MODULE 1

ASCENDEDGE GOOGLE ADS ACCOUNT SETUP

Create a clean Google Ads account without Google auto-breaking things.

⚠️ DO NOT CREATE CAMPAIGNS BEFORE FINISHING THIS MODULE

Tell Google exactly what "success" is so it optimizes for sales or leads β€” not clicks.

⚠️ RULES BEFORE YOU START

  • β€’ Tracking from Module 2 must be COMPLETE
  • β€’ Do NOT enable Smart campaigns
  • β€’ Do NOT add Display or PMax yet

⚠️ PREREQUISITE

  • β€’ Your Search campaign from Module 3 has been live 5–7 days
  • β€’ You have impressions and clicks (even if no conversions yet)

⚠️ PREREQUISITES

  • β€’ Campaign has run at least 7 days
  • β€’ Conversions are tracking
  • β€’ Spend is meaningful (not $5 total)

⚠️ PREREQUISITES

  • β€’ Search campaign from Modules 3–5 is live
  • β€’ At least 1–3 conversions recorded
  • β€’ GA4 + conversions verified

⚠️ Use ONE playbook at a time. Do not mix until profitable.

🚨 EMERGENCY USE ONLY

Use this page ONLY when something is not working as expected. Do not panic. Follow the steps in order. Stop when instructed.

Progress 0/6 Complete

What You Will Complete

  • βœ“ A Google Ads account
  • βœ“ Billing set correctly
  • βœ“ No "Smart Mode" traps
  • βœ“ A clean foundation for campaigns
1

Go to Google Ads (Important)

Action

  • β€’ Open a new browser tab
  • β€’ Go to: https://ads.google.com

❗ Critical Rule

If Google asks: "What's your main advertising goal?"

DO NOT SELECT ANYTHING YET.

2

Switch to Expert Mode

NON-NEGOTIABLE

Action

  • β€’ Look for small text that says: Switch to Expert Mode
  • β€’ Click it

Why This Matters

  • β€’ Smart Mode locks settings
  • β€’ Limits control
  • β€’ Wastes money

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Create a campaign yet
  • β€’ Accept recommendations
3

Choose "Create Account Without a Campaign"

Action

When prompted to create a campaign, click:

Create an account without a campaign

Why

We control setup before spending money.

4

Confirm Business Information

Action

Enter:

  • β€’ Business name
  • β€’ Country
  • β€’ Time zone
  • β€’ Currency

⚠️ WARNING

You cannot change:

  • β€’ Time zone
  • β€’ Currency

Double-check before clicking next.

5

Set Up Billing (Do This Once)

Action

  • β€’ Go to Tools & Settings
  • β€’ Click Billing
  • οΏ½οΏ½ Add payment method
  • β€’ Confirm billing profile

Best Practice

  • β€’ Use a card dedicated to ads if possible
  • β€’ Add a backup payment method

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Enable auto-promotions
  • β€’ Accept credit offers
6

Turn Off Google's "Helpful" Defaults

Action

  • β€’ Go to Tools & Settings
  • β€’ Click Preferences
  • β€’ Review and turn OFF:
  • β—‹ Auto-apply recommendations
  • β—‹ Display expansion (for now)
  • β—‹ Search partners (for beginners)

Why

Google optimizes for spend, not profit.

1

Confirm You Have a Google Account

Action

  • β€’ Make sure you are logged into the same Google email used for Google Ads
  • β€’ Open a new tab and go to: https://analytics.google.com

What You Should See

  • β€’ Google Analytics dashboard
  • β€’ Or a setup prompt
2

Create a GA4 Property (If You Don't Have One)

Action

  • β€’ Click Admin (bottom-left)
  • β€’ Under Account, select your business account
  • β€’ Click Create Property
  • β€’ Enter:
  • β—‹ Property name (Business Name)
  • β—‹ Reporting time zone
  • β—‹ Currency
  • β€’ Click Next
  • β€’ Select business details
  • β€’ Click Create

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Skip setup
  • β€’ Use Universal Analytics (deprecated)
3

Add Your Website to GA4

Action

  • β€’ When prompted, choose Web
  • β€’ Enter your website URL
  • β€’ Enter a stream name (Website)
  • β€’ Click Create Stream

What You'll See

Measurement ID (starts with G-)

4

Install the Google Tag on Your Website

Choose ONE method below (do NOT do multiple)

OPTION A: Website Builder (Recommended)

If you use: Squarespace, Shopify, Wix, WordPress

Action

  • β€’ Copy the Google tag (gtag.js) code
  • β€’ Paste it into: Header section
  • β€’ Save changes

