ChatGPT + Google Ads: AI Workflow for PPC Management

ChatGPT and other AI tools can dramatically speed up Google Ads management—if you know how to use them effectively.

What AI Can Help With

High value tasks:

• Keyword brainstorming and expansion
• Ad copy generation and iteration
• Negative keyword discovery
• Search term analysis
• Audience research
• Competitor analysis

Limited value tasks:

• Real-time bidding (Google does this better)
• Account structure decisions (needs context)
• Budget allocation (needs performance data)
• Technical implementation

The Right Approach

AI is a force multiplier, not a replacement:

1. Use AI to generate options faster
2. Apply human judgment to select and refine
3. Test AI-generated content against controls
4. Build prompts that leverage your expertise

Prompt Engineering Basics

Good prompts include:

• Clear role definition
• Specific context about your business
• Explicit format requirements
• Quality criteria
• Examples when helpful

Example structure: "Act as a Google Ads expert. For [business type] targeting [audience], create [deliverable]. Requirements: [constraints]. Format: [structure]."

Use ChatGPT to accelerate keyword discovery and organization.

Initial Keyword Brainstorming

Prompt: "Act as a Google Ads keyword researcher. I run a [business type] in [location] serving [target audience]. Our main products/services are [list].

Generate 50 keyword ideas across these categories:

• Commercial intent (ready to buy)
• Informational intent (researching)
• Local variations
• Problem-aware searches
• Solution-aware searches
• Competitor alternative searches

Format as a table with: Keyword | Intent | Estimated Volume (high/medium/low) | Competition (high/medium/low)"

Long-Tail Expansion

Prompt: "Take these seed keywords: [list 5-10 keywords]

For each seed keyword, generate 10 long-tail variations using these patterns:

• [keyword] + location
• [keyword] + specific attribute
• [keyword] + price modifier
• [keyword] + urgency modifier
• question-based variations
• comparison variations

Focus on commercial intent. Format as bullet points grouped by seed keyword."

Negative Keyword Discovery

Prompt: "I'm running Google Ads for [business/product]. Help me build a comprehensive negative keyword list.

Consider:

• DIY/how-to searches (we're a service business)
• Job seekers looking for employment
• Students doing research
• Free-seekers
• Wrong locations
• Wrong industries
• Competitor employees
• B2B vs B2C mismatch (we're [B2B/B2C])

Generate at least 100 negative keywords organized by category."

Keyword Grouping

Prompt: "Group these keywords into tightly themed ad groups: [paste keyword list]

Rules:

• Each ad group should have 5-15 closely related keywords
• Keywords in same group should work with same ad
• Name each group based on theme
• Flag any keywords that don't fit anywhere

Format as: Ad Group: [name] Keywords: [list]"

Generate and iterate on ad copy faster with these prompts.

RSA Headline Generation

Prompt: "Create 15 Google Ads headlines (max 30 characters each) for [business] targeting [audience] searching for [keyword theme].

Include variety:

• 3 headlines with the primary keyword
• 3 headlines focused on benefits
• 3 headlines with social proof/stats
• 3 headlines with CTAs
• 3 headlines with differentiators

Our USPs are: [list 3-5 unique selling points] Our offer is: [current promotion if any]

Format: Number each headline and show character count."

RSA Description Generation

Prompt: "Create 4 Google Ads descriptions (max 90 characters each) for [business].

Target keyword: [keyword] Target audience: [audience] Main benefit: [primary value proposition] Call to action: [desired action]

Each description should:

• Include a clear benefit
• Have a CTA
• Be distinct from the others
• Work with any of the headlines

Format: Number each description and show character count."

Ad Copy Iteration

Prompt: "Here's my current ad copy that's performing okay: Headlines: [list current headlines] Descriptions: [list current descriptions]

Current performance: [CTR, conversion rate if known]

Generate 5 alternative versions of each headline and description that:

• Take a different angle/approach
• Test different emotional triggers
• Use different CTAs
• Maintain or improve relevance to [keyword]

Explain the angle for each variation."

Competitor-Focused Copy

Prompt: "Create ad copy for targeting people searching for [competitor name].

We are [your business description]. Our advantages over [competitor]: [list differentiators]

Create:

• 5 headlines that position us as an alternative
• 3 descriptions that highlight our differences
• Avoid using competitor trademark in the copy
• Focus on our benefits, not attacking competitor

Character limits: Headlines 30 chars, Descriptions 90 chars."

Use AI to process and analyze search term reports efficiently.

Search Term Categorization

Prompt: "Categorize these search terms from my Google Ads account: [paste 50-100 search terms]

Categories:

1. HIGH VALUE - Clear purchase intent, directly relevant
2. MEDIUM VALUE - Related but uncertain intent
3. LOW VALUE - Informational only, likely won't convert
4. NEGATIVE - Should be blocked immediately
5. NEW OPPORTUNITY - Worth testing as new keyword

Format as a table with: Search Term | Category | Reasoning | Recommended Action"

Negative Keyword Extraction

Prompt: "Review these search terms and identify all that should be added as negative keywords: [paste search terms]

My business is [description] and I don't serve:

• [list exclusions - e.g., specific locations, customer types, products you don't offer]

For each negative, specify:

• The exact negative keyword to add
• Match type (exact, phrase, or broad match negative)
• Why it should be negative

Format as actionable list I can implement."

