1Step 1: Choose Campaign Type
Campaign Type Selection
| Goal | Campaign Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Direct leads/sales | Search | All budgets, especially small |
| Product sales | Shopping or Performance Max | E-commerce with product feed |
| Scale existing success | Performance Max | Accounts with conversion data |
| Brand awareness | Display or YouTube | Large budgets only |
Small Budget Rule: Start with Search campaigns. They're easiest to control and require no creative assets.
2Step 2: Set Bidding Strategy
Bidding Strategy by Conversion Volume
| Conversion Data | Recommended Strategy |
|---|---|
| 0-30 conversions/month | Maximize Conversions (no target) |
| 30-100 conversions/month | Maximize Conversions → Add Target CPA after 4-6 weeks |
| 100+ conversions/month | Target ROAS or Target CPA |
| No conversion tracking | Maximize Clicks (temporary only) |
Critical: Always optimize for conversions, not clicks. Fix conversion tracking first if needed.
Target Setting Rule: Set targets AT or SLIGHTLY BELOW current performance level, not aspirational.
3Step 3: Configure Budget
Daily Budget Calculation
| Monthly Budget | Daily Budget Setting |
|---|---|
| $1,500/month | $50/day |
| $3,000/month | $100/day |
| $6,000/month | $200/day |
| $10,000/month | $330/day |
Calculation: Monthly budget ÷ 30.4 days = daily budget
Budget Allocation
- 80% to proven campaigns
- 20% to testing/new campaigns
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4Step 4: Set Networks
Network Settings
| Network | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Google Search | ✅ Always include |
| Search Partners | ⚠️ Test then decide (often disable) |
| Display Network | ❌ Disable for Search campaigns |
Warning: "Include Google Display Network" is often pre-selected. ALWAYS uncheck for Search campaigns.
Why Display Must Be Separate
- Different user intent (browsing vs. searching)
- Different conversion rates
- Prevents data contamination
- Allows proper optimization for each channel
5Step 5: Configure Locations
Location Targeting Settings
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Target option | "Presence: People in your targeted locations" |
| Avoid | "Presence or interest" (includes people just searching ABOUT location) |
Example Problem
Target: London
- "Presence or interest": Shows ads to someone in Paris searching "London restaurants"
- "Presence only": Only shows to people actually in London
Location Exclusions
Add countries/regions you don't serve to prevent wasted spend.
6Step 6: Language and Schedule
Language Settings
- Set language to match your ad copy
- For multilingual audiences, create separate campaigns
- Don't target "All languages" unless intentional
Ad Schedule Options
| Scenario | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Using smart bidding | Run 24/7 (algorithm optimizes) |
| Manual bidding, limited budget | Business hours only |
| Phone calls required | Hours when phones answered |
Note: Smart bidding automatically adjusts bids by time of day, so scheduling is less critical.
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7Step 7: Additional Critical Settings
Device Targeting
- Start with all devices enabled
- Collect data before excluding
- Adjust bid modifiers after 30+ days of data
URL Options
- Enable final URL expansion if using smart bidding
- Disable if you need strict URL control
- Set tracking template if using analytics parameters
Conversion Actions
- Use campaign-specific conversion goals when available
- Verify correct primary conversion is selected
- Exclude micro-conversions from optimization
Brand Exclusions (Performance Max)
- Add brand terms to exclusions
- Create separate brand campaigns
- Prevents brand traffic from inflating metrics