10 commandments for your Google Ads strategy
According to the Bible, Moses received the 10 commandments from God at the top of Mount Sinai. The God-given commandments came at a time when the Israelites were wandering restlessly in the desert. On the run from Pharaoh and Egyptian rule. And far away from a fixed and safe environment. In other words, it was a time of crisis for the Israelites.
In Denmark in 2020, we also experienced a time of crisis. Not because of totalitarian, ancient regimes - but because of the Coronavirus. And the framework was far from familiar and unsafe for many - especially the business community.
In 2024, the corona crisis is not raging like it was in March 2020 when we first published this article. But that doesn't mean a bit of spiritual guidance on marketing for business owners - for example, those who advertise through Google Ads - isn't still needed.
Then climb the virtual Mount Sinai and receive a digital stone tablet with 10 commandments for your Google Ads strategy.


1. Don't fail to combine Ads and Analytics
Google Ads and Google Analytics each provide valuable information - but the interaction between the two is indispensable if you want a complete picture of your customers' journey.
In Google Ads, you can see which keywords and ads lead to a conversion. But Ads only tells you a little bit about the user journey. And that's where Analytics comes in. Because Analytics can tell you what your users do after they interact with your ads.
Analytics gives you data that can help you optimize your Google Ads campaigns - and that data can give you valuable insights into how your ads are performing.
You can use this knowledge when optimizing your Google Ads account later on. I go into this in more depth in the ninth commandment. Finally, Analytics is indispensable for remarketing, which you can read more about in the eighth commandment.
2. Don't ignore tracking
Of course, it's important that your website or webshop gets visits through Ads. But a visit does not necessarily equal a conversion. So don't forget to set up purchase and lead tracking so you can keep an eye on whether your visitors are converting into paying customers.
Because without tracking, you can see that traffic is coming to your website - but not who is actually creating value. Advertising on Google Ads and ignoring the need for tracking is a bit like throwing a bunch of money at a random bunch of people without knowing who is spending their money in your store.
Set up tracking of both micro and macro conversions. This will give you valuable insights into individual search terms and the performance of your ads.
A micro-conversion is an action that leads to a primary conversion goal (a macro-conversion). Micro conversions are, for example, actions such as signing up for a newsletter, registering for an event or adding products to the shopping cart.
A macro conversion is the conversion goal itself - the action you ultimately want the user to take on your website. For the webshop owner, this will typically be a purchase, while for a service company it will be filling out the contact form, a call or some other form of inquiry.
3. Know your target audience - and choose keywords accordingly
Know your target audience and their online behavior, because that knowledge can save you wasted advertising dollars.
Of course you know your core audience. But it pays to dig a little deeper into your target audience - what are they looking for and how long does it take them to convert to a lead or sale from the first click on the website? By knowing your target audience and their behavior, you avoid spending ad dollars on the wrong segment.
Once you know your target audience, you can then start identifying the keywords that they use - and that are relevant to your company's advertising. Google Keyword Planner is a brilliant tool for this.
However, when choosing a keyword, it's important to consider the competition for that keyword - but also whether it's even profitable to be visible on.
For example, it may seem valuable for you to choose a keyword like "cross-country skiing for retirees with a passion for bridge" because the competition is low. But since virtually no one will ever use that particular keyword, it's hardly profitable. It's all about finding a balance between search volume and competition.
Finally, you can make use of negative keywords. By using negative keywords, you ensure that your ads are not shown for irrelevant searches. This results in a low click-through rate, as the ads are exposed to users who may be looking for something else. This results in a low quality score for the keyword and ad - and thus a higher click price.
4. You must honor your campaign structure
From classic Google Search advertising to YouTube advertising, there is a wealth of options for advertising in Google Ads. And it can be tempting to jump on all of them. But it doesn't always pay to play all the horses.
Instead, honor your campaign structure and consider which channels, settings and options are relevant for your advertising.
And that can be easier said than done with the many channels in Google Ads, which include:
Google Search
The text ads that appear above or below the organic search results and in the sidebar. Ads in Google Search are beneficial because they are often the first thing a user sees when they search on Google.
RLSA - Remarketing List for Search Ads
Ads that target a group of users who have previously interacted with your website - for example in the form of a micro-conversion. Remarketing is beneficial because it allows you to stay in touch with visitors who have not converted into paying customers - and possibly convert their next visit into a sale or lead.
PLA - Product Listing Ads (shopping Ads )
Ads that display both image and text in search results. These types of ads will typically be relevant for you if you run a webshop. However, be aware of Google's guidelines for campaigns in Shopping if you use this channel.
Display advertising
Banner/text ads in the Google Partner Network. There are several options within this campaign type. For example, you can use "search intent", where you target users who have shown interest in a certain topic or your competitors.
Display advertising is beneficial because you reach customers at all stages of the customer journey and you can express your company's visual identity due to the banner format.
Youtube advertising
Youtube advertising can consist of display ads, but can also be:
- In video ads - ads that are a layover in a video.
- In-stream ads - video ads before a video starts. Here, people are typically waiting to skip the ad. Therefore, the message, logo etc. should be within the first 5-10 seconds!