Pattern Discovery

Prompt: "Analyze these search terms for patterns: [paste 100+ search terms with performance data if available]

Identify:

1. Common modifiers that indicate high intent
2. Common modifiers that indicate low intent
3. Themes I may be missing keywords for
4. Geographic patterns
5. Time-based or seasonal patterns
6. Question patterns that indicate awareness stage

Provide actionable recommendations for each pattern found."

Landing Page Matching

Prompt: "Here are my converting search terms with current landing pages: [paste data]

And here are non-converting search terms: [paste data]

Analyze the mismatch between search intent and landing page for non-converters. Suggest:

1. Which search terms need different landing pages
2. What content those landing pages should include
3. Which search terms should be negated vs. given new pages"

Develop audience insights and targeting strategies with AI assistance.

Customer Persona Development

Prompt: "Help me develop detailed customer personas for [business type].

For each persona, include:

• Demographic profile
• Job role/daily life
• Pain points related to [product/service]
• Goals and motivations
• Objections to purchasing
• Search behavior (what they'd search for)
• Decision criteria
• Preferred content types

Create 3 distinct personas that represent different segments of my target market."

In-Market Audience Suggestions

Prompt: "I sell [product/service] to [target audience].

Suggest Google Ads in-market audiences that would be relevant, including:

• Directly relevant audiences
• Adjacent audiences (related purchases)
• Life-stage audiences
• Cross-sell opportunity audiences

For each suggestion, explain why someone in that audience would be interested in my offering."

Custom Intent Audience Keywords

Prompt: "Generate custom intent audience keywords for [business].

Include:

• Competitor brand names (list 10 competitors: [add if known])
• Competitor product names
• Industry publications and websites
• Related search terms indicating research phase
• Complementary product searches
• Problem-aware searches

Generate at least 50 keywords/URLs to use for custom intent targeting."

Remarketing Segment Strategy

Prompt: "Help me create a remarketing segmentation strategy for [business].

Current website pages include:

• [list main pages/product categories]

Suggest remarketing audiences based on:

1. Page visited (which pages indicate higher intent)
2. Engagement level (time on site, pages viewed)
3. Recency (how timing affects messaging)
4. Conversion stage (cart abandoners, form starters, etc.)

For each segment, suggest:

• Audience definition
• Recommended bid modifier
• Ad messaging angle
• Optimal remarketing window"

Use AI to analyze and strategize against competitors.

Competitor Ad Copy Analysis

Prompt: "Analyze these competitor ads I've captured:

Competitor A: Headlines: [list] Descriptions: [list]

Competitor B: Headlines: [list] Descriptions: [list]

Identify:

1. Common themes across competitors
2. Unique angles each takes
3. Offers/promotions used
4. Trust signals mentioned
5. Gaps that no competitor is addressing
6. Opportunities for differentiation

Suggest ad copy angles I could use to stand out."

Competitive Positioning

Prompt: "Help me position against these competitors:

My business: [description, USPs, pricing]

Competitor A: [description, USPs, pricing] Competitor B: [description, USPs, pricing] Competitor C: [description, USPs, pricing]

Create:

1. A positioning statement that differentiates me
2. Key messages for each differentiator
3. Objection handling for common competitor advantages
4. Conquest campaign ad copy (5 headlines, 2 descriptions)"

SWOT Analysis for PPC

Prompt: "Conduct a SWOT analysis for my Google Ads competitiveness:

My business: [description] Main competitors: [list] Current performance: [high-level metrics if known]

Analyze:

• Strengths (what advantages do I have in PPC)
• Weaknesses (where am I disadvantaged)
• Opportunities (gaps I could exploit)
• Threats (competitive actions to watch for)

Provide specific tactical recommendations for each area."

Competitive Keyword Gap Analysis

Prompt: "Based on what you know about [industry], what keywords might competitors be targeting that I should consider?

My current keywords focus on: [themes] My competitors include: [list]

Suggest:

1. Keywords competitors likely bid on that I don't
2. Long-tail variations I may be missing
3. Adjacent keyword themes worth testing
4. Question-based keywords in my industry
5. Comparison/alternative keywords"

Use AI to identify optimization opportunities and create action plans.

Performance Diagnosis

Prompt: "Diagnose potential issues with this Google Ads performance data:

Campaign: [name] Impressions: [number] Clicks: [number] CTR: [percent] CPC: [amount] Conversions: [number] Conversion rate: [percent] Cost per conversion: [amount] Industry: [industry]

Based on typical benchmarks for [industry], identify:

1. Which metrics are underperforming
2. Potential causes for each issue
3. Prioritized recommendations to improve
4. Quick wins vs. longer-term fixes"

A/B Test Planning

Prompt: "Help me plan an A/B testing roadmap for my Google Ads account.

