One of the best things about PPC is the ability to constantly improve your campaigns. You can move around your spending and optimize its efficiency, even just a few days after your PPC campaign launch.
Here are a few things you can do to make sure your campaign is optimized for the best outcome!
#1 Confirm Ad Delivery and Approvals
It may seem obvious, but it is SO important to make sure your ads are doing their job. Especially when you put a lot of time and effort into creating the campaign, you need to make sure they’re bringing in traffic.
You should also double check the approval status of your ads. Just because you’re seeing impressions doesn’t mean your ads aren’t missing out on some traffic because they were disapproved or have limited approval.
Check Ad Approval Status
Google doesn’t always approve all your ads immediately or approve them fully. The status of “Approved” isn’t the end of the story. Sometimes your ads might say “Eligible (limited),” meaning they’re active but restricted (often due to policy flags or targeting limitations like alcohol or healthcare content).
To verify approval status:
- Head to your Ads & Assets tab in Google Ads.
Add a column for Policy Details to surface any ad-specific issues.
Don’t just look at individual ad status, check your assets (headlines, descriptions, images, etc.) if you’re running Responsive Search Ads (RSA) or Performance Max. One disapproved asset can limit overall delivery.
Monitor Impressions and Early Clicks
Once your ads are live and approved, let them gather initial impressions, but don’t assume zero impressions = a bad campaign. Early, slow delivery can be caused by:
- Budget pacing (especially with Smart Bidding).
- Low search volume for target keywords.
- Learning phase for a newly launched Smart Bidding or Performance Max.
Check:
- Impression share metrics (Search IS, Search Lost IS due to budget or rank).
- Delivery status in each campaign (especially if you’re using multiple networks like Display, YouTube, or PMax).
Check Ad Variation Delivery
If you’re testing multiple RSAs or ad variants, make sure all ads are getting at least some impressions. Google may heavily favor one variant, but you don’t want your test to be a false read because other ads didn’t run.
Use:
- Asset diagnostics under RSAs and Performance Max campaigns.
- Ad variation reporting under “Experiments” if you’re running formal split tests.
#2 Validate Conversion Tracking and Attribution
Once your PPC campaign is live, don’t just monitor clicks; make sure you’re accurately tracking what matters: conversions. Even experienced marketers overlook small tracking issues that lead to major misreads in performance.
Check That Conversions Are Firing Properly
Start with your primary conversion actions in Google Ads. Are the right ones being counted? Navigate to:
Tools & Settings → Measurement → Conversions
Here, confirm:
- The conversion action tied to your campaign is marked as “Primary.”
- The source (e.g., website, call, import) matches your intended setup.
- You’re using Google Tag Manager or the global site tag properly to track actions on thank-you pages or key events.
- There’s no duplication; some advertisers accidentally track the same event via both Google Ads and Google Analytics.
If you’re using Google Analytics 4, ensure events are mapped to conversion actions in Google Ads and that your GA4 property is properly linked.
Review Tag Implementation and Real-Time Testing
Use Google Tag Assistant or Chrome DevTools to verify tags are firing when expected.
Even one misplaced tag or misnamed event can cause a data hole you won’t notice until weeks later.
Are You Tracking the Right Conversion?
Many advertisers track too many goals, form submissions, scroll depth, time on page, pageviews, etc., without distinguishing which ones actually matter to the business. Over-tracking inflates conversion counts and confuses Smart Bidding.
Recommendation:
- One to two primary conversions for Smart Bidding.
- Track micro-conversions (like downloads or video views) in Analytics only, not optimized for in Google Ads.
Keep your conversion framework clean so you know exactly which actions you’re optimizing toward, and your bidding algorithm does too.
Attribution Settings Matter
Finally, check your attribution model. Google Ads defaults to “Data-Driven” if eligible, which is generally best. But if you’re using last-click or linear attribution unintentionally, your credit assignment could be skewed.
To review: Tools & Settings → Conversions → Attribution Model
Choose the model that aligns with your sales cycle and user journey. For most lead gen and eCommerce brands, data-driven or position-based gives the most realistic view of ad impact.
#3 Monitor Bids and Budget Distribution
Once your campaign is running, keyword bids and daily budgets shouldn’t be left on autopilot. Initial settings are just a starting point; real-world performance often demands adjustments within the first few days.
Are You Hitting the First Page?