OPTION B: Google Tag Manager (Advanced)

Action

  • οΏ½οΏ½οΏ½ Go to: https://tagmanager.google.com
  • β€’ Create a new container
  • β€’ Add GA4 Configuration tag
  • β€’ Paste Measurement ID
  • β€’ Trigger: All pages
  • β€’ Publish container

Verification

  • β€’ Open an Incognito window
  • β€’ Visit your website
  • β€’ Go back to GA4 β†’ Realtime

What You Should See: At least 1 active user

5

Link GA4 to Google Ads

CRITICAL

Action

  • β€’ In GA4, go to Admin
  • β€’ Click Google Ads Links
  • β€’ Click Link
  • β€’ Select your Google Ads account
  • β€’ Enable:
  • β—‹ Personalized advertising
  • β—‹ Auto-tagging
  • β€’ Click Submit

Why

This allows Google Ads to:

  • οΏ½οΏ½ Read conversions
  • β€’ Optimize bids correctly
6

Import Conversions Into Google Ads

Action

  • β€’ Go to Google Ads
  • β€’ Click Tools & Settings
  • β€’ Select Conversions
  • β€’ Click New Conversion Action
  • β€’ Choose Import
  • β€’ Select Google Analytics (GA4)
  • β€’ Choose: Purchase OR Generate lead
  • β€’ Click Import and Continue

Naming Rule

Use clear names like:

  • β€’ PURCHASE | Website
  • β€’ LEAD | Contact Form
7

Set Conversion Settings Correctly

Action

  • β€’ Click the conversion you imported
  • β€’ Confirm:
  • β—‹ Primary conversion = ON
  • β—‹ Include in "Conversions" = YES
  • β—‹ Attribution: Data-driven (default)

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Import micro-events (scroll, page view)
  • β€’ Optimize for clicks
8

Test a Conversion

MANDATORY

Action

  • β€’ Open your site in Incognito
  • β€’ Complete a test action:
  • β—‹ Purchase OR
  • β—‹ Submit form
  • β€’ Wait 5–30 minutes
  • β€’ Check Google Ads β†’ Conversions

What You Should See

Conversion status = Recording conversions

1

Create a New Campaign

Action

  • β€’ Open Google Ads
  • β€’ Click + New Campaign

Choose Objective

  • β€’ Select Sales OR Leads
  • (Choose the same goal you set in Module 2)
  • β€’ Click Continue

Choose Campaign Type

  • β€’ Select Search
  • β€’ Click Continue
2

Choose Conversion Goal

Action

When asked to select conversion actions:

Choose ONLY:

  • β—‹ Purchase OR
  • β—‹ Lead

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Select multiple goals
  • β€’ Optimize for clicks

Why

Google needs one clear success signal.

3

Disable Everything That Wastes Money

Action

On the next screen, turn OFF:

  • β˜‘ Include Google Display Network
  • β˜‘ Include Search Network

Why

  • β€’ Display = low intent
  • β€’ Search partners = poor quality

You Should See

Only Google Search traffic enabled

4

Set Location Targeting (Critical)

CRITICAL

Action

Under Locations

  • β€’ Enter your target country, state, or city
  • β€’ Click Location options
  • β€’ Select:

Presence: People in or regularly in your location

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Use "Interest in"
  • β€’ Leave default settings
5

Set Budget & Bidding

Budget

Start with $10–$30/day

You can scale later

Bidding Strategy

Select Maximize conversions

Do NOT set a target CPA yet

Why

We let Google learn first.

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Use manual CPC
  • β€’ Use Maximize clicks
6

Create ONE Tight Ad Group

Action

Name your ad group after the core intent:

HIGH INTENT | Core Keyword

Why

  • β€’ One intent per ad group
  • β€’ Cleaner data
  • β€’ Higher Quality Score
7

Add Keywords

THIS IS WHERE MOST PEOPLE FAIL

Rule #1

Start SMALL.

Action

Add 5–10 keywords max using:

  • β€’ Phrase match "keyword"
  • β€’ Exact match [keyword]

Example (Digital Product)

"pass driver test"

[driver license practice test]

"dmv test online"

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Use Broad match yet
  • β€’ Add 50+ keywords

Why

Broad match without data burns money.

8

Add Negative Keywords

MANDATORY

Action

Add these negatives immediately:

free

jobs

salary

definition

meaning

how to

examples

Why

These attract non-buyers.