- In-display ads - ads that are located in the top right corner just above the overview of related videos.
- Non-skippable ads - video ads before a video starts that the user cannot skip. Can be annoying for the user - but you are guaranteed to be seen.
There are many types of advertising in Google Ads. Therefore, it's important to choose the right one for your budget, your campaign and your target audience.
5. Don't underestimate the call to action
Call to action is crucial if you want clicks on your ads and visitors to your website.
Call to action is essentially text that tells your target audience what they need to do to fulfill their needs. A good call to action encourages potential visitors to click on your ads.
That's why you need to write comprehensive ads that explicitly explain what the user can expect by clicking - ads that encourage action. This increases the likelihood of clicks.
For example, if a user is looking for blue safety shoes in Goretex, your ad should explicitly explain that you sell blue safety shoes in Goretex.
The more information you can give your users before they actually click on the ad, the better. Roughly, you need to take the horse by the harness and lead it to the trough. Or to put it a little nicer: show the user the easiest route to the next step.
It's a good idea to be visible and helpful at all stages - from start to finish. But if you don't have the resources, you need to prioritize. Read more about how to do a keyword analysis based on the customer journey here.
6. Don't break your users' expectations
Call to action is crucial. But your call to action must also deliver what it promises. When your users click on an ad, they expect to fulfill a need. And you can't break that expectation.
Therefore, there must be a match between what is promised in the ad and the landing page that the user lands on by clicking on your ad.
Of course, if a user clicks on an ad that advertises blue Goretex safety shoes, they should be able to see all blue Goretex safety shoes in your range - not red sandals with bows.
In other words, there must be a connection between ad and landing page. The key word is relevance.
Ad-landing page consistency also results in a higher quality score for your keyword, which means a cheaper click price and a better competitive edge over your competitors.
In short, creating relevant landing pages is a win-win situation - both you and your users win.
7. Do not deviate from ad extensions
Now that we're in biblical terminology, it's obvious to advise against indulging in the seven deadly sins. But in Google Ads, it's actually okay to indulge in a little greed. By greed, I mean greed in the sense that you should just gorge yourself with information in your ads.
And the best way to do that is with ad extensions. Ad extensions are pieces of information that extend your ads to make them more useful to users. They typically include phone numbers, page links from your website and reviews - for example from Google or Trustpilot.
Ad extensions also ensure that your ads take up more space on the results page - they "steal more of the picture". And it's a great way to make your ads stand out from the competition.
8. Don't give up on lost users - remarketing is key
Forgiveness is key in Christianity - but especially in Google Ads. Don't condemn your lost users - the ones who visited your website, or the ones who added an item to the shopping cart but never completed the purchase or filled out your contact form.
Instead, you need to forgive them - and then re-engage them. And this is where remarketing comes in. Because remarketing allows you to reach out to users who have previously visited your website.
When a customer visits your website without converting, you can subsequently advertise to them on Google partner sites. This means you get a second chance to convert them into a sale.
In practice, remarketing works by Google Ads storing a so-called cookie ID on the user's device. Each cookie then has a unique ID that Google Ads automatically adds to a so-called remarketing list, which is basically an overview of the visitors you have collected data on. When a user fulfills the requirements you set, they will see your ads on selected platforms.
Micro-conversions are a good place to start. For example, if a user has added items to the shopping cart without completing a purchase, you can then target them with a message like "did you forget your items in the cart?" on other websites.
This gives you a second chance to convert passive users into paying customers.
9) Don't avoid optimization
I've already encouraged greed. But laziness is a deadly sin you should never fall into in Google Ads.
It can be tempting to rest on your laurels, sit back and wait for conversions if you've followed the above eight tips to the letter.
Because once you've done that, you're in the best position to optimize your account for the best ROAS (Return On Ad Spend). But you should always keep a close eye on your campaigns so you don't waste unnecessary ad dollars - for example, on a search term that isn't profitable or an ad that doesn't convert.
Therefore, make sure you continuously optimize your advertising. For example, you can:
- Split test your ads - try new messages or landing pages and see if your users respond better to the alternative. Does it lead to more conversions?
- Review your search history for new relevant search terms you hadn't thought of or for negative search terms that waste ad dollars.
- Optimize demographically and time-wise - is it women between 25 and 35 years old living in North Jutland, who are online on Tuesdays between 2 and 3 pm, who convert the most? Or a completely different segment at completely different times?
By ensuring continuous optimization, you get valuable info that can strengthen your Google Ads strategy. This is where the interaction between Google Analytics and Google Ads I mentioned in the first commandment really comes into its own.
10. Don't forget reporting
The tenth and final commandment for your Google Ads strategy is perhaps not so much a commandment as a piece of advice. I'm referring to the importance of reporting.
With a daily, monthly, quarterly or annual Google Ads report, you get an overview of your advertising. For example, where do you need to put more focus? Where do you need to optimize? What is working?
Reporting ensures a continued strong foundation for your Google Ads advertising.
Gain deeper insights
Whether you're a generalist or a marketing specialist, our specialists have put together some great advice for you on our blog.