Even with well-researched bids, some keywords may underperform due to a variety of reasons, including low visibility or a gap in offer and customer intent. Use the “Auction Insights Report” and “Search Impression Share” metrics to identify if your ads are getting buried.
To surface underperformers:
- Go to the Keywords view in Google Ads
- Add columns: Search Top IS, Search Absolute Top IS, and review along with conversion data
- Filter for keywords below 50% Search Top IS or with “Below First Page Bid”
If visibility is low and CPC and Cost/Conv are manageable, you can try to increase bids strategically and put up a fight for the top spots. This is especially important for high-converting or branded terms.
Budget Allocation Across Campaigns
Google Ads doesn’t automatically know your campaign priorities; a poor allocation can severely hold back a strategically laid out campaign structure. Review:
- Which campaigns are spending the fastest?
- Are branded or remarketing campaigns exhausting the budget early in the day?
- Are low-performing campaigns eating up disproportionate spend?
Use Campaign Spend vs. Conversion Volume metrics to guide reallocation. Pause or throttle low-ROAS campaigns early, and funnel budget into proven performers.
Smart Bidding Isn’t “Set and Forget”
If you’re using Target CPA or Maximize Conversions, understand that these algorithms require time and data to stabilize. But they also rely on accurate conversion values and budgets.
Here’s what to watch:
- Is the campaign meeting its target CPA or ROAS?
- Is Google limited by budget? If so, you might not be getting optimal reach or you may have too many keywords in the campaign.
- Are conversion volumes too low? If you’re not generating at least 30–50 conversions/month, Smart Bidding won’t perform reliably.
Schedule Budget Reviews
Build a weekly and monthly cadence to evaluate:
- Impression share lost due to budget or rank
- Cost vs. ROAS trends
- Time-of-day and day-of-week performance
Google’s default recommendations can be helpful, but don’t rely solely on auto-applied suggestions. Combine platform data with business context to make smarter bid and budget calls
#4 Audit Search Terms and Negative Keywords (7-14 days after launching)
Nobody likes throwing money away, so make sure you’re checking your ads for irrelevant search terms. Regardless of how put together your account structure, negative keyword lists, and match types are, you’re bound to experience some bumps in the road.
Why Search Term Audits Matter
Google’s match types, especially Broad Match and even Phrase Match (Don’t get me started on how exact match is not exact match anymore), have grown increasingly “liberal” in how they interpret intent. A keyword like “CRM for small business” might trigger ads for terms like “free CRM software” or “cheap client database.”
These mismatches can:
- Waste budget on low-converting clicks
- Attract the wrong audience
- Confuse Google’s machine learning and dilute performance
How to Run an Effective Audit
Go to your Search Terms report under the Keywords tab. Review the terms that triggered your ads in the last 7–14 days.
Look for:
- Irrelevant queries (e.g., informational or competitor terms)
- Terms indicating low purchase intent (“free”, “PDF”, “jobs”)
- Unexpected intent signals that don’t match your offer
Add Negative Keywords (Proactively and Reactively)
When you find irrelevant terms:
- Add them as Negative Keywords at the ad group or campaign level
- Consider adding them to a shared Negative List if they apply across multiple campaigns
You can also pre-load negatives based on category insights. For example:
- If you’re selling premium software, pre-block terms like “free,” “trial,” or “cheap”
- If you’re not hiring, block terms like “jobs” or “careers.”
Use Match Types for Precision
For tighter control:
- Use Phrase Match negatives for close variations
- Use Exact Match negatives when you want to block very specific terms
Avoid Broad Match negatives unless you’re absolutely sure, as they can over-block traffic unintentionally.
Refresh Your Negatives Weekly
Search behavior evolves. Check new queries every week for emerging patterns, especially after launching new keywords or during seasonal spikes.
Over time, building a robust negative keyword strategy is one of the best ways to improve your CTR, lower CPCs, and maintain campaign relevance.
By watching your search queries after your campaign launch, you can save yourself money and time. To learn about this in more detail you can read our detailed guide on Negative Keywords Strategy.
#5 Analyze Landing Page Experience
Driving clicks is only half the battle; your landing page has to carry the momentum forward and convert. After launching a PPC campaign, one of your top priorities should be optimising how well your landing page supports the user journey.
You should always be reviewing your data and adjusting your campaigns as necessary.
Start with Mobile Performance
Most online traffic comes from mobile devices, so test your landing pages across various devices and network conditions. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse to:
- Check load times
- Identify elements causing layout shifts or slow render
- Flag mobile usability issues like tiny buttons or hard-to-read text
Even a 1-second delay in load time can significantly reduce conversion rates.