9

Write Your Search Ads (Structure Matters)

Create ONE Responsive Search Ad

Headlines (Use 8–10)

Include:

  • β—‹ Problem
  • β—‹ Solution
  • β—‹ Keyword
  • β—‹ Benefit
  • β—‹ CTA

Examples

Pass Your Test the First Time

Official Practice Questions

Study Smarter, Not Harder

Start Practicing Today

Descriptions (2–4)

Practice with real exam-style questions.

Instant access. Study at your pace.

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Stuff keywords unnaturally
  • β€’ Make exaggerated claims
10

Final Review & Publish

Before Publishing, Confirm:

  • β˜‘ Search only
  • β˜‘ Conversion goal correct
  • β˜‘ Keywords are tight
  • β˜‘ Negatives added
  • β˜‘ Tracking verified

Action

Click Publish

11

Enter the NO-TOUCH PERIOD

Action

Let the campaign run 5–7 days

Do NOT:

  • β€’ Pause keywords
  • β€’ Change bids
  • β€’ Add ads
  • β€’ Panic

Why

Google needs time to learn intent.

1

Open the Correct View

NON-NEGOTIABLE

Action

  • β€’ Go to Google Ads
  • β€’ Click your Search campaign
  • β€’ Click Keywords
  • β€’ Select Search keywords

What You Should See

  • β€’ Keyword list
  • β€’ Status
  • β€’ Clicks
  • β€’ Cost
  • β€’ Conversions (maybe zeroβ€”okay)
2

Set the Date Range Correctly

Action

  • β€’ Top-right β†’ click Date range
  • β€’ Select Last 7 days
  • β€’ Click Apply

Why

  • β€’ Less than 7 days = noise
  • β€’ More than 7 days (early) = mixed signals

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Use "Today"
  • β€’ Use "Lifetime"
3

Identify Keywords to PAUSE (Clear Rules)

Pause a Keyword if ALL apply:

  • β€’ β‰₯ 20–30 clicks
  • β€’ 0 conversions
  • β€’ High cost per click relative to others

Action

  • β€’ Check the box next to the keyword
  • β€’ Click Pause

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Delete the keyword
  • β€’ Change match type yet

Paused = data preserved.

4

Identify Keywords to KEEP RUNNING

Keep a Keyword ON if ANY apply:

  • β€’ Has at least 1 conversion
  • β€’ Fewer than 20 clicks (still learning)
  • β€’ Low CPC and decent CTR

Action

  • β€’ Leave these keywords active
  • β€’ Do NOT edit

Why

Google needs continuity to learn intent.

5

Open the Search Terms Report

CRITICAL

Action

In the left menu, click Search terms

What You'll See

  • β€’ The actual phrases people typed
  • β€’ This is where waste hides
6

Add Negative Keywords (Money Saver)

Action

Scan search terms for:

"free"

"jobs"

"salary"

"definition"

"example"

"pdf"

  • β€’ Check the box next to irrelevant terms
  • β€’ Click Add as negative keyword
  • β€’ Add to: Campaign level

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Add negatives too aggressively
  • β€’ Block buyer intent accidentally
7

Test Match Types (Safely)

Rule

You test match types inside the same ad group, not new campaigns.

Action

Identify a keyword with:

  • β—‹ Clicks
  • β—‹ Decent CTR
  • β€’ Duplicate it
  • β€’ Change match type only:

Phrase β†’ Exact

β€’ Pause the original ONLY after 48 hours if needed

Why

This lets Google compare intent quality.

8

Test Ads (ONE Change Only)

Action

  • β€’ Go to Ads
  • β€’ Click your Responsive Search Ad
  • β€’ Click Duplicate

Rename:

RSA | Benefit Hook v2

Change ONLY ONE:

  • β€’ Headline wording
  • OR
  • β€’ CTA language

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Rewrite everything
  • β€’ Add more than 2 ads per ad group
9

Let Tests Run (No-Touch Rule)

Action

Let keyword + ad tests run 7 days

Do NOT:

  • β€’ Pause ads early
  • β€’ Change bids
  • β€’ Change budget

Why

Google needs enough queries to evaluate relevance.

