I've spent over $10 million running Google Ads, constantly testing and refining strategies so you don't have to. Over the years, I've learned what works and what doesn't, and today, I want to share with you how a Google Ads campaign should perform and behave, drawing from one of my favourite long-running campaigns in the music education space. I'll walk you through the essentials of structuring your campaigns, managing ad groups, optimizing landing pages, and ensuring proper tracking — all crucial components to running successful Google Ads.
The Tap Analogy: It's All About Leads
When I think about Google Ads, I like to use the "tap" analogy. The ultimate goal is to create a steady flow of leads, whether someone is filling out a form or making a phone call. For me, a conversion isn't just a click; it's a meaningful interaction, like a phone call that lasts more than 30 seconds and is properly tracked back to the ad that generated it. With proper attribution, it's possible to know what's working.
In one of my Google Ads campaigns for a music school, we have 13 ad groups set up. But here's the key — at any given time, only four or five ad groups are active. The reason for this is simple: each ad group is dedicated to a specific keyword or theme. For example, we have one ad group targeting "piano lessons," with a few exact match keywords such as "piano tutor" or "piano teacher." When someone within our specified radius searches for one of those terms, our ad shows up, leading to inquiries, phone calls, or form submissions.
When we've enrolled enough piano students, the client calls to tell me to shift focus to another instrument, like cello or drums. This dynamic approach allows the campaign to stay flexible and responsive to the business's needs at any given time.
Sculpting Ad Groups: The Heart of a Campaign
One of the reasons this campaign has been so successful is the ongoing process I call monthly sculpting. This involves fine-tuning every aspect of the ad groups and keywords to ensure we only target what matters. Over time, I've learned that Google Ads isn't a set-it-and-forget-it system. You need to review and refine constantly:
- Negative keyword sculpting is essential. I prevent wasted ad spend by regularly removing irrelevant keywords that don't lead to conversions.
- Creating new ad groups for emerging keywords helps capture fresh traffic and leads. As we monitor search trends, we always update the campaign to reflect what's currently valuable to the client.
Each lead type might cost anywhere from $15 to $40, depending on the time of year and other factors. But here's the critical part: the client sees an average of 10 booked lessons per new student. When you do the math, the return on investment becomes clear, and it's why sculpting the campaign monthly ensures we're always optimizing for the best possible results.
The Power of a Well-Designed Landing Page
Now, let's discuss one of the most critical components of any Google Ads campaign: the landing page. Getting clicks is only half the battle. A high-quality landing page can make the difference between a visitor leaving without converting and a lead that turns into a paying customer.
A well-optimized landing page includes trust signals, such as Google reviews, testimonials, and proof of the results you've achieved. For the music school campaign, we included photos of the teachers, their credentials, and testimonials from students and parents. This personal touch builds trust and reassures visitors that they're in good hands. Clear calls to action, like "Book Your First Lesson," also help guide visitors toward the next step.
Tracking What Matters: Conversions That Count
One of the biggest things agencies need to correct is tracking the wrong metrics. It's not enough to count clicks on phone numbers as conversions. While clicking on a phone number can show intent, how do you know it wasn't an accidental click?
In this campaign, we discovered that many phone number clicks from our ads led to meaningless calls. After implementing call tracking with unique phone numbers, we realized that nearly 95% of these calls were accidental or non-leads. Once we had this data, we could refine our strategy, saving time and money by eliminating those non-converting clicks from our reporting. It's crucial to track not just actions but also meaningful actions that contribute to real conversions and revenue.
Structuring Google Ads for Success
One key thing I've learned is that the structure of your Google Ads campaign can make or break your results. Campaigns should be divided into larger categories, while ad groups should focus more on specific keyword themes. This structure gives you better control over your budget and performance.
For example, in the music school campaign, I set up separate ad groups for each instrument — piano, cello, violin, etc. — and each ad group targets specific keywords with tightly themed ads. This focused approach improves our Quality Score and reduces our cost per click, allowing us to achieve better results for the same budget.
Understanding What Google Wants: Relevance and Quality
Another key factor is making sure that everything in your campaign—from the keyword to the ad copy to the landing page—is relevant to the user's search intent. Google rewards campaigns that deliver a cohesive, relevant user experience. This is reflected in your Quality Score, which can lower your cost per click and increase your ad's visibility.
Over time, I've honed the process of aligning keywords with ad copy and landing pages, ensuring everything matches up. For the music school, if someone searches for "piano lessons," they land on a page specifically designed for them, with clear messaging about how to book their first lesson. This tight relevance has been one of the biggest factors in the campaign's success.
Constant Optimization: The Key to Long-Term Success
Running a Google Ads campaign isn't a one-time task; it's an ongoing process of optimization and improvement. I review the campaign's performance monthly, adjust the bidding strategies, refine the keywords, and update the landing pages. This constant cycle of review and optimization keeps the campaigns performing at their best.
Over the years, I've learned to spot the trends, identify the waste, and pivot quickly when something isn't working. Google Ads is a powerful tool, but only if you're willing to put in the time to manage and refine it properly.
Final Thoughts
After spending over $10 million on Google Ads and countless hours refining campaigns, the key takeaway is this: success comes from consistent sculpting, smart structuring, and meaningful tracking. The ad groups, keywords, and landing pages must work harmoniously to generate quality leads that convert into revenue. By keeping your campaigns tight, relevant, and constantly optimizing, you can turn your Google Ads into a reliable tap of high-quality leads.
This has been the foundation of my approach, which continues to drive success for my clients and my own agencies.
