Google Ads Tips to Optimize Your Campaigns: Secret Techniques Included

Running successful campaigns on Google Ads is more than just setting a budget and choosing keywords. To make the most of every dollar spent, you need to understand the nuances of Google’s ads platform, bidding strategies, campaign types, and secret optimization techniques. 

That’s why Upreports – trusted for Google advertising services in India – decided to share Google Ads tips and tricks to optimise the ads performance and unlock better paid ads results. 

Whether you’re just starting with Google Ads or have been running campaigns for years, we promise you will learn something from this Google Ads guide. Let’s get started. 

Start new campaign with the right bid strategy

When setting up a new campaign, start by selecting Maximise Clicks as your bidding strategy. This approach helps your ads gather data and traction. After running for about two-three weeks, switch to Maximise Conversions to focus on actions that matter to your campaign.

Once your campaign has collected enough conversion data, you can define a target CPA to control your cost per acquisition. But remember, the ability to set CPA keyword-wise is no longer available. It must be set at the campaign level.

Pro Google Ads Tip: Avoid making changes to bid strategy, budget, or pausing ads during the Learning Stage (first 2-3 weeks), as it may reset learning and impact performance.

Know Your Audience with Asset Group Signals

When running Performance Max campaigns, targeting isn’t keyword-based. Instead, Google relies on signals to guide the algorithm.

Adding interest and demographic signals gives Google hints on who should see your ads. While not mandatory, these signals improve the machine learning process.

Google AdWords trick: Add competitor websites under signals to give Google context about the audience you’re trying to reach. It’s a hidden gem many advertisers miss!

Big Budget vs Small Budget: Structure Matters

If you’re working with a big budget, it’s wise to create dedicated campaigns for each of your major services. For example, if you run a tow firm in Australia and have multiple tow services to offer, create multiple campaigns focused on popular tow services like machinery towing, caravan towing, and equipment towing.

If you are on a tight budget, keep one campaign and split services using multiple ad groups instead. This gives better control over ad messaging and budget allocation.

Using more ad groups also helps when targeting related services under the same umbrella. A powerful Google ads tip if you ask us.

Use the Right Keyword Match Types

When using search campaigns (instead of Performance Max), always structure your keywords properly:

• keyword = Broad Match
• “keyword” = Phrase Match
• [keyword] = Exact Match

Each has its own use case, and using them together in different ad groups can improve targeting and control.

Go for ‘broad match’ if you are aiming for brand keywords and have a big budget. Switch to phrase match if you are on a limited budget. For ‘broad match’ option, you will have to look at performing keywords more frequently since your ad may rank for a lot of irrelevant search phrases. 

Optimize for Conversions (Call, Email, Form)

Conversion tracking is crucial. Depending on your business goals, make sure your account is set up to track either:

• Phone calls
• Email clicks
• Lead form submissions

Get help from a Google Ads expert or a team of Google Ads experts to set up conversion tracking properly. This is a tricky part involving multiple steps depending on your website and goals. 

Pro Google Ads tip: Hire Google Ads experts like us to run your campaigns if you think this is too much for a day!

Location Targeting Best Practices

For businesses targeting specific regions, this Google Adwords optimization technique is really important. When setting up location targeting, always go to:

• Locations > Location Options > Presence

Choose “People in or regularly in your targeted locations” to avoid wasting spend on users outside your target area with location preferences defined. 

Understand Performance Max Limitations

Unlike search ads, Performance Max campaigns don’t let you target keywords directly. Google uses your ad copy and asset content to determine where to show your ads. If you want precise keyword targeting, stick to Search ads.

Also, Performance Max is not ideal for call-focused campaigns. If your main goal is getting calls, create a Call-Only campaign and uncheck the Display Network. This will help control the budget spend.

Don’t Make Changes During Learning Stage

The first 2-3 weeks of a campaign are critical. This is the learning stage, and any changes to:

• Budget
• Bid strategy
• Pausing ad groups or assets

can disrupt learning and affect performance. Give it time to gather data before making changes. Clients often get hasty since ads performance is limited during this period. Holding the hand of patience is a great Adwords tactic. 

Use Auction Insights Smartly

In the beginning, Auction Insights won’t show data like:

• Overlap rate
• Position above rate

These metrics start populating after a few months of campaign data piles up, and history has been built. However, competitor data does appear early and is useful in assessing who you’re up against.

Dismiss Unnecessary Recommendations

Google provides recommendations inside your Ads account to improve the optimisation score. However, not everything Google says is relevant. If a recommendation doesn’t align with your goals, dismiss it. Leaving it pending won’t help your optimisation score.

Monitor Key Metrics Regularly

Every time you analyse campaign data, check:

• Which keywords you’re ranking for
• Where your traffic is coming from
• If conversions (calls, emails, forms) are actually happening

This helps you understand performance holistically and plan improvements. Simple yet super effective Google Ads technique to win more calls, leads, and form submission from search results!

Checking click spam

A lot of our clients have come across click spam from competitors who don’t stick to the ethical route. There are 2 ways you can check click spam that lead to wasteful spending. 

IP exclusions: Exclude the IP addresses that generate irrelevant clicks. This can be easily done from Campaign settings. 

Google notification: If you are connected with your Google Ads manager, notify the issue of fake clicks to him or her and they will take necessary action. 

Focus campaigns on new customers: While this Google Ads technique is not exactly for checking spam clicks, it can come in handy when everything else fails. Follow the below path:

Tools > Audience manager > Your data segments > website visitors

When you click on website visitors, follow the below steps:

• Name the segment. Let’s say ‘fake clicks’
• In segment members, choose ‘visitors of web pages’
• Under action, define the duration. We recommend 30 days

When you finish the above, the new segment will be created. Assign this segment to the campaigns that get fake clicks or spam. Refer the screenshot below:

More Secret Google Ads Optimization Tips

Step 1: Enter the Recommendations Tab

• Log into your Google Ads dashboard.
• Now, in the left menu bar, click on the “Recommendations” tab.
• Just be sure to switch into table view, so you get a more detailed list of recommendations.

Step 2: Auto-Apply Recommendations

• In the recommendations table view, click on the “Auto Apply” option.
• Clicking on this will allow Google Ads to make changes automatically that aligns with your advertising goals. But of course, this isn’t going to be blindly applied to everything.

Step 3: Manage and Choose Smart Options
Click on the “Manage” button to change auto-apply settings.

Make sure to enable important options like:

• Use Optimized Targeting – Will allow you to reach more relevant users who have a high probability of converting.
• Improve Your Responsive Search Ads – Best for search-based campaigns, it will increase relevance and CTR.

Note: There are more options you can come across and optimize according to your goals.

Get Google Ads Help from Pro Managers

Mastering Google Ads requires more than surface-level knowledge. These Google advertising tips can help you craft smarter campaigns, whether you’re running Performance Max or classic Search Ads.

By setting up campaigns strategically, respecting the learning phase, using smart targeting signals, and optimising based on data, you’ll be on your way to better ROIs and more leads.

Remember, every campaign is unique. Test, learn, and evolve your strategies. And when in doubt, consult Google Ads experts like we have at Upreports Infotech.

For those who don’t know, Upreports is a trusted Google Ads agency in India that can help you build data-backed strategies, create high-performing ad copies, and improve your ROI with expert guidance.

Contact us today at hello@upreports.com for account and campaign review. Also learn about the most popular digital marketing services offered by our team: 

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