10

Evaluate Test Results

After 7 Days, Check:

  • β€’ CTR
  • β€’ Conversions
  • β€’ Cost per conversion
  • β€’ Impression share

Decision Rules

  • β€’ Better CTR + conversions β†’ keep
  • β€’ Worse performance β†’ pause
  • β€’ No difference β†’ keep original

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Declare winners too early
  • β€’ Optimize emotionally
1

Open the Correct View

Action

  • β€’ Go to Google Ads
  • β€’ Click your Search campaign
  • β€’ Click Keywords

You Should See

  • β€’ Clicks
  • β€’ Cost
  • β€’ Conversions
  • β€’ Cost / conversion
2

Set the Date Range

IMPORTANT

Action

  • β€’ Top-right β†’ click Date range
  • β€’ Select Last 14 days
  • β€’ Click Apply

Why

  • β€’ 7 days = learning
  • β€’ 14 days = decision-ready

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Use "Lifetime"
  • β€’ Use "Today"
3

Identify Keywords to KILL

Kill a Keyword if ALL apply:

  • β€’ β‰₯ 30 clicks
  • β€’ 0 conversions
  • β€’ CPC higher than campaign average

Action

  • β€’ Check the keyword
  • β€’ Click Pause

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Delete the keyword
  • β€’ Change match type first

Paused keywords preserve history.

4

Identify Keywords to KEEP

Keep a Keyword ON if ANY apply:

  • β€’ Has 1+ conversion
  • β€’ CPA acceptable or improving
  • β€’ CTR above campaign average
  • β€’ Fewer than 30 clicks (still learning)

Action

Leave these keywords untouched

Why

Google punishes constant interference.

5

Evaluate Cost Per Conversion (Reality Check)

Action

Look at Cost / conv.

Compare it to:

  • β—‹ Your product price
  • β—‹ Your break-even CPA

Decision Rules

  • β€’ CPA ≀ break-even β†’ scalable
  • β€’ CPA slightly above β†’ optimize funnel
  • β€’ CPA 2–3Γ— break-even β†’ keyword intent issue

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Scale based on clicks
  • β€’ Scale based on impressions
6

Pause BAD ELEMENTS β€” NOT THE CAMPAIGN

Confirm:

  • β˜‘ Campaign = ON
  • β˜‘ Ad group = ON
  • β˜‘ Only bad keywords paused

Why

  • β€’ Pausing campaigns resets learning
  • β€’ Pausing keywords does not
7

Decide If You're Allowed to Scale

You MAY scale ONLY if:

  • β€’ At least 2 conversions
  • β€’ CPA stable for 3+ days
  • β€’ Impression share not maxed

If ANY are missing β†’ wait.

8

Scale the RIGHT Way (Budget)

Action

  • β€’ Click Campaign
  • β€’ Increase daily budget by 10–20% max
  • β€’ Save changes

Example

  • β€’ $20/day β†’ $24/day
  • β€’ $30/day β†’ $36/day

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Double budgets
  • β€’ Change bids at the same time
9

Consider Adding Target CPA (ONLY IF STABLE)

Action

  • β€’ Go to Bidding
  • β€’ Switch to Target CPA
  • β€’ Set CPA slightly ABOVE your current average

Why

This gives Google flexibility without choking delivery.

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Set CPA too low
  • β€’ Add Target CPA before conversions exist
10

Post-Scale Monitoring (Hands Off)

Action

Wait 48 hours

Check:

  • β—‹ CPA
  • β—‹ Conversion volume
  • β—‹ Impression share

If Performance Drops

  • β€’ Reduce budget back
  • β€’ Wait 48 hours
  • β€’ Do NOT panic
1

Create a New Campaign

Action

  • β€’ Go to Google Ads
  • β€’ Click + New Campaign

Choose Objective

  • β€’ Select Sales OR Leads
  • β€’ Click Continue

Choose Campaign Type

  • β€’ Select Display
  • β€’ Click Continue

Name the Campaign

DISPLAY | RETARGETING | 30D

2

Set Bidding & Budget

Action

  • β€’ Bidding: Maximize conversions
  • β€’ Daily budget: $5–$10/day

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Set Target CPA yet
  • β€’ Increase budget aggressively

Why

Retargeting audiences are small.

3

Build Retargeting Audience

Action

  • β€’ Scroll to Audiences
  • β€’ Click Browse
  • β€’ Select How they have interacted with your business
  • β€’ Choose Website visitors

Create These Audiences

A. All Visitors (30 Days)

  • β—‹ Retention: 30 days
  • β—‹ Name: WEBSITE | All | 30D

B. High-Intent Visitors

  • β—‹ Page contains:
  • - Checkout
  • - Pricing
  • - Application
  • β—‹ Retention: 14–30 days
  • β—‹ Name: WEBSITE | High Intent | 30D

Add BOTH audiences to the ad group.

Exclusions

Exclude Converters (Purchase / Lead)

4

Placements (Lock This Down)

Action

  • β€’ Go to Placements
  • β€’ Select Content exclusions
  • β€’ Exclude:
  • β—‹ Games
  • β—‹ Kids content
  • β—‹ Mobile apps

Why

These placements burn money.

