Google Ads

Google Ads is where most paid search spending happens. You bid on keywords to show text ads on Google Search, and the same account also runs YouTube, display, shopping and app campaigns.

Google now steers advertisers toward automated campaign types. Performance Max takes your budget, goals and a set of text, image and video assets, then decides where and when to show ads across Google's networks. Smart bidding sets bids for each auction based on the conversion goal you choose, and the platform can draft headlines and descriptions from your website.

Automation depends on accurate conversion tracking, because the system optimizes toward whatever you tell it is a conversion. Check which search terms and placements your money goes to, add negative keywords where you can, and review the auto-applied recommendations setting so changes are not made to your account without your say.