Match the Message to the Click
When a user clicks your ad, they come with a specific intent. If your landing page doesn’t reflect the promise made in the ad, whether it’s pricing details, a product demo, or a free trial, you risk losing them immediately.
Ask:
- Does the headline reflect the keyword they searched?
- Is the offer clearly stated above the fold?
- Is the content structured for scanning (bullets, subheaders, short paragraphs)?
Remove Friction from Forms and CTAs
Audit your forms for unnecessary fields. Long, complex forms kill conversions. If you’re running lead gen campaigns, test shorter forms and progressive disclosure (e.g., step 1 of 2). Also, check that:
- The CTA button stands out and clearly conveys the next action
- There are no bugs or lag when submitting the form
- Trust signals (testimonials, badges, privacy reassurance) are visible
A/B Test High-Impact Elements Early
If your campaign is generating enough traffic, set up A/B tests for:
- Headlines (value-driven vs. urgency-driven)
- Primary CTA text (“Get Started” vs. “Get Your Free Quote”)
- Layout changes (form on left vs. right, social proof placement)
Use tools like Google Optimize, VWO, or Unbounce to manage and measure tests. Even small tweaks can lift conversion rates meaningfully when applied at scale.
#6 Monitor Quality Score and Improve Relevance
Quality score should be a major player when optimizing your campaigns!
Quality score measures the relevancy of your ads to your landing pages and keywords.
It’s more than just a diagnostic metric; it directly impacts your CPC, impression share, and ad positioning. That’s why monitoring it post-launch is critical to both short-term results and long-term efficiency.
Track the Three Core Components
In Google Ads, Quality Score is broken into three categories:
- Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR) – Based on how likely your ad is to be clicked relative to competitors.
- Ad Relevance – How closely your ad copy matches the intent behind the keyword.
- Landing Page Experience – Google’s assessment of your page’s usefulness and relevance.
You can view each of these individually in the Keywords tab to see what’s holding your score back.
While there are a couple of other factors that Google considers, like geographical and historical performance, you should have your focus on those three.
Improve Keyword-to-Ad Alignment
Use exact or close variations of your top-performing keywords directly in your:
- Headlines (especially Headline 1 and 2)
- Descriptions
- Display paths
Avoid generic ad copy, and make it clear that your ad solves the specific query.
Keep Landing Pages Aligned (As discussed in the previous step)
If your landing page doesn’t clearly reflect the keyword theme of the ad group, you’ll suffer on both ad relevance and landing page experience. Instead:
- Group similar keywords into tightly themed ad groups
- Create unique landing pages (or dynamic landing content) tailored to those themes
- Ensure content matches both the language and the intent of the ad
Use Granular Ad Group Structures
Tightly segmented ad groups make it easier to align:
- Keywords
- Ad copy
- Landing page content
If you have ad groups with 15–20 keywords and generic ads, your quality score is likely suffering. Trim them down to 5–10 closely related keywords per group. You want to make sure you keep a close eye on your quality scores so you won’t be blindsided by any drastic changes. When you have a good quality score, you’ll experience a lower CPC, lower bid estimates, and awesome ad position!
Bonus: Set Reminders to Review Your PPC Campaign Each Week
Once you’ve launched the campaign and let data generate in Google Ads, you can evaluate your ads and make edits where it’s needed.
Keywords are constantly changing, as are CPCs and quality scores, so you need to be ready at the drop of a hat to adjust your campaigns.
If you find that you’re getting plenty of clicks but the conversions aren’t matching up, you’re probably attracting the wrong audience or have landing page copy that just isn’t making your audience follow through.
Make sure to schedule time to review your date weekly and make changes as you see fit
Try to experiment with copy, content, and keywords. Sometimes small changes can make the biggest impact!
Related: How to Best Monitor Ad Performance and Improve Your Results
You can’t launch campaigns and then forget about them. You should constantly be evaluating your ad performance so you can make necessary changes to experience a great ROI.
By following the steps above, you’re sure to experience a great outcome of your campaign launches and see a great response.
Don’t forget to keep an eye on your quality score! A good score will boost your campaign traffic and ROI tremendously, but a poor score can ruin all your hard work.
P.S.: If all this sounds like a lot of work (which it is!), here’s how to outsource it the smart way and find a provider that actually gets you real results.