5

Create Retargeting Ads

Create 1–2 Responsive Display Ads

Messaging Rules

  • β—‹ Assume familiarity
  • β—‹ Remove hesitation
  • β—‹ Reinforce trust

Example Copy

Still deciding?

Get instant access to the step-by-step system trusted by real businesses.

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Use aggressive discounts
  • β€’ Introduce brand-new offers

Publish campaign.

6

Confirm You Are Ready for PMax

You should ONLY proceed if:

  • β˜‘ Search campaign has conversions
  • β˜‘ CPA is reasonable
  • β˜‘ You can spend $20–$50/day minimum

If not β†’ skip PMax for now.

7

Create Performance Max Campaign

Action

  • β€’ Click + New Campaign
  • β€’ Select Sales OR Leads
  • β€’ Choose Performance Max
  • β€’ Click Continue

Name Campaign

PMAX | Scale | OfferName

Conversion Goal

Select the SAME conversion as Search

8

Asset Group Setup

CRITICAL

Action

  • β€’ Name asset group after offer
  • β€’ Add:
  • β—‹ 3–5 headlines
  • β—‹ 2–3 descriptions
  • β—‹ Logo
  • β—‹ Images (landscape + square)
  • β€’ Add final URL (same as Search)

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Let Google auto-generate assets
  • β€’ Add multiple offers
9

Audience Signals (Guide Google)

Action

Add Audience Signals:

  • β—‹ Website visitors
  • β—‹ Converters
  • β—‹ High-intent custom segments

Why

Signals guideβ€”not restrictβ€”delivery.

10

Budget & Launch

Action

  • β€’ Budget: $20–$50/day
  • β€’ Bidding: Maximize conversions
  • β€’ Publish campaign

❌ Do NOT

  • β€’ Touch for 7–10 days
  • β€’ Panic over early volatility
11

Prevent Overlap

IMPORTANT

Action

Monitor:

  • β—‹ Search campaign conversions
  • β—‹ PMax conversions

If Search drops hard:

  • β—‹ Reduce PMax budget slightly
  • β—‹ Keep Search protected

Rule

  • β€’ Search = intent control
  • β€’ PMax = scale engine

CASE 7.1: LOW-BUDGET DIGITAL PRODUCT ($10–$20/DAY)

Offer:

$7–$49

Goal:

First profitable conversions

Traffic:

Search only

1

Campaign Setup

Action

  • β€’ Create Search campaign
  • β€’ Name: SEARCH | DigitalProduct | Cold
  • β€’ Conversion: Purchase
  • β€’ Networks: Search only
2

Ad Group & Keywords

Action

  • β€’ Create ONE ad group
  • β€’ Add 5–8 keywords (Phrase + Exact)
  • β€’ Add negatives immediately:

free, pdf, jobs, salary, definition

3

Ads

Action

Create ONE RSA

Focus:

  • β—‹ Exact problem
  • β—‹ Immediate benefit
  • β—‹ CTA: Buy / Get Access
4

Evaluation Rules (72 Hours)

Kill if

  • β€’ 25–30 clicks
  • β€’ 0 conversions
  • β€’ CTR < 1%

Keep if

  • β€’ CTR β‰₯ 1.5%
  • β€’ 1+ conversion

CASE 7.2: COURSE OR PROGRAM ($97–$497)

Consideration:

Longer

Trust:

Higher requirement

Traffic:

Search + Retargeting

5

Search Campaign

Action

  • β€’ Create Search campaign
  • β€’ Name: SEARCH | Course | Cold
  • β€’ Keywords: Intent-focused (8–12 max)
6

Retargeting Campaign

Action

  • β€’ Create Display Retargeting
  • β€’ Budget: $5–$10/day
  • β€’ Audience:
  • β—‹ Website visitors (30D)
  • β—‹ Exclude converters
7

Optimization (7–14 Days)

Rules

  • β€’ Pause keywords with 30+ clicks / no conversions
  • β€’ Duplicate winning ads with 1 headline change
  • β€’ Scale budget by 10–20% only

CASE 7.3: LOCAL SERVICE / LEAD GEN

Format:

Phone calls or forms

Targeting:

Geographic

Intent:

High intent, fewer clicks

8

Campaign Setup

Action

  • β€’ Create Search campaign
  • β€’ Name: SEARCH | LocalService | Leads
  • β€’ Conversion: Lead / Call
9

Location Targeting

Action

  • β€’ Target city or radius
  • β€’ Location options:

Presence only

10

Keywords & Ads

Action

Keywords:

