediately by clicking first. Open the dropdown and choose Manual CPC from the list after that. Last but not least, uncheck the box to turn off Enhanced CPC.

I'm done now. You are prepared to engage in manual bidding.

11. Ad Schedule

 It's typically a good idea to leave the ad schedule set to its default setting when you create your first Google Ads campaign. You may acquire information regarding the best times of day and days of the week by having Default broadcast your ads 24/7/365.

It could be tempting to arrange your lead generation efforts to only run during office hours if you are running one. However, even with fewer office hours and call-only marketing, you might be able to get high-quality conversions. You merely need to be sure to call them back the next working day, but if you limit your ad schedule from the beginning, you won't know.

Bonus Advice: Start and finish dates might be used to launch seasonal campaigns or short-term promotions.

12. Ad Rotation

Google has added and removed a number of features since the migration to Google Ads (formerly Adwords).

When it comes to ad rotation, you now have two choices.

•Favor the best-performing ads when optimizing.

•Rotate adverts forever rather than optimizing.

By default, Google Advertisements will choose the top-performing ads for you and will try to do so automatically. Ad rotation campaign parameters, however, vary depending on your circumstance. Choose Optimize if you're pressed for time; just keep an eye on your account.

Alternately, you can utilize an ad script to identify your winning and losing ads and set your ad rotation to "Do not optimize" if you like greater control and have the time to make subtle modifications. This will provide you with a more precise method of A/B testing your ads, which will ultimately result in the highest performing ads.

Pro Tip: You don't need to run three advertisements for each ad set, despite what some individuals (ahem... Your Google Ads Rep) claim. In fact, until you have enough traffic to support splitting your traffic out to three advertising, you should generally stay with a simple A/B test. Splitting your traffic three ways will slow down your test results and worsen your performance if you don't have enough traffic.

13. Ad Extensions

What if you could increase the size of your adverts without incurring additional costs? Ad addons will essentially accomplish that for you.

One of the finest strategies to raise your click-through rates (CTR) and optimize campaign effectiveness is without a doubt using Google ad extensions.

There are nine distinct ad extensions available to you, each with their own special features and benefits.

Start with general extensions to avoid becoming overly overwhelmed by your selections. Sitelinks, callout extensions, and structured snippets are three of the ad extensions that Google advises all advertisers to employ.

Sitelinks: Include extra links beneath the primary text link in search results; sitelinks point users to key pages on your website.

Ad extensions are extra lines of text that display beneath the description of your ad. They enlarge and draw more attention to your ad as a result in search results. Searchers are more likely to click on your advertisement if it is more prominent. As a result, practically all of your key performance indicators improve thanks to higher CTR, reduced CPC, and lower costs per conversion.

The best part is that adding ad extensions to your campaign is simple to do.

Callout extensions are 25-character sections of text that highlight your company's most interesting and valued attributes.

Structured snippets: what kinds of specialized products? a distinct selection of services? Structured snippets provide searchers a peek at the specifics you believe your clients would value the most.

14.IP Exclusions

You can exclude a certain IP address from viewing your adverts using IP exclusions.

These exclusions can be especially helpful if you suspect your rivals are clicking on your adverts. In order to avoid mistakenly viewing your own adverts and skewing the statistics, it is also a good idea to exclude your IP address.

Let's look at the law sector, which has one of the highest costs-per-click, to underline. We have first-hand examples of law firms hiring individuals solely to click on the advertisements of their rivals. The outcome? Thousands of dollars in wasted advertising (and typically a budget that runs out early in the morning, causing your competitors' ads to appear in their place) Spend some time with IP exclusions if you participate in PPC for lawyers or just have a CPC of $50 or more.

So how can we determine whether this is necessary? Utilize the tool for ad preview and diagnosis.

campaign parameters for Google Ads Ad Preview Diagnosis

How to search for your adverts in the appropriate way.

Once the initial setup is complete, you can add IP exclusions to your Google Ads campaign.

parameters for a Google Ads campaign excluding IP

Your ads don't need to be seen by your rivals.

Go to your campaign settings, click further settings, then choose IP exclusions to configure them. After entering the IP addresses you want to block, click "Save" to finish.

15. Optional Campaign URL

You can add URL tracking settings at the campaign level using this feature.

If you only need to track one campaign, campaign-level URL tracking can be helpful. Finally, by adding your tracking template at the account level, you can save yourself some time and duplication. All campaigns in your account will use the same tracking template as a result.

On the campaign Settings page, under other settings, you may still locate your campaign URL options.

You can create your tracking template from scratch or utilize a tool. Copy and paste the code snippet into the tracking template area after you have it, then click Save. This will now be added automatically to each URL in your campaign by Google Ads.

You can utilize tracking parameters to fill out secret form fields on your landing pages and gain more insight into prospects.

Finish configuring your Google Ads campaign.

I've got some excellent news for you if you followed the instructions and set up your campaign correctly: you might just need to do it once!

In reality, once you've set up a Google Ads campaign with the appropriate parameters, you can effortlessly carry over these parameters to all upcoming ads.

When you click the icon to start a new campaign, simply choose "Load campaign settings," and Google will load those parameters from previous campaigns for you. You won't have to go through the effort of setting everything up again each time you create a new Google Ads campaign.

Additionally, optimizing your campaigns' settings will boost your Google Ads performance and increase your ROI.

Do you have any concerns about the settings for your Google Ads campaign that I didn't address in this article? If so, please post them in the section below!