Managing Google Ads comes down to three things: relevance, control, and results. It can feel like a lot at first, but once you understand how the platform is structured, how ads are built, and how Google judges quality, you're set up to run a successful campaign.
Account Structure
Think of a Google Ads account like a pyramid: campaigns at the top, then ad groups, then the ads and keywords underneath them.
Campaigns are the broadest category, holding your ad groups, ads, and keywords. Settings like location and budget are set here. For example, you might run one campaign for blog content and a separate one for events.
Ad groups organize ads around a shared theme. Every campaign needs at least two ad groups. For example, one ad group might promote volunteering, while another promotes a specific program.
Ads live inside ad groups and point to one landing page related to that group's topic. They show up based on the keywords in the group.
Anatomy of an Ad
Ads are made up of headlines, descriptions, and extensions. We recommend responsive search ads, which require:
5 to 15 headlines, up to 30 characters each
Up to 4 descriptions, up to 90 characters each
At least 2 ad extensions, which give searchers more context. Common types include:
Sitelinks — text links to important pages
Callouts — short calls-to-action shown after the ad
Images
Call — a clickable phone number
Performance Max (PMAX) Campaigns
Performance Max is Google's automated campaign type, and it's now available in Google Ad Grant accounts (rolled out in 2025). A few things that make it different from PMAX in a standard paid account:
Grant-account PMAX campaigns only serve on Search and Google Maps — not YouTube, Display, or Gmail.
Instead of keywords, you provide audience signals (demographics, interests, behaviors) and optional search themes.
PMAX campaigns in grant accounts are exempt from the 5% click-through rate requirement, though all other Ad Grant policies still apply.
If you're not sure whether PMAX makes sense for your account, ask your Cornershop team — it works well alongside standard search campaigns, especially in accounts with room in the budget that search alone isn't using.
Staying Compliant (Ad Grant Accounts)
To stay in good standing and get the most from the grant:
Each ad group needs 5–25 keywords. No single-word or overly generic keywords, and each keyword needs a quality score above 2.
Each campaign needs at least 2 ad groups, and each ad group needs at least 2 responsive search ads.
The account needs to maintain a click-through rate of at least 5% overall each month.
See Google's Ad Grant policies for the full list.
Writing Good Ads
Write headlines that clearly tell searchers what your organization and landing page offer, and include high-traffic keywords that match search intent. Use keywords that appear both in the ad and on the landing page, and make sure the landing page actually delivers what the ad promises — that's what drives conversions.
Avoid:
Running multiple ad groups for the same idea or landing page
Reusing the same keywords across different ad groups
Sending clicks to a poorly optimized landing page
Ad Rank & Quality Score
Ad rank determines whether and where your ad shows. Quality score reflects how well Google thinks your ad matches the search. Both are influenced by:
The searcher's context — location, device, and other signals — and how well your ad matches it
Whether your ad extensions are relevant to that searcher
How relevant and useful your ad and landing page are to the search
The landing page experience itself — original content, easy navigation, and overall trustworthiness
Higher quality scores lead to better engagement and better-qualified traffic.
Measuring Success
Key metrics to track:
Impressions — how often your ad is shown
Clicks — how often people click after seeing it
Click-through rate (CTR) — clicks divided by impressions
Conversions — completed actions from ad clicks
Bounce — how often visitors leave after one page
Spend — cost per ad
These numbers tell you how your ads, ad groups, and account are performing, and flag where to focus next.