  • β—‹ "near me"
  • β—‹ "service + city"

Ads:

  • β—‹ Clear service
  • β—‹ Trust signals
  • β—‹ Call CTA
11

Evaluation

Good Signals

  • β€’ Calls/forms within 7 days
  • β€’ Higher CPC is normal

Bad Signals

  • β€’ Clicks with no calls
  • β€’ Broad keywords sneaking in

CASE 7.4: HIGH-TICKET / APPLICATION-BASED ($1K+)

Type:

Coaching, consulting, B2B

Goal:

Applications, not volume

Focus:

Quality over quantity

12

Campaign Setup

Action

  • β€’ Create Search campaign
  • β€’ Name: SEARCH | HighTicket | Application
  • β€’ Conversion: Application submit
13

Keywords (Very Tight)

Action

  • β€’ Use Exact + Phrase only
  • β€’ 5–10 keywords max
  • β€’ Add aggressive negatives
14

Ad Messaging

Rules

  • β€’ Qualify the click
  • β€’ Do NOT sell price
  • β€’ Emphasize fit

Example

For [specific role] struggling with [specific outcome].

Apply to see if you qualify.

15

Scale Rules

Scale if

  • β€’ Cost per application acceptable
  • β€’ Calls closing β‰₯ 15–20%

Do NOT scale if

  • β€’ Applications unqualified
  • β€’ Sales process broken

πŸ“‹ CAMPAIGN TYPE SELECTION FRAMEWORK

The correct campaign type decides which intent you pay for. Use this framework before launching ANY Google Ads campaign.

CORE PRINCIPLE

"Google does not create demand. It captures existing intent."

Google Ads does NOT persuade people the way Meta does. It responds to what people are already trying to do.

Your campaign type tells Google which level of intent you want to pay for.

THE FOUR INTENT TYPES

1. BROWSERS

  • β€’ Exploring ideas
  • β€’ Reading content
  • β€’ Not ready to act

2. RESEARCHERS

  • β€’ Comparing options
  • β€’ Looking for solutions
  • β€’ Evaluating credibility

3. ACTORS

  • β€’ Ready to sign up
  • β€’ Ready to book
  • β€’ Ready to buy

4. REPEAT / HIGH-VALUE USERS

  • β€’ Returning visitors
  • β€’ Brand-aware
  • β€’ High conversion probability

Your campaign type selects which intent bucket Google prioritizes.

CAMPAIGN TYPE BREAKDOWN

SEARCH CAMPAIGNS (FOUNDATION)

What Google Optimizes For:

  • β€’ Keyword intent
  • β€’ Query relevance
  • β€’ Match between search + offer

Use When:

  • β€’ Selling anything directly
  • β€’ Booking calls
  • β€’ Driving quiz starts
  • οΏ½οΏ½οΏ½ Capturing demand

Best For Intent: Researchers β†’ Actors

Behavior Signal:

"I am actively looking for a solution."

βœ… Mandatory βœ… First campaign type βœ… Most controllable

SHOPPING CAMPAIGNS (PHYSICAL PRODUCTS ONLY)

What Google Optimizes For:

  • β€’ Product relevance
  • β€’ Price comparison
  • β€’ Purchase intent

Use When:

  • β€’ Selling physical products
  • β€’ Clear SKUs exist

Best For Intent: Actors

Behavior Signal:

"I'm comparing prices right now."

❌ Not for services, courses, or digital tools.

DISPLAY CAMPAIGNS

What Google Optimizes For:

  • β€’ Audience exposure
  • β€’ Visual impressions
  • β€’ Cheap clicks

Use When:

  • β€’ Retargeting visitors
  • β€’ Reinforcing brand awareness

Do NOT Use When:

  • β€’ You need sales
  • β€’ You need leads
  • β€’ You are running cold traffic

Best For Intent: Browsers (warm only)

Behavior Signal:

"I recognize this."

⚠️ Display is supporting infrastructure, not a sales engine.

YOUTUBE CAMPAIGNS

What Google Optimizes For:

  • β€’ Views
  • β€’ Watch time
  • β€’ Awareness

Use When:

  • β€’ Brand awareness
  • β€’ Retargeting
  • β€’ Long-term visibility

Do NOT Use When:

  • β€’ Immediate sales are required
  • β€’ Budget is limited

Best For Intent: Browsers

Behavior Signal:

"I'm watching, not shopping."

