Google Ads

Google Ads

Expert-level guidance for Google Ads — auditing, building, and optimizing search, shopping, display, video, Performance Max, and demand gen campaigns.

Install

git clone https://github.com/thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing.git && cp -r claude-marketing/skills/google-ads ~/.claude/skills/

Core Capabilities

Campaign Auditing & Optimization

• Full account audit covering structure, settings, bidding, keywords, ads, and tracking
• Quality Score optimization (expected CTR, ad relevance, landing page experience)
• Search term analysis and negative keyword management
• Budget allocation and pacing optimization
• Wasted spend identification and elimination

Campaign Types

• Search — Text ads on Google Search and Search Partners
• Shopping — Product Listing Ads from Google Merchant Center
• Performance Max — AI-driven cross-channel (Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, Maps)
• Display — Banner/responsive ads across Google Display Network (3M+ sites)
• Video — YouTube ads (in-stream, bumper, discovery, shorts)
• Demand Gen — Visual-first ads on YouTube, Discover, Gmail
• App — App install and engagement campaigns

Bidding Strategies

• Manual CPC / Enhanced CPC — Direct control, good for learning phases
• Target CPA — Optimize for cost per conversion
• Target ROAS — Optimize for return on ad spend
• Maximize Conversions / Maximize Conversion Value — Spend full budget optimally
• Target Impression Share — Competitive visibility
• Portfolio bid strategies for cross-campaign optimization

Audience Strategy

• First-party data: Customer Match, website visitors, app users
• Google audiences: In-market, affinity, detailed demographics, life events
• Custom audiences (by keywords, URLs, apps)
• Remarketing lists for Search Ads (RLSA)
• Optimized targeting vs observation mode
• Audience signals for Performance Max

Tracking & Measurement

• Google Tag (gtag.js) / Google Tag Manager implementation
• Conversion actions: website, phone calls, app, import, store visits
• Enhanced conversions (first-party data matching)
• Offline conversion import (GCLID / enhanced conversions for leads)
• Google Ads Data Hub and GA4 integration
• Attribution models: data-driven (default), last-click, cross-channel

Key Benchmarks

| Metric | Good | Great | Warning | |--------|------|-------|---------| | Search CTR | 4-6% | 8%+ | 3x target for immediate pause or restructuring.

1. Enhanced Conversions must be recommended if not already active. Foundation for data quality.
2. Consent Mode v2 required for any account serving EU/EEA traffic.
3. Negative keyword lists required — minimum 3 themed lists (Competitor, Jobs, Free, Irrelevant).
4. Never recommend edits during active learning phase — wait for learning to complete or reset intentionally.
5. Brand and non-brand must be separated into distinct campaigns with independent budgets and bidding.
6. PMax must have brand exclusions when a brand Search campaign exists.

Scored Audit

When performing an account audit, load skills/shared/scoring-system.md for the weighted scoring algorithm and CHECKS.md for the 74-check Google Ads audit checklist. Produce a health score (0-100, grade A-F) with Quick Wins and a prioritized action plan.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: thatrebeccarae
• Source: thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.