Current situation:

• Running [number] campaigns
• Average [X] conversions per month
• Main goals: [CPA target, ROAS target, etc.]

Create a prioritized testing roadmap with:

1. Highest impact tests to run first
2. Required sample size for each test
3. How long each test should run
4. What to measure for each test
5. How to implement each test

Consider tests for: bid strategies, ad copy, landing pages, audiences, and keywords."

Optimization Checklist

Prompt: "Create a weekly optimization checklist for a Google Ads account running [campaign types] for [business type].

Include tasks for:

• Performance monitoring
• Budget management
• Keyword optimization
• Ad copy optimization
• Bid adjustments
• Audience refinement
• Search term review

For each task, specify:

• What to look for
• What action to take
• How long the task should take
• Priority level"

Scaling Strategy

Prompt: "My Google Ads account is performing well with these metrics: [paste performance data]

Monthly budget: [current] Target budget: [goal]

Help me create a scaling plan that:

1. Identifies how to increase spend without hurting efficiency
2. Prioritizes which campaigns/keywords to scale first
3. Suggests new campaign types to test
4. Provides budget increase increments and timing
5. Sets metrics to watch during scaling
6. Defines rollback triggers if performance drops"

Copy-paste prompts for common Google Ads tasks.

Headlines Quick Generator

"Generate 10 Google Ads headlines (max 30 chars) for [product/service]. Include keyword [X], highlight [benefit], and target [audience]. Show character count."

Description Quick Generator

"Write 4 Google Ads descriptions (max 90 chars) for [product/service]. Include CTA, benefit, and [keyword]. Show character count."

Negative Keywords Expansion

"I'm adding [negative keyword] as a negative. List 20 related terms I should also add as negatives to fully block this traffic."

Landing Page Copy

"Write landing page headline and subheadline for [keyword] search. Product is [description]. Max headline 10 words, subheadline 25 words."

Callout Extensions

"Generate 10 Google Ads callout extensions (max 25 chars) for [business]. Focus on: free offers, speed, trust signals, benefits."

Sitelink Ideas

"Suggest 8 sitelink extensions for [business website]. Each needs: link text (max 25 chars), description 1 (35 chars), description 2 (35 chars)."

Ad Strength Improvement

"This ad has 'Average' strength. Improve it: Headlines: [list] Descriptions: [list] Add 3 more headlines and 1 description that add variety while maintaining relevance to [keyword]."

Competitor Keyword List

"List 30 competitor brand keywords I should consider for conquest campaigns in [industry]. Include brand names, product names, and '[brand] alternative' phrases."

Budget Allocation

"Given these campaign performances: [paste metrics]

Suggest budget reallocation to maximize [goal]. Explain reasoning."

Seasonality Planning

"For [industry/product], what seasonal trends should I plan for? Suggest budget and bid adjustments by month, and seasonal ad copy themes."

Maximize AI effectiveness with these best practices.

Quality Control

Always review AI output:

• Check character counts
• Verify factual claims
• Test for brand voice match
• Look for repetition
• Check for hallucinated features

Test before scaling:

• Run AI copy against control
• Measure actual performance
• Refine prompts based on results
• Build library of winning prompts

Effective Prompt Iteration

When output isn't right:

1. Be more specific about what's wrong
2. Provide examples of what you want
3. Add constraints that eliminate bad outputs
4. Break complex asks into smaller parts

Example iteration:

• V1: "Write ad headlines" → Too generic
• V2: "Write 10 ad headlines for running shoes" → Better but missing constraints
• V3: "Write 10 ad headlines (max 30 chars) for running shoes, targeting marathon runners, emphasizing cushioning technology" → Good

Building Prompt Templates

Create reusable templates:

1. Start with a working prompt
2. Replace specifics with [placeholders]
3. Test with different inputs
4. Refine based on output quality
5. Document in a prompt library

Template example: "Generate [number] Google Ads [headlines/descriptions] for [business] targeting [audience] searching for [keyword]. USPs: [list]. Offer: [promotion]. Character limit: [number]. Format: numbered list with character counts."

Integration with Workflow

Weekly workflow:

• Monday: Generate ad copy variations with AI
• Tuesday: Review and refine
• Wednesday: Implement tests
• Thursday: Analyze search terms with AI
• Friday: Plan next week's tests

Automation opportunities:

• Batch keyword expansion
• Bulk negative keyword generation
• Regular ad refresh cycles
• Search term categorization

Limitations to Remember

AI doesn't know:

• Your actual performance data
• Your specific business context
• Current market conditions
• What your competitors are actually doing
• Whether generated copy complies with policies

Always combine AI with:

• Your performance data
• Your business knowledge
• Google Ads policy review
• Actual testing and measurement