PERFORMANCE MAX (PMAX)

What Google Optimizes For:

  • β€’ Conversion probability
  • β€’ Cross-channel reach
  • β€’ AI-learned patterns

Use When:

  • β€’ You already have conversions
  • β€’ Tracking is clean
  • β€’ Budget is stable
  • β€’ Offer is proven

Do NOT Use When:

  • β€’ New account
  • β€’ New funnel
  • β€’ No conversion data

Best For Intent: Actors + Repeat Users

Behavior Signal:

"Show this to people like my buyers."

🟑 PMAX is a scaling tool, not a testing tool.

DISCOVERY CAMPAIGNS

What Google Optimizes For:

  • β€’ Feed engagement
  • β€’ Soft interest signals

Use When:

  • β€’ Retargeting
  • β€’ Mid-funnel nurturing

Not Required For:

  • οΏ½οΏ½οΏ½ Beginners
  • β€’ Direct response

CAMPAIGN TYPE SELECTION RULE

Before launching any Google campaign, answer:

"What is the person already trying to do?"

User Intent Campaign Type
Exploring ❌ Don't advertise
Researching Search
Ready to act Search / PMAX
Already visited Display Retargeting
Scaling winners PMAX

Never choose a campaign type because Google recommends it.

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

❌ Starting with PMAX

Build conversion history first

❌ Running Display for cold traffic

Display = warm audiences only

❌ Trusting automated recommendations

Google optimizes for spend, not profit

❌ Mixing awareness + conversion goals

Pick one intent per campaign

❌ Scaling before proof

Wait for stable CPA data

FINAL FRAMEWORK (SAVE THIS)

Search intent β‰  curiosity

Clicks β‰  conversions

Automation β‰  strategy

Your campaign type decides which intent you pay for.

CASE 7.5: SCALING A WINNER ($50+/DAY)

16

Confirm Stability

  • β˜‘ 3+ conversions
  • β˜‘ CPA stable 3+ days
  • β˜‘ Impression share available
17

Scale Method (Choose ONE)

Option A: Budget

Increase 10–20%

Option B: Keywords

Add 2–3 closely related terms

❌ Never do both at once.

META ADS β€” TROUBLESHOOTING & RECOVERY

Emergency use only. Follow steps exactly. Stop when instructed.

ISSUE 1: PIXEL NOT FIRING

Symptom

  • β€’ No events showing in Events Manager
  • β€’ Test Events shows nothing after site visits

Likely Causes

  • β€’ Pixel code not installed
  • β€’ Code placed in wrong location
  • β€’ Cache/browser issue

Exact Fix (In Order)

  1. Go to your website backend
  2. Confirm Pixel code is pasted in the HEADER, not footer
  3. Save changes
  4. Open an Incognito / Private browser
  5. Visit your website homepage
  6. Return to Events Manager β†’ Test Events

If Still Broken

  1. Remove the code completely
  2. Re-copy Pixel code from Events Manager
  3. Paste clean version into HEADER
  4. Save and retest

STOP TOUCHING IT WHEN

PageView fires even once

ISSUE 2: ADS STUCK IN REVIEW

Symptom

Ad shows "In Review" for more than 24 hours

Likely Causes

  • β€’ New ad account
  • β€’ Policy-sensitive wording
  • β€’ High review volume on Meta's side

Exact Fix

  1. Wait 24–48 hours (seriously)
  2. Do NOT duplicate or edit the ad
  3. Check Notifications tab for warnings

If Over 48 Hours

  1. Duplicate the ad
  2. Change one word in the primary text
  3. Publish again

STOP TOUCHING IT WHEN

Status changes to Active or Rejected

ISSUE 3: "LEARNING LIMITED" STATUS

Symptom

Ad set marked "Learning Limited"

Likely Causes

  • β€’ Budget too low
  • β€’ Too many ads/ad sets
  • β€’ Not enough conversion events

Exact Fix

  1. Do NOT panic
  2. Reduce ads to 1–3 total
  3. Increase budget slightly (10–20%) OR wait
  4. Let ads run uninterrupted for 72 hours

DO NOT

  • β€’ Duplicate ad sets
  • β€’ Reset budget repeatedly

STOP TOUCHING IT WHEN

Conversions begin to register

ISSUE 4: ACCOUNT DISABLED / PAYMENT ERROR

Symptom

  • β€’ Ads stopped
  • β€’ Account restricted
  • β€’ Payment failure message

Likely Causes

  • β€’ Payment verification issue
  • β€’ Card declined
  • β€’ New account trust issue

Exact Fix

  1. Go to Business Settings β†’ Billing
  2. Confirm payment method
  3. Add backup card if possible
  4. Resolve any red alerts immediately

If Account Disabled

  1. Click the appeal link shown
  2. Submit appeal ONCE
  3. Do NOT create new ad accounts

STOP TOUCHING IT WHEN

  • β€’ Appeal is submitted
  • β€’ Payment method verified

ISSUE 5: ADS NOT SPENDING

Symptom

  • β€’ Budget set
  • β€’ Ads active
  • β€’ Spend = $0

Likely Causes

  • β€’ Audience too small
  • β€’ Budget too low
  • β€’ Conversion event too restrictive

Exact Fix

  1. Confirm ad status = Active
  2. Check audience size (must be >500K for cold)
  3. Increase budget slightly
  4. Confirm Purchase event exists

If Still Not Spending

  1. Switch conversion event temporarily to InitiateCheckout
  2. Let run 24 hours

STOP TOUCHING IT WHEN

Spend begins

ISSUE 6: CTR IS GOOD BUT NO SALES

Symptom

  • β€’ CTR β‰₯ 1.5%
  • β€’ Clicks coming in
  • β€’ No purchases

Likely Causes

  • β€’ Sales page issue
  • β€’ Offer mismatch
  • β€’ Checkout friction

Exact Fix

  1. Open your sales page on mobile
  2. Check load speed
  3. Try to purchase yourself
  4. Confirm price, CTA, and payment work

DO NOT

  • β€’ Change targeting
  • β€’ Change budget
  • β€’ Blame the ad yet

STOP TOUCHING ADS WHEN

The funnel issue is identified

GOOGLE ADS β€” TROUBLESHOOTING & RECOVERY

Emergency use only. Follow steps exactly. Stop when instructed.

ISSUE 1: CONVERSIONS NOT RECORDING

Symptom

  • β€’ Clicks coming in
  • β€’ Google Ads shows 0 conversions

Likely Causes

  • β€’ GA4 not linked correctly
  • β€’ Conversion not marked as Primary
  • β€’ Tag not firing

Exact Fix

  1. Go to Google Ads β†’ Tools & Settings β†’ Conversions
  2. Confirm conversion status = "Recording conversions"
  3. Click GA4 β†’ Admin β†’ Google Ads Links
  4. Confirm Ads account is linked
  5. Open site in Incognito and complete a test action

STOP TOUCHING IT WHEN

Conversion fires at least once

ISSUE 2: ADS NOT SPENDING

Symptom

  • β€’ Campaign active
  • β€’ Budget set
  • β€’ Spend = $0

Likely Causes

  • β€’ Keywords too restrictive
  • β€’ Bid strategy learning
  • β€’ Location targeting incorrect

Exact Fix

  1. Confirm campaign status = Eligible
  2. Check location setting = Presence only
  3. Add 1–2 closely related phrase-match keywords
  4. Wait 24 hours

STOP TOUCHING IT WHEN

Spend begins

MODULE 1 COMPLETE! πŸŽ‰

You should now have:

  • β˜‘ Google Ads account live
  • β˜‘ Expert Mode enabled
  • β˜‘ Billing verified
  • β˜‘ No campaigns running yet

MODULE 2 COMPLETE! πŸŽ‰

You should now have:

  • β˜‘ GA4 installed and verified
  • β˜‘ Google Ads linked
  • β˜‘ Conversion action imported
  • β˜‘ Test conversion recorded

MODULE 3 COMPLETE! πŸŽ‰

You should now have:

  • β˜‘ One clean Search campaign
  • β˜‘ High-intent keywords only
  • β˜‘ Conversion-based bidding
  • β˜‘ No junk traffic sources

MODULE 4 COMPLETE! πŸŽ‰

You should now have:

  • β˜‘ Wasted keywords paused
  • β˜‘ Negatives protecting spend
  • β˜‘ Match types tested safely
  • β˜‘ Ads iterating without chaos

MODULE 5 COMPLETE! πŸŽ‰

You should now have:

  • β˜‘ Losing keywords paused
  • β˜‘ Winning keywords protected
  • β˜‘ Budget scaled responsibly
  • β˜‘ CPA monitored correctly

MODULE 6 COMPLETE! πŸŽ‰

You should now have:

  • β˜‘ Retargeting capturing warm traffic
  • β˜‘ Performance Max scaling reach
  • β˜‘ Search campaigns protected
  • β˜‘ Budget allocation under control

MODULE 7 COMPLETE! πŸŽ‰

You should now:

  • β˜‘ Know which Google Ads setup fits your business
  • β˜‘ Have repeatable execution paths
  • β˜‘ Avoid overbuilding and overspending
  • β˜‘ Scale